RESULTS: European Junior U19 Championships, Kriens, Switzerland
Men’s semi-finals:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 (29m)
[3/4] James Earles (ENG) bt [2] Declan James (ENG) 12-10, 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8 (81m)
Final:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [3/4] James Earles (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7
Women’s semi-finals:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [9/16] Elvira Bedjai (FRA) 11-4, 11-2, 11-0
[2] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 (22m)
Final:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [2] Tesni Evans (WAL) 11-6, 11-8, 13-11
England Celebrate European Junior Double
Top seeds Nathan Lake and Emily Whitlock ensured an English double at the European Junior (U19) Individual Squash Championships after straight games wins in the finals of the European Squash Federation event in Kriens, Switzerland.
After the first all-English men’s semi-final line-up in the tournament’s 22-year history, it was Lake and James Earles who emerged to contest the final after Earles, a 3/4 seed from Hull, shocked second seed Declan James in a close-fought 81-minute last four battle.
And 18-year-old Lake, who was runner-up to Declan James in the recent English Junior U19 Championship final, took full advantage of Earles’s less-than-ideal preparation for the final by beating the 18-year-old Yorkshireman 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 to clinch the title.
Emily Whitlock reached the women’s final without dropping a game – and continued to demonstrate her authority over the field by defeating Tesni Evans, the second seed from Wales, 11-6, 11-8, 13-11.
The triumph is the latest success for the 17-year-old from Colwyn Bay who in January became England’s first winner of aBritish Junior Open trophy for almost a decade when she won the U17 title – then followed this success last month by winning the English Junior U19 Championship crown.
Lake and Whitlock will now lead their country’s bid in the mixed European Junior Team Championship, where defending champions England are seeded to win the title for the 25th time in the event’s 28-year history.
RESULTS: European Junior U19 Championship, Kriens, Switzerland
Men’s 1st round:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Jordan Davies (WAL) 11-8, 11-3, 11-4
Eric Zabalbeascoa (ESP) bt Roman Soom (SUI) 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5
Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) bt Gergo Schlosser (SUI) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2
[9/16] Alexandre Cogno (FRA) bt Hakon Standal (NOR) 11-0, 11-4, 11-5
Tatu Knuutila (FIN) bt [9/16] Valentin Rapp (GER) 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10
Adam Auckland (ENG) bt Silvio Soom (SUI) 11-1, 11-4, 11-4
Remo Handl (SUI) bt Conor O’Shea (IRL) 12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8
[5/8] Zbynek Standera (CZE) bt Ivan Queijo (SUI) 11-1, 11-3, 11-4
[5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) bt Jesper Skarman (SWE) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5
Yannick Lindemann (SUI) bt Lukas Levinsky (CZE) 11-3, 11-5, 11-4
Nyall Driscoll (WAL) bt Aitor Zunzunegui (ESP) 7-11, 14-12, 11-5, 13-11
[9/16] Damien Volland (FRA) bt Tomas Dovoda (SUI) 11-2, 11-3, 11-0
[9/16] Joel Siewerdt (SUI) bt Anders Rost (NOR) 11-3, 11-2, 11-4
Quint Mandil (FRA) bt Cathal Hennessy (IRL) 11-4, 12-10, 11-8
Guido Ploem (NED) bt Florian Mader (AUT) 11-1, 11-5, 11-3
[3/4] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Dennis Gruter (SUI) 11-2, 11-8, 11-2
[3/4] James Earles (ENG) bt Yanick Hasler (SUI) 11-2, 11-4, 11-1
Jaakko Vahamaa (FIN) bt Bjorn Angtoft (SWE) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3
Marc ter Sluis (NED) bt Alexander Imhof (SUI) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
[9/16] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) bt Henrik Kay Hermansen (NOR) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3
[9/16] Hugo Varela (ESP) bt Kriston Avdija (SUI) 11-7, 11-3, 11-4
Will John (WAL) bt Simon Vaclahovsky (GER) 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4
Manu Wanner (SUI) bt Georg Blaimauer (AUT) 11-0, 11-3, 11-4
[5/8] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Sigurd-Martinius Stray (NOR) 11-7, 11-2, 11-4
[5/8] Oliver Holland (ENG) bt Roshan Bharos (NED) 11-4, 12-10, 11-2
Jan Ryba (CZE) bt Yanick Buric (SUI) 11-3, 11-1, 11-1
Martin Svec (CZE) bt Tom Lucas (NED) 11-2, 11-0, 11-3
[9/16] Jerome Dadot (FRA) bt Josha Matzinger (SUI) 11-3, 11-1, 11-1
[9/16] Sam Fenwick (WAL) bt Conor Lavin (IRL) 13-15, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4
Sven Lemmermann (GER) bt Marc Meier (SUI) 11-2, 11-4, 11-1
Cedric Peeters (BEL) bt Michael Shpakov (SUI) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9
[2] Declan James (ENG) bt Michael Stewart (IRL) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8
2nd round:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Eric Zabalbeascoa (ESP) 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
