Presented By Hotel Thermana Park Laško
Hotel Thermana Park Laško
Tri Lilije Sports Hall
Zdraviliška cesta 6
3270 Laško
Slovenia
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Wednesday 2 March - Saturday 12 March 2022
Ralf Souquet - Germany (Photography: ©EPBF)
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ALL HAIL THE KAISER!
Veteran Ralf Souquet, the owner of 19 Dynamic Billard European Championship individual gold medals, made it 20 as he rolled back the years in Lasko, Slovenia, winning the 8-ball division as he defeated Austria’s Mario He 8-5. It was a big moment for Souquet, 53, as he ably demonstrated that he can still compete and win among very tough fields and he let all his joy in victory flow out at the conclusion.
“It’s just an amazing feeling. I think I won my last individual title in 2010 in Croatia and 12 years later, here in Slovenia, I picked up a title again, this time in 8-Ball, my favourite game. I was close; I lost in the finals in Italy, I think two years ago, made it to the semis last year in Turkey where I played well but couldn’t get over the finish line and this year, it didn’t look too good either, I started almost every discipline quite bad with a loss and had to grind my way through but eventually everything paid off,” commented a delighted Souquet.
The match got underway as Souquet won the lag and delivered an excellent break which gave him all options. He took the stripes and completed a comfortable run out to take the first rack. He failed to make a ball off the break in the next but returned to the table following a Souquet scratch. Looking a little uncomfortable, He failed to make progress and Souquet dished up for a 2-0 lead.
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That soon became 3-0 as another good break from the veteran German gave him a nice layout and he methodically worked his way around the table. The imposing Austrian had his first success on the break and, choosing stripes set to work on the table. A superb three rail positional shot kept his run going and he deposited the 8 ball into the corner pocket to reduce his deficit.
A big break from Ralf saw the cue ball fly off the table and He was back in the chair. Weighing up the options, he elected solids and with no real problems, he ran out for 3-2. With two balls off his break shot in the next, He went for the solids, starting with the 6 ball, and went through the table with ease to level the score up.
Souquet made a ball on the break and took a solid into the centre pocket. With a shot-clock in operation, Ralf went through the balls before missing a simple 2 ball onto the corner pocket with just the black left. He stroked his way through the stripes to overturn a three-rack deficit and lead 4-3.
With the Austrian in the driving seat, he made a fateful error as, with two stripes left, he forced position and saw the cue ball collide with the 8 ball and pocket it for loss of rack. Souquet had a couple of potential problem clusters in the next. It wasn't the easiest of tables but Ralf was the master of it to regain the lead at 5-4.
He was up against it now and chose solids after a lengthy deliberation and in no time, he cleared the table to level it and make the match a race to three. Two balls down from Souquet in the next, gave him an excellent opportunity to advance his cause and with a lifetime of 8 ball experience behind him, he cleared for 6-5.
He made a ball on the break and parked the cue ball in the middle of the table. With two balls left, He overran by a distance and was forced into a difficult bank on the 7 ball. It was a bad error at such a critical juncture in the match and it left Souquet an opportunity to reach the hill. The German maestro grabbed it with both hands to leave himself breaking for the title.
It wasn't plain sailing though, as the 8 ball was kicked in off the break. With the option of a re-rack or a re-spot, Souquet had the black re-spotted. The championship-winning rack is never easy but Souquet drew on all his experience to clear the table for a wonderful victory. The wily veteran let all his emotions flood out as he was congratulated by Pia Filler who had just won the ladies’ division on the adjacent table.
“I guess, at 53, I would be the oldest ever gold medallist in the men’s division and I’m super proud of myself because it’s super tough to win a Euro Tour or a European Championship with all the young guns being around. When you look through the medal winners over the last five years, I don’t know if there was a winner older than 35. That shows what Europe has achieved over the years especially with the Euro Tour which is the strongest tour on the planet and that’s why so many tough players are playing in Europe,” Souquet continued.
“I think that was my 20th individual title but the last one was 12 years ago and when you’ve played in every single European Championship since but you didn’t even get close to winning then this is a big relief when you finally get to lift the trophy and become European Champion,” added a delighted Ralf Souquet.
