Semih Saygıner

Who is Semih Saygıner?

Semih Saygıner nicknamed Mr. Magic and the Turkish Prince, is a Turkish professional carom billiards player.

Saygıner is the fifth of 6 brothers and sisters. His parents died in a traffic accident when he was 14 years old. Saygıner then started playing billiards. He had a good performance in high school but left for depression over the loss of his mother and father. He then focused on billiards. A year later, he won his first Turkish title.

He won the 1999 CEB European Three-cushion Championship by defeating Dion Nelin of Denmark. He nearly won it again the next year but lost to Daniel Sánchez. He was the first from his country to win that tournament. A second player named Murat Naci Çoklu won it five years later.

In 2003, Saygıner won the UMB World Three-cushion Championship by disposing of Filipos Kasidokostas of Greece. He's the only Turk ever to win it. That same year, he won the last World Three-cushion Championship organized by the BWA by besting Dick Jaspers.

His highest average in a match is 3.571.

Semih was married to the Women's Billiard Champion of Turkey Aygen Berk Saygıner.

In 2009, Saygıner signed a contract with the prominent cue-stick producer Longoni.