France (1) v England (1) Div 1 Men’s Final
Richards looking good to take England back ahead in the tie, he leads 2-0 11/8 11/6
Next on, Geoffrey Demont looking to build on the Generals work, can England’s Tom Richards put England back into the lead?
Willstrop manages to take the third 11/4 before Gregory roars back taking the win with 11/1 in the fourth, it’s one a piece, much more squash to come!
Gaulter in control of the second rubber, he leads Willstrop 11/7 11/7
England lead 1-0 courtesy of Simpson’s emphatic win 11/4 11/1 11/3
Simpson is finding his length beautifully right now, Serme with a late flurry of points but England are in control early on, Simpson takes it 11/4
Sermes’s fight back has started but Simpson looks comfortably in command at 7-2
WOW! I think the rallies are getting even longer…they were already brutal!
Some long exchanges early on as both player feel their way into this match, it is Simpson having the better of it though as he creates a 5-0 lead.
It’s a full house here at the Kahuna Club, you can feel the excitement, we are off!
First on is Chris Simpson for England, he takes on France’s Lucas Serme
England (2) v France (0) Div 1 Women’s Final
ENGLANDS WOMEN ARE THE CHAMPIONS
That’s it, 11/6 it was a solid performance from Massaro where she never really let Serme into the match. Serme fought back early in the third but after a lost ball it seemed that momentum was lost and Massaro quickly clicked back through the gears to ease across the line.
It is all Massaro at the moment, Serme doesn’t appear to have an answer, a dominant second game with a brutal scoreline of 11/1 takes England just one game away from defending their title.
Massaro continuing to look extremely sharp and focused as she powers to a 6-0 lead in the second.
Bullish start from Massaro 11/5
Massaro and Serme have had some breathtaking battles in the past, Serme must wins this one to keep France’s title hopes alive.
Lust finishes the job winning the third 11/6 and sets up England’s Laura Massaro to retain Team England’s title, France’s Camille Serme will have something to say about that first though!
With it being best of three ties for the Women, getting the first match is definitely a massive psychological advantage, once again a nip and tuck game but Lust looking the more focused again at the end, she takes it 11/8
Tight first game but Lust takes it 11/7
Kicking us off, Victoria Lust for England v Laura Pomortes for France
Netherlands (2) v Wales (1) – 3/4 Div 1 Women
It’s bronze for the Netherlands, Congratulations!!
Van Der Heijden pulls away again, she takes the third 11/7 2-1 to the Netherlands.
It is a See-Saw match with neither player dominating for a sustained period, Saffery pulls it back all square at 6-6
Van Der Heijden sprints to a commanding 5-0 lead in the third
It’s another tight one but this time it is Saffery who sprints for the tape at the business end, she levels the match 1-1 taking the second 11/8
England v France will start after this one, but it will be later than the 11:00 scheduled start
Neck and neck to 6-6 and then to 10-10 but it’s Van Der Heijden who draws first blood in this deciding match taking a tight first 12/10
It is Deon Saffery for Wales and Milou Van Der Heijden for the Netherlands who will fight to decide on the bronze medal.
The match is tied as Evans takes the fourth 11/7 Evans has been simply superb this week. Wales will be proud
Evans needs three more points, they may be the hardest she has ever had to earn…and the most important.
Evans has responded brilliantly to the Grinham comeback taking an 8-3 lead in the fourth
Grinham’s legendary racket skill takes her to an early lead in the third and then to 11/4 has she blown out the fire from the Welsh dragoness?
This won’t be the first time Grinham has been 2-0 down in a match, can she use her vast experience to turn this tie or is Evans going to cruise to victory in three?
It’s Evans again, she is finding targets at will and looking very comfortable against the former world number 2, she takes the second 11/5
Evans off to another early lead in the second 7-1
Taking on Grinham on a glass court is no easy task, but Evans has shown this week she is more than capable in this arena, she takes a 4 point advantage to go 9-5 before pushing over the line to take the first 11/6
Can Tesni Evans from Wales take out Netherland’s Natalie Grinham to take this to a decider? They are on next!
She can and edges it 11/9 to win the match, Advantage Netherlands!
Ter Sluis takes a 5 point advantage to go 8-3, can she convert that lead for the Netherlands?
So we head into a fifth, Haley has the initiative and momentum back, will Ter Sluis respond?
