French double in European finals

September 7, 2013 - 8:12am
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Champion Gregory Gaultier flanked by Simon Rosner and Olli Tuominen. Picture by STEVE CUBBINS

Champion Gregory Gaultier flanked by Simon Rosner and Olli Tuominen. Picture by STEVE CUBBINS

EICC European Individual Closed Squash Championships 2013, Herentals, Belgium, 07-Sep, FINALS

It wa s a French double in Belgium as Camille Serme regained and Gregory Gaultier regained their European Individual title in front of a full house at the Flemish Squash Centre in Herentals.

Finals:

[2] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-1 [1] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 11/3, 11/7, 4/11, 11/6 (46m)
[1] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-1 [4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 11/9, 11/4, 8/11, 11/3 (54m)

Camille retains Euro Crown

France’s Camille Serme retained her European Individual title with an outstanding display in Herentals to beat top seed and two-time champion Natalie Grinham, in the pair’s third Euro final meeting.

Dominant in the first, Serme found herself 4-7 down in the second but reeled off seven straight points to double her lead.

Grinham continued her good start in the third to pull a game back, but Serme was on the attack from the outset of the fourth.

The Frenchwoman reached match ball at 10-3, and although Grinham resisted for three long, tense rallies, eventually Camille found a shot that Grinham could only put into the tin and a second European title, and seven wins in a row against Grinham, was hers.

“It was a very special moment for me, as I really wanted to be with my friends today,” said an emotional winner. “But I was happy to defend my title, and to play another battle with Natalie.”

Greg in 7th Euro Heaven

Gregory Gaultier not only made it a French double in Herentals, but the top seed claimed a remarkable 7th European Individual title with a sparkling display against Germany’s Simon Rosner.

It was a repeat of their World Games final of just last month and, as then, Gaultier was in charge from the outset. Rosner did his best to pull back the Frenchman’s substantial first game lead, but couldn’t stop Gaultier closing it out, and the top seed proceeded to dominate the second.

Rosner struck back, pulling clear from the middle of the third to reduce the deficit, but Gaultier romped away to a 10-1 lead in the fourth which, after a couple of tough rallied that the packed crowd thoroughly enjoyed, was more than enough to see him through to a seventh title.

“We spent a fantastic week, playing amongst players from all over Europe,” said Gregory. “It’s my 7th title, and I’ll try and win it as many time as I can, as long at the body holds!”

3rd/4th Playoffs :
Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-0 Gaby Huber-Schmohl (Sui) 11/8, 11/9, 11/3 (39m)
Olli Tuominen (Fin) 3-2 Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 7/11, 11/5, 11/13, 11/9, 11/7 (78m)

The 2014 tournament will be held in Valenciennes, France.

Full coverage on the tournament site: www.EICCsquash.com

Camille Serme sheds tears of joy flanked by Natalie Grinham and French team-mate Coline Aumard

Camille Serme sheds tears of joy flanked by Natalie Grinham and French team-mate Coline Aumard

EICC SEMI-FINALS DAY

The semi-finals of the European Individual Championships in Herentals saw reigning and former champions reach the women’s final while the six-time men’s champion ended the reign of the current titleholder.

[1] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 [3/4] Coline Aumard (Fra) 11/3, 11/4, 11/4 (27m)

A comfortable enough win for the two-time champion and top seed.

[2] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-0 Gaby Huber-Schmohl (Sui) 11/1, 11/6, 12/10 (45m)

It started at a canter but got gradually tougher, as defending champion Camille Serme saved two game balls in the third to close out her semi-final.

[1] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 [8] Olli Tuominen (Fin) 11/1, 11/7, 11/6 (44m)

Six-time champion Gaultier improves his winning record against Tuominen, dethroning the Finn in the process in a match that got tougher for the Frenchman after a taking a 10-0 lead in the first.

[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 [5] Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 13/11, 10/12, 11/0, 14/12 (75m)

Competitive from the start, the last semi-final was a thrilling affair which Germany’s Simon Rosner just edged. After sharing the first two games on extra points Rosner raced through the fourth 11/0 but had to save game balls before taking the fourth to reach the final.

LJ Anjema can't hold off Simon Rosner. Picture by STEVE CUBBINS

LJ Anjema can’t hold off Simon Rosner. Picture by STEVE CUBBINS

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