Eddy Merckx (billiards player)

Eddy Merckx (born 4 September 1968 in Reet, Belgium) is a Belgian professional three-cushion billiards player.[1][2]

Eddy Merckx

Medal record
Men's three-cushion billiards
Representing  Belgium
World Games
2013 Cali Individual
World Championship
2006 Sankt Wendel Three-cushion
2012 Porto Three-cushion
2009 Lausanne Three-cushion
European Championship
2007 Salon-de-Provence Three-cushion
2009 Sankt Wendel Three-cushion

Private life

Merckx was born in 1968, the year cyclist Eddy Merckx won his first Giro d'Italia, and he was named after the cyclist. In daily life, he often adopts his wife's maiden name to avoid confusion with his somewhat more famous namesake.

Career

Season 2006/07

In the year 2006, he beat Nikos Polychronopoulos 3–1 to win the world title in three cushions billiards.[3][4][5] In 2007, he added the European title in Salon de Provence in France, by beating the reigning champion Frédéric Caudron.[6]

Season 2011/12

On 8 October 2011, while playing in the German Bundesliga in Duisburg, Merckx defeated Won Kang 50–6 in six innings, a world record. The inning breakdown was 4-9-26-7-0-4. The previous record for a 50-point game was nine innings, shared by Torbjorn Blomdahl, Frederic Caudron and Marco Zanetti.[7]

Season 2012/13

From 27 August to 1 September he played on the invitation tournament Cuvino Superprestige, which was held in the city of Lommel, Belgium. The Belgians where looking for the fifth time for their king of 3-cushion and in 2012 it was Merckx by beating world number one Frédéric Caudron in the final.[8][9] Just a week later on 9 September 2012, he won his second UMB world title in Porto by defeating again Frédéric Caudron in the semis and Choi Sung-Won in the finals.[10][11] Another week later he was playing in Suwon on the 3-Cushion World Cup and got on the third place together with Dick Jaspers from the Netherlands.[12] He was climbing up to third place of the world ranking due to his latest wins.[13]

Achievements
  • 3-Cushion World Champion (Single): Winner 2006, 2012 • Runner-up 2009
  • 3-Cushion European Champion: Winner 2007 • Runner-up 2010, 2011
  • 3-Cushion World Cup: Winner 2005, 2009, 2011 • Runner-up 2008
  • Chrystal Kelly Tournament: Third 2009
  • 3-Cushion Invitation Tournament in Zundert/Netherlands: Winner 2003 • Runner-up 2004, 2005
  • Superprestige in Belgium: Winner 2012 • Third 2011
  • Belgium Championship: Winner 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012

[14]

References
  1. "AGIPI Billiard Masters 2009 Aired Live". Inside Pool. 11 March 2009. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  2. America, Billiard Congress of (2004). Billiards : the official rules and records book (2004 ed.). Colorado Springs: Billiard Congress of America. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-878493-14-9.
  3. Match results World championship 2006, 1/2-Final & Final on UMB.org. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  4. Match results World championship 2006 on Kozoom.com Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  5. Final Ranking World Championship 2006 on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  6. Final Ranking European Championship 2007 Archived 27 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine on Eurobillard.org. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  7. AZ-Billiards Forum 10 August 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  8. Eddy Merckx winner with a Cavendish sprint on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  9. Final Ranking Superprestige 2012 on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  10. Final Ranking World Championship 2012 on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  11. Eddy Merckx in a stunning rush to world title on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  12. Final Rankings 3-Cushion World Cup 2012/2 on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  13. World Ranking (Edition 16/2012) on UMB.org. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  14. Achievements on Kozoom.com. Retrieved 2 Oktober 2012.
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