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Simon Bedford lands deserved win at Vienna Snooker Open 2012
“I am starting to enjoy my snooker again”
Simon Bedford saw off top-seeded Jamie Jones in the final to win the Vienna Snooker Open 2012 on Sunday (July 15).The 36-year-old Englishman has putbehind him a difficult time following the death of his coach and close friend Steve Prest: “My goal now is just to enjoy it. Simple as that.”
Simon, congratulations on a great win. Jamie started so well in the final but you took over control. How did you manage to do so?
“Yeah, from 2-0 down, I just relaxed. I thought, I just go for it and it paid off. I managed to get that nothing-to-lose-attitude. Just went for my shots and they started to go in.”
Seemed like these shots that were going in really helped you grow in confidence?
“When you start potting long balls, you just get really confident. And the break building was good and I was really confident. I played really well in the semifinal (against Gerard Greene, EW) also.”
What do you take home with you after a couple of days at the Vienna Snooker Open?
“It’s really a nice place. Everyone has been fantastic and I can’t wait to come back. The club (Köö 7, EW) is better than my club in England. A really nice club and really nice people, can’t say anything wrong about it.”
How do you approach playing against amateurs and what do you take from these matches?
“I think you’ve got to approach them in the right manner. You’ve got to treat them as though they can play really good. Just play your own game. I think the playing level in Austria is definitely on the up. I played a tournament in Rankweil (3 Kings Open, EW), and I think the standard was better than that, so I think definitely in Vienna, it’s on the up.”
It’s surely nice to get a tournament win under your belt so early in the new season. What are your goals from here on?
“My goal is just to enjoy it. Simple as that. The last couple of seasons, I have not enjoyed it and felt like quitting. But now I am enjoying it and let’s see what happens.”
Not enjoying was obviously the result of your coach Steve Prest passing away…
“…yeah, that was a big loss to me. I was really playing well back then (in 2009, EW) and that set me back and took my love out of the game because we were like brothers. And when someone like him passed away, that was really hard for me. I am just starting to enjoy my snooker again. After Steve died, I had a terrible season and felt it was time to give up.”
Has that changed your attitude toward the game of snooker?
“Yeah, now I just want to play my game and enjoy it. That’s it.”
Thanks Simon, wish you best of luck.
Interview: Eric Willemsen
Simon Bedford gewinnt die Vienna Snooker Open 2012!
Simon Bedford hat Sonntagabend (15. 7.) bei der zweiten Ausgabe der Vienna Snooker Open einen Überraschungssieg gelandet. Der Engländer, aktuell die No. 73 der Weltrangliste, gewann im Finale des mit €10.000 dotierten Pro-Am Turniers gegen den topgesetzten Jamie Jones aus Wales nach 0:2 Rückstand mit 5:2.
"Snooker macht mir wieder richtig Spaß", sagte der 36-jährige Engländer, der vor ein paar Jahren mit dem Sport aufhören wollte nachdem sein Coach Steve Prest 2009 verstorben war. "Wir waren wie Brüder", sagte Bedford.
Jones, derzeit die No. 32 der Welt, hatte im Finale den besseren Start. Er eröffnete mit einem Century und gewann auch den zweiten Frame. Danach kämpfte Bedford sich ins Spiel zurück und glich dank Breaks von 62 und 57 Punkten noch vor dem Interval aus. Nach der Pause ging Bedford dank eines knappen fünften Frames in Führung, wonach er das Match mit Serien von 92 und 71 Punkten für sich entschied, 5:2.
"Es ist eine Frage des Selbstvertrauens," sagte Bedford. "Nachdem mir ein paar guten Pots gelungen waren, ging's fast wie von selbst."
Der 22-jährige Jones, der bei der Weltmeisterschaft im Crucible Theatre in Sheffield vergangenem Mai das Viertelfinale erreichte, war trotz verlorenes Endspiel mit seinem Wienbesuch zufrieden. "Ich wollte Matchpraxis sammeln für die neue Saison", sagte Jones. "Das Niveau der Spieler in Österreich wird immer besser."
Gerard Greene aus Nordirland holte sich den dritten Platz vor Michael White aus Wales. Das Turnierhighbreak war ein 135 total clearance von David Grace aus England.
An der Vienna Snooker Open 2012 nahmen 80 Spieler aus 14 Ländern teil. Vier Österreicher - unsere Clubmitglieder Sebastian Hainzl, Bernhard Müllner und Zi Kim Chau, sowie Hans Nirnberger - schafften es bis ins Achtelfinale. Gespielt wurde vom Donnerstag bis Samstag im Köö 7, am Sonntag im Theater Dschungel im Museumsquartier.
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