George Parker and Gina Kennedy win individual titles in Prague
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
England scored a clean sweep of all three titles in the 2015 European Junior U19 Squash Championships at the Sports Center Hector in the Czech Republic capital Prague.
George Parker was favourite for the men’s individual title – but the 18-year-old from Leicester had to withstand a spirited attack in the final from surprise opponent Edmon Lopez Moller.
Seeded only to reach the quarter-finals, the Barcelona teenager upset Ireland’s second seed Michael Craig in the semi-finals to become the first Spaniard to reach the final in the 26-year history of the championship.
It took 107 minutes and four tie-break games for Parker to prevail 10-12, 14-12, 10-12, 13-11, 11-3 to become the fifth successive English winner of the men’s title.
In the women’s final, Georgina Kennedy denied Belgian favourite Tinne Gilis the chance to join 2014 champion Nele Gilis as the only pair of sisters to win the title. Second seed Kennedy, from Bexley in Kent, defeated Gilis junior 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 to become the sixth English women’s winner in the last seven years.
It was Parker and Kennedy who steered England to success in the team competition, with a 2/0 victory in the final over Finland, the fourth seeds celebrating their first appearance in the final since 1992. England have now held the title unopposed for six years since 2010.
Lower in the play-offs, Ireland finished in fifth place to mark their highest-ever finish in the championships.
European Junior U19 Squash Championships, Prague, Czech Republic
Men’s Individual quarter-finals:
[1] George Parker (ENG) bt [5/8] David Ryan (IRL) 13-11, 11-5, 11-7
[3/4] Jami Aijanen (FIN) bt [5/8] Benjamin Aubert (FRA) 11-9, 11-8, 13-11
[5/8] Edmon Lopez Moller (ESP) bt [3/4] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 12-10
[2] Michael Craig (IRL) bt [9/16] James Peach (ENG) 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[1] George Parker (ENG) bt [3/4] Jami Aijanen (FIN) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (34m)
[5/8] Edmon Lopez Moller (ESP) bt [2] Michael Craig (IRL) 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 (37m)
Final:
[1] George Parker (ENG) bt [5/8] Edmon Lopez Moller (ESP) 10-12, 14-12, 10-12, 13-11, 11-3 (107m)
3rd place play-off:
[2] Michael Craig (IRL) bt [3/4] Jami Aijanen (FIN) 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 (33m)
Women’s Individual quarter-finals:
[1] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [5/8] Kace Bartley (ENG) 11-3, 11-1, 11-2
[3/4] Amelia Henley (ENG) bt [5/8] Alison Thomson (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 13-11
[3/4] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bt [5/8] Cristina Gomez (ESP) 12-10, 15-13, 11-8
[2] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [5/8] Celine Walser (SUI) 11-9, 17-15, 11-1
Semi-finals:
[1] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [3/4] Amelia Henley (ENG) 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 3-11, 11-9 (73m)
[2] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [3/4] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 11-4, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8 (47m)
Final:
[2] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [1] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (34m)
3rd place play-off:
[3/4] Amelia Henley (ENG) bt [3/4] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 11-7, 3-11, 11-7, 11-4 (44m)
Team Championship semi-finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] FRANCE 3/0
[4] FINLAND bt [7] WALES 3/0
Final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] FINLAND 2/0 (Georgina Kennedy bt Riina Koskinen 11-3, 11-5, 11-1 (15m); George Parker bt Jami Aijanen 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 (26m); Patrick Rooney v Miko Aijanen (match withdrawn))
Final positions: 3 FRANCE; 4 WALES; 5 IRELAND; 6 SWITZERLAND; 7 SCOTLAND; 8 SPAIN; 9 GERMANY; 10 BELGIUM; 11 SWEDEN; 12 DENMARK; 13 NETHERLANDS; 14 CZECH REPUBLIC; 15 HUNGARY; 16 ISRAEL; 17 SLOVAKIA; 18 ITALY; 19 NORWAY
Pictures courtesy of World Squash Federation