Haley has sensed the danger and powers to a 5-1 lead and continues on to level the match with a convincing 11/5
It’s Ter Sluis who edges it in the third after Haley fights back to force a tiebreaker, 13/11 to the Dutch girl, she now leads Haley 2-1 Not much between these two at the moment.
Ter Sluis responds and hits straight back likewise 11/8
Jenny Haley fires off for Wales taking the first 11/8
On court for Wales is Jenny Haley and she takes on Netherlands Tessa Ter Sluis
Good Morning Squash Bugs! We are BACK! We kick things off today with the fight for bronze between Netherlands and Wales.
It’s a France v England Double Header Finals Day
Team Scotland put in a gutsy performance, but it was England who came through for a place in their 42nd finals appearance in the events 43 year history, failing only once in 1992 to reach that stage. So in a repeat of last years final the current European Men’s champions France take on England who until last year have simply owned this title for most of the last four decades.
With Mathieu Castagnet out with injury from the French side and England without Nick Matthew it could prove to be a hard one to call, we predict a classic with high drama and scintillating squash to enjoy
England (3) v Scotland (o)
That’s it 11/6 to Simpson is enough to make it Team England who face France in tomorrow’s final. It was a gutsy fight by Scotland, we salute you, still a chance for bronze against Germany tomorrow.
Simpson Storms back 11/6 in the third which now means Scotland have lost the only game they could afford at this stage, if it goes to point count back they are already 25 adrift with only a possible 33 available in the final match, Scotland needs the next game and by a big margin!
Simpson arguably has the easier task in just needing 2 games to secure an England victory, but the finishing line seems to be moving further away now, not closer as Lobban extends his lead to 2-0 taking the second 11/9
What Odds? Lobban leads the charge back for Scotland, he takes the first 11/9
In the head to head we make it 3-0 to Simpson with the latest victory in the Swedish Open in February of this year, ‚Never tell us the odds’ cry the Scots!!!
Scotland’s fate is in the hands of Greg Lobban now, with Chris Simpson’s Team England firmly in Pole Position and needing just a few more laps for the chequered flag we call THE FINAL.
So let’s do the maths, Scotland need to win the next two matches…obviously, but they cannot afford to drop more than one game…then we move to more advanced maths with the points count back.
As Clyne took the game to 8-6 Willstrop stepped up the gears to earn a match ball, but Clyne clearly wasn’t going down easily, he saves a match ball to take it 10-10 before Willstrop closes out 12-10
Willstrop at 1-1 in the fourth comes off court stating ‚There’s a funny smell on there and it’s not me’ he has a private chat with the referee, who smiles and play continues, sorry but I have no idea what that was all about.
Clyne is fighting with Braveheart spirit but Willstrop continues to craft brutal rallies with his consistently high quality targets 11/7 Willstrop it’s now 2-1 to England.
Willstrop begins to find his deadly range, Clyne scrambling to all four corners of what has become a big court 11/6 to JIMBO, it’s one a piece.
Clyne sprinted first to a 6-0 lead to the delight of the Scottish contingent and the packed Kahuna club who surely want to see this match go all the way, it might! Clyne then continued in the same vain and closed out 11-4 in under 4 minutes!
Here we go! It’s more than 500 miles walk back to Scotland from here, Clyne may have to walk 500 more if Willstrop has his sights focussed.
So it is down to Alan Clyne the world number 35 to get his country back on track in this match now, no easy task as he faces THE MARKSMAN, former World Number 1, James Willstrop.
A solid performances from Waller has provided the foundation for Team England’s bid for their place in the final, he wins 11/1 11/5 11/6
Waller momentarily released the kosh from Stewart in the second but didn’t allow enough of a leash for the Scotsman to really get into his stride, better for sure, but 11/5 to Waller, he leads 2-0 but even if Stewart can sneak a game it could all add up later this evening.
The referees continue as they have all week in applying strongly but fairly use of NO LET to encourage free flowing squash from the start. In this first game Waller’s experience seemed to allow him to settle very quickly and establish and early substantial lead, converting it to win 11/1
Every game could be vital in this tie as the matches progress, in the event of the four matches being tied 2-2 there is a count back on games and then points.