Final
Ralf Souquet (GER) 8 – 5 Mario He (AUT)
Semi Finals
Ralf Souquet (GER) 8 – 4 Thorsten Hohmann (GER)
Mario He (AUT) 8 – 6 Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH)
The 2022 Dynamic Billards European Championship sees 15 separate events across four disciplines - 8, 9 and 10 ball as well as straight pool – plus the men's and women's team competitions. In total there are four divisions; men, women, under 23 men and wheelchair users.
Ralf Souquet - Germany
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Pehlivanovic Wins
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SUPER SANJIN TAKES 10 BALL CROWN
SANJIN PEHLIVANOVIC put on a classic display of 10 ball to claim the gold medal in the men’s division for Bosnia & Herzegovina at the Dynamic Billard European Championships in Lasko, Slovenia. The 20-year-old’s break was his main weapon as he delivered an impressive display to defeat Poland’s Wojciech Szewczyk by 8-5. Following a heart-breaking near miss last year in the final of the 9 Ball division, when he lost on the hill to Joshua Filler when victory was in his grasp, it was sweet redemption for Pehlivanovic and his joy in victory was fully manifested at the end.
“It feels incredible and I don’t know how to describe my emotions right now because six months ago I wanted it so badly and I had it but my emotions went too far. Of course, I’m really happy that I managed it this time. This whole tournament I was playing really well, holding my emotions and I only had one goal and I only came for what I left last year,” said an emotional Pehlivanovic after the match.
Pehlivanovic won the lag and delivered the first of what would be a succession of excellent break shots. Nudging the 8 away from the 4-ball, he then played a nice bank on the pink to set up the run out. A dry break from Szewczyk left the table open for his opponent but Pehlivanovic was forced to play safe on the 6-ball as it was too close to the 10 ball to pocket it. They exchanged safeties before Szewczyk pocketed the 6 in the wrong pocket following a bank. With Pehlivanovic back at the table, he cleared for a 2-0 lead.
Three balls on the break and a wide-open table looked promising for Pehlivanovic but he missed a difficult 1 ball and a good safety from Szewczyk saw his opponent scratch trying to bank his way out of trouble. With ball in hand, the Pole cleared the table for his first rack of the final.
Another missed bank from Szewczyk handed the initiative back to Sanjin but he slightly ran out of position and missed the 2 ball which fell into a non-nominated pocket. Szewczyk played a tight safety with three balls left on the table and his opponent’s hit-and-hope left it open for the run out as the score moved to 2-2.
Another crunching break from Pehlivanovic left him to play a safety on the 1 ball. They went back and forth before Szewczyk missed the 1 down table and with ball in hand, Pehlivanovic cleared for 3-2. Szewczyk ran out from the break in the next to level the match at 3-3, before Pehlivanovic did similar to regain the lead.
Szewczyk had a shot on the 1 ball in the next but with the 8-ball blocking its path to the corner pocket, he played a tidy carom. However, the cue ball followed the 8 in to give Pehlivanovic a real opportunity to increase his lead and he made no mistakes to move to 5-3. Then another fine run out from the break saw Pehlivanovic move to 6-3.
A great shot from Szewczyk followed the break as he pocketed the 2-ball and made a difficult position on the 3, opening up the rack. He ran out for 6-4 to keep his hopes alive. The Pole needed a slip up from his opponent in the next but another exemplary break from Sanjin put him into position to run the table and he obliged to reach the hill at 7-4.
Szewczyk wasn’t finished but with the racks running out he couldn’t afford a single mistake and an outstanding jump shot set up a clearance to get him to 7-5. That was his last visit as Pehlivanovic finished how he started with another superb break shot, followed by a run out to earn himself his first senior European Championship gold medal. For Szewczyk, a silver was his best ever effort and bronze medals went to beaten semi-finalists Niels Feijen (NED) and Roberto Bartol of Croatia.
“I’m trying always to think positive but it’s pool and you have many ups and downs so I’m just trying to stay positive, play my best game and hold my emotions which is the most important thing. Now I can breathe really good because these six months I’ve had flashbacks to the EC 9 Ball last year but I think it’s made me stronger,” added Pehlivanovic.
Final
Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH) 8 – 5 Wojciech Szewczyk (POL)
Semi Finals
Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH) 8 – 7 Niels Feijen (NED)
Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) 8 – 4 Roberto Bartol (CRO)
Pehlivanovic with Trophy
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Filler in action in the final.
