March 15, 2025

The Netherlands dethrone Vietnam and become World Champion

2025
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March 6, 2025

The Netherlands dethrone Vietnam and become World Champion

2025
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In an exciting final from start to finish, Dick Jaspers and Jean-Paul de Bruijn defeated the defending champions from Vietnam in Viersen, Germany.

Jaspers faced Quyet Chien Tran in his singles match and experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. The lead changed hands almost constantly, with both players thrilling the almost sold-out Festhalle audience with small and high runs. Towards the end of the match, it was Jaspers who stepped up with a run of nine points and, above all, displayed remarkable composure under pressure.

Meanwhile, Jean-Paul de Bruijn took the lead against Phuong Vinh Bao midway through the match and steadily extended it. Neither player produced major runs, but de Bruijn scored far more consistently than his opponent. After 28 innings, he was the first to reach 40 points, though Bao still had a final inning to play. However, he only managed to score two points, which was not enough to force a tie.

At the same time, Jaspers was in the midst of his aforementioned nine-point run, bringing the score to 39:33. Moments later, he secured the 40th point, sealing the world championship title for the Netherlands. Tran still had his final shot but could only close the gap to 38:40, missing the opportunity to force a draw.

Jaspers and de Bruijn then embraced and celebrated their world championship victory with joy. The last time the Netherlands triumphed was in 2016, though back then, Jaspers was partnered with Jean van Erp. For Jean-Paul de Bruijn, this victory fulfilled his dream of a 3-Cushion world title, adding to his 2007 1-Cushion World Championship win.

Semifinal: Belgium – Vietnam 0:4
The singles matches between Quyet Chien Tran and Peter Ceulemans, as well as Phuong Vinh Bao and Roland Forthomme, were initially quite balanced. Shortly before the break, Tran managed to gain a slight lead over his opponent. However, the Belgians responded through Forthomme, making a draw seem possible for a brief moment.

Then, Bao, the 2023 Singles World Champion, took control, overtook Forthomme, and continued to widen the gap. In the end, the scoreboard showed a 40:28 victory, while Tran dominated Ceulemans even more clearly with a 40:20 win for Vietnam.

Semifinal: Netherlands – Turkey 4:2
The second semifinal between the Netherlands and Turkey was thrilling until the very last shot. The decision came in the scotch doubles match, where Dick Jaspers and Jean-Paul de Bruijn faced Berkay Karakurt and Ufuk Kapusiz.

The Dutch team initially took a 9:3 lead in the decisive doubles match but then had to endure an equalizer. They regained the lead at 14:9, but Jaspers, slightly unsettled, missed the match ball. Karakurt/Kapusiz reduced the deficit to 11:14 before Jean-Paul de Bruijn finally scored the decisive 15th point to secure overall victory.

In the singles matches, Dick Jaspers had previously lost to Berkay Karakurt 32:40, while Jean-Paul de Bruijn kept Ufuk Kapusiz in check with a 40:26 victory.