So we are off, first on court are the fourth strings, Rory Stewart (SCO) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
Scotland have claimed this title only once, back in 1992, for the last four years it’s been fourth place, this year they want that podium, to do it their first step is to beat their opponents this evening who after 22 years dominance, lost their title to France last year and you can be sure they are extremely hungry to get it back!
France (3) v Germany (0)
Marche wins 11/7 11/1 (Best of 3 as match declared for France)
It’s all over for Germany as Marche secures France’s place in the tomorrow’s final by winning the first 11/7 , Germany will have to settle on a fight for Bronze with either England or Scotland.
Can Germany’s Rudi Rohrmuller spoil the party with a win against Gregoire Marche? if he can, he will need to do it in three, in count back every game and point…counts!
Gaultier the warrior becomes the entertainer we all know and love for part of the third game, engaging the crowd and having fun with central referee, Netherlands Marco Van De Berg, but he is still on the job in hand and closes the match 11/4 11/6 11/7 so it is 2-0 to France and finals day is looking almost certain.
Kandra is not going to take this lying down, the heat is rising here in Warsaw both outside and on the court with some scorching rallies but The General is still very much in charge of the battle, 11/6 to Gaultier in the second.
Gaultier giving Kandra no opportunity to settle in this semi final match, imposing his brutal brand of pace from the very start to take the first 11/4 in five minutes.
Gaultier is the big favourite for this one with Kandra failing to win a game in either of their two previous meetings, but this German player is on the rise in his career, maybe today is the day.
Demont wraps it up comfortably 11/5 11/5 11/3 France take a step towards the final, they lead 1-0 Next on court Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Raphael Kandra (GER)
Consistent pressure from Demont takes France 2-0 it’s another 11/5 the defending champions seem to be on course for victory.
It’s first blood to the defending champions, Demont takes it 11/5
On court first are the 4th strings – Geoffrey Demont (FRA) v Tobias Weggen (GER)
Four matches are to be played, in the event of 2-2 then it goes to count back on games and then count back on actual points!
Germany, achieving third place for the last four years are looking to go one better by dethroning the defending champions France, who last year put an end to England’s rampant 22 year winning streak.
England and France to contest the Women’s final for third consecutive year.
France will be looking to make it third time lucky when they face off again against England in tomorrow’s final. Neither team has really looked in too much danger of failing to set up this rematch with comprehensive 2-0 wins in both semi finals courtesy of Laura Massaro and Sarah Jane Perry leading the charge for England and Camille Serme and Coline Aumard for France.
France (2) v Wales (0)
Aumard secures France a place in tomorrows final with a comprehensive win over Saffery 11/8 11/1 11/5
Serme nails home the advantage for France, taking the fourth 11/8 Wales now need to win both of the remaining matches, next up Coline Aumard (FRA) v Deon Saffrey (WAL)
It’s a war of attrition now with Serme winning the third 11/6 taking back the initiative and drawing Evans into longer exchanges, its 2-1
Evans is breathing fire, looking world class and brimming with belief, she takes it 11/4 to tie the match 1-1
A dominant start by Serme, she takes the opening game 11/3
First on court, world number 4 Camille Serme takes on the rising star from Wales, Tesni Evans, currently at a career high of 25 and sparkling with confidence after her recent 3-0 win over England’s Alison Waters.
France will be considered strong favourites to join England in tomorrow’s final having succeeded in that for the last two years. We have to travel back to 1983 for Wales best podium position of third, but they are fired up and will be fighting to go at least one better today.
England (2) v Netherlands (0)
Perry takes it 11/7 7/11 11/2 11/7 so it’s England through to tomorrow’s final
Perry fires into another gear in third with a devastating mixture of touch and raw power, she takes it 11/2
The fight back starts! a solid consistent performance from Van De Hejden as she takes the second 11/7 it’s now 1-1
A strong start from Ven De Hejden before Perry imposes her power into the game and takes it 11/7
Next on court Sarah Jane Perry (ENG) V Milou Van De Hejden (NET)
Netherlands must win the final two matches to take a place in the final.
Massaro wins in three 11/7 11/7 11/7
England’s Women have only failed to win the European Team Championship on one occasion in its 37 year history, their opponents on that rarest of occasions back in 2010 are their semi final opponents today, The Netherlands.
It’s the number one seeds on court first, the current World Number two Laura Massaro (ENG) versus the former World Number 2 Natalie Grinham (NET)