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FILLER & MATAS TAKE STRAIGHT POOL GOLDS
THE OPENING DISCIPLINE of the 2022 Dynamic Billard European Pool Championships saw gold medals for Germany’s Joshua Filler and Spain’s Amalia Matas in the men’s and women’s straight pool events respectively. Following two days of play – double then single elimination – it came down to the final four in Lasko on Thursday night, and it was Germany and Spain who prevailed.
Filler always had the upper hand against his veteran Czech opponent Roman Hybler. An initial visit of 68 gave the German a cushion but at this level, any player can make match-winning visits. Hybler got to 18 points before losing position and missing, before Filler reached 94 then missed himself.
Hybler, though, failed to make an impact before a succession of fouls saw a re-rack with the scores set at 101-6. A scratch from Filler while on 113 saw Hybler back into the fray, and with his opponent nearing the finish line, he realistically needed to win the match in this visit.
He got to 50 but lost the cue ball down table and couldn’t manage anything with a speculative power shot. That left the stage to Filler who closed the match out for a 125-50 victory.
The German star has the ability to make the game look easy but explained, “What nobody sees is the hard work I’m putting in with my coaches. That final means a lot to me as six years ago straight pool was my favourite game. Actually, in my heart it is my favourite game as it’s what I started with. I wasn’t good at the beginning but I kept learning and learning and then I played ECs as a youth then won a couple of European Championships in straight pool.
“This was the first time I’ve ever played straight pool in the senior men’s division, and the fact I’ve won the first time is just unbelievable. My goal was actually to get to the quarters because I know how good the standard is and everyone can make 100 balls.
“I felt good though. I’d lost three finals in a row this year but it’s my fifth event and fifth final so I feel just amazing. I’m playing in all the other events here but I’ll always give 110% but it’s going to be a crazy week!” he added.
Final
Joshua Filler (GER) 125 – 50 Roman Hybler (CZE)
Semi Finals
Joshua Filler (GER) 125 – 100 Niels Feijen (NED)
Roman Hybler (CZE) 125 – 83 Mario He (AUT)
In the women’s final, Filler’s wife Pia, playing in her first European Championship straight pool, gave it her all but came up short against outstanding Spanish talent Amalia Matas, who had earlier won the women’s Euro Tour event at this same venue.
“I have a lot of confidence winning two successive tournaments and I can’t wait for the next one tomorrow. I’m very dedicated and put in lot of practice in this sport. This means a lot when I think of my family and friends and it gives me a lot of pride to know that I’m representing my country,” commented Matas.
She now competes in the ladies 10 ball division and will be highly-fancied to go deep, given her rich vein of form.
Final
Amalia Matas (ESP) 75 – 44 Pia Filler (GER)
Semi Finals
Pia Filler 75 – 43 Tina Vogelmann (GER)
Amalia Matas (ESP) 75 – 53 Line Kjorsvik (NOR)
There are 15 separate events across four disciplines - 8, 9 and 10 ball as well as straight pool – plus the men's and women's team competitions. In total there are four divisions; men, women, under 23 men and wheelchair users.
Matas celebrates her win.
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EC straight pool medalists.
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2022 EUROS BREAK OFF TOMORROW
1st March
THE 2022 Dynamic Billard European Pool Championship is set to get underway tomorrow (Wednesday 2nd March) in the central Slovenian town of Lasko. 190 athletes have gathered at the Hotel Thermana Park to compete over 11 days of pool action.
There are 15 separate events across four disciplines - 8, 9 and 10 ball as well as straight pool – plus the men's and women's team competitions. In total there are four divisions; men, women, under 23 men and wheelchair users.
The schedule is as follows:
14.1 – Men: Starts Wednesday 02.03; Finals Thursday 03.03
Women
10-Ball – Men: Starts Friday 4.03; Finals Sunday 06.03
Women
Wheelchair
8-Ball – Men: Starts Sunday 6.03; Finals Wednesday 09.03
Women
Wheelchair
U23
9-Ball – Men: Starts Thursday 10.03; Finals Saturday 12.03
Women
Wheelchair
U23
Teams – Men: Starts Monday 7.03; Finals Friday 11.03
Women
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