Semih Sayginer

Keynote Speaker

Speaker Profile

Semih SAYGINER was born on November 12, 1964, in Adapazarı, Turkey. His interest in billiards began during his high school years. He achieved his first success by winning the Istanbul Billiards Championship in 1981.

In 1988, he showcased his skills in an exhibition tournament held in Turkey, which attracted the attention of the international billiards community, including renowned players. He gained recognition through his performance.

With his achievements in the 1991 German Open Tournament and the Istanbul Efes Pilsen Grand Prix, he made a name for himself. In 1992, at the Berlin World Championships in Germany, he became the World No. 8 by defeating the three-cushion billiards World Champion Raymond Ceulemans 3-0 in the final match. In 1993, he secured the third place in the World Championships held in Berlin, climbing up to sixth place in the World Rankings.

In 1994, Semih SAYGINER won his first World Cup by becoming the champion at the Gent World Championships held in Belgium. This success elevated him to the third position in the World Rankings, and he set two world records, which were later broken. The records he set in 1994 were as follows: 45 points in 11 innings with a 4.090 average (3 sets), and 50 points in 14 innings with a 3.571 average (3 sets).

In the same year, he joined the Dutch Team League, known as the most prestigious league in billiards. In 1998, he became the champion at the World Billiards Championships (three-cushion) held in Antalya-Kemer, Turkey, by defeating Dutch player Cerwin Walentijn in the final match. In 2003, he, along with Tayfun Taşdemir, won the World Billiards Team Championships in Mönchengladbach, Germany, bringing the championship title to Turkey by defeating the Greek team in the final.

Semih SAYGINER has won the Turkey Grand Prix championship 25 times and became the Turkey Champion in three-cushion billiards 14 times. He achieved the title of Turkey Champion in carom billiards 10 times, and once each in cadre 47/2 and single rail.

He has been honored with the title of "Sportsman of the Year" multiple times from various sources. He captained the FC Porto Billiards Team in the Portuguese League for three years.

In 2009, the Italian brand Longoni, the world's largest cue manufacturer, produced a series of cues under the name of Semih SAYGINER, which became the most expensive in the world and were distributed worldwide.

Semih SAYGINER, known in the world of billiards as "Mr. Magic" and "The Turkish Prince," has invented 42 special shot techniques that bear his name in the billiards literature.

Due to his success story, he is frequently invited as a speaker at universities and private events and is proficient in multiple languages. Throughout his career, he has also pursued acting, appearing in TV series such as "Zeytin Dalı," "Hacı," "Bekarlar," and "Aşk Yakar."

In 2011, he released an album titled "Gizli Aşk" (Secret Love) for his listeners. He has appeared as a brand ambassador in advertisements for Airfel, Turkish Patent Institute, Arçelik, and Lassa.

Currently, alongside his professional sports career, Semih SAYGINER is actively involved in acting and music, participating in various projects in these fields.