World Pool Masters: Niels Feijen wins title for second time in his career
Feijen collected a pay cheque for $20,000 and an invite back into the 2019 Masters
By Raz Mirza
Last Updated: 05/03/18 4:24pm
Dutch ace Niels Feijen became a two-time World Pool Masters champion after overcoming Shane Van Boening at the Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar on Sunday.
Feijen, who had been out of the game for the best part of six months with tendonitis, was forced to miss the Mosconi Cup last December.
But the 41-year-old from Den Haag in the Netherlands made a winning impact upon his return to the sport as he lifted the title he first won in 2013.
He took out Raj Hundal 8-2 in the first round before beating Dennis Orcollo in the quarter-final and then Karl Boyes, who only came into the tournament at short notice when Maltese legend Tony Drago pulled out due to illness, was Feijen's semi-final victim.
The dangerous Van Boening was awaiting Feijen in the final, but the deadly Dutchman recovered from the loss of opening rack to seal an 8-4 victory.
"I am pretty speechless. It has been a long ride and I would like to thank everybody who supported me, especially my wife. It is a great moment," said Feijen, whose win was the 17th European victory in the 25 years of the event.
"The competition keeps me focused - I played Dennis who has beaten me eight or ten times in a row, so I had to step it up in that one. Karl is a great guy and we have had some good battles in the past so that was a great match in the semi-final, and the break started to click really well in that match. My timing was good so I thought if I keep breaking like that, I could win the whole thing.
"Shane is in his own league sometimes and he is a two-time winner so that gives you an extra spark, but I thought I had a real chance. I had been out for so long I knew if I could snap this thing off, it would mean a lot to me."
Watch the Mosconi Cup in 2018 when it returns to London's iconic Alexandra Palace, live on Sky Sports from December 4-7. Can Team Europe make it nine in a row?
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