[9/16] Alexandre Cogno (FRA) bt Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-3, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3
Adam Auckland (ENG) bt Tatu Knuutila (FIN) 11-4, 11-4, 14-12
[5/8] Zbynek Standera (CZE) bt Remo Handl (SUI) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
[5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) bt Yannick Lindemann (SUI) 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
[9/16] Damien Volland (FRA) bt Nyall Driscoll (WAL) 11-4, 12-10, 11-8
[9/16] Joel Siewerdt (SUI) bt Quint Mandil (FRA) 11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8
[3/4] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Guido Ploem (NED) 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
[3/4] James Earles (ENG) bt Jaakko Vahamaa (FIN) 11-4, 11-3, 11-9
[9/16] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) bt Marc ter Sluis (NED) 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3
[9/16] Hugo Varela (ESP) bt Will John (WAL) 11-0, 11-7, 11-9
[5/8] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Manu Wanner (SUI) 13-11, 11-6, 11-5
[5/8] Oliver Holland (ENG) bt Jan Ryba (CZE) 11-7, 11-8, 11-4
[9/16] Jerome Dadot (FRA) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6
[9/16] Sam Fenwick (WAL) bt Sven Lemmermann (GER) 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8
[2] Declan James (ENG) bt Cedric Peeters (BEL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-7
3rd round:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [9/16] Alexandre Cogno (FRA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-3
[5/8] Zbynek Standera (CZE) bt Adam Auckland (ENG) 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5
[5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) bt [9/16] Damien Volland (FRA) 12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7
[3/4] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt [9/16] Joel Siewerdt (SUI) 11-4, 11-7, 11-1
[3/4] James Earles (ENG) bt [9/16] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
[9/16] Hugo Varela (ESP) bt [5/8] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 11-3, 11-9, 11-9
[5/8] Oliver Holland (ENG) bt [9/16] Jerome Dadot (FRA) 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6
[2] Declan James (ENG) bt [9/16] Sam Fenwick (WAL) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [5/8] Zbynek Standera (CZE) 11-5, 11-2, 11-4
[5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) bt [3/4] Tom de Mulder (BEL) 5-11, 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6
[3/4] James Earles (ENG) bt [9/16] Hugo Varela (ESP) 11-7, 11-1, 11-1
[2] Declan James (ENG) bt [5/8] Oliver Holland (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5
Women’s 1st round:
Laura Lagerweij (NED) bt Elaine Ward (IRL) 11-2, 11-6, 11-4
Nikita Brant (BEL) bt Sabrina Rehman (AUT) 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4
Emilia Soini (FIN) bt Nadine Frey (SUI) 15-13, 11-3, 11-5
Marijana Mitrovic (SUI) bt Anete Sokko (EST) 11-1, 11-2, 11-3
Jennie Lindstrom (SWE) bt Alvilde Sonju (NOR) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7
Sara Esperon (ESP) bt Cindy Merlo (SUI) 11-4, 11-1, 11-4
Fiona Murphy (WAL) bt Aneta Kumstova (CZE) 11-6, 11-4, 11-8
Marika Doubravova (CZE) bt Janine Meier (SUI) 11-2, 11-3, 11-9
Karolina Holinkova (CZE) bt Marija Shpakova (SUI) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6
Sophie Lemom (ENG) bt Anja Kaserer (AUT) 12-10, 11-7, 11-4
Marie Stephan (FRA) bt Nadja Pfister (SUI) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8
Marina de Juan (ESP) bt Jennifer Hegarty (IRL) 11-5, 11-1, 11-5
Milena Penkov (SUI) bt Nikki van der Heijden (NED) 13-15, 11-8, 4-11, 12-10, 11-8
Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt Andrea Koller (SUI) 11-8, 11-4, 11-6
Annika Wiese (GER) bt Kate Gadola (SUI) 11-2, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
Katerina Strakova (CZE) bt Komi Reele (EST) 5-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-3
2nd round:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt Laura Lagerweij (NED) 11-4, 11-0, 11-3
[9/16] Fabienne Oppliger (SUI) bt Nikita Brant (BEL) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7
Emilia Soini (FIN) bt [9/16] Tereza Svobodova (CZE) 11-7, 11-7, 11-1
[5/8] Hannah Jane Davies (WAL) bt Marijana Mitrovic (SUI) 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5
[5/8] Rebecca Quiney (ENG) bt Jennie Lindstrom (SWE) 11-7, 13-11, 11-5
[9/16] Victoria Temple-Murray (ENG) bt Sara Esperon (ESP) 12-10, 11-2, 11-6
[9/16] Elvira Bedjai (FRA) bt Fiona Murphy (WAL) 10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6
[3/4] Julia Lecoq (FRA) bt Marika Doubravova (CZE) 11-2, 11-9, 11-4
[3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Karolina Holinkova (CZE) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3
[9/16] Kristina Alexova (CZE) bt Sophie Lemom (ENG) 5-11, 11-9, 13-11 ret.
[9/16] Chloe Pearson (ENG) bt Marie Stephan (FRA) 10-12, 11-8, 11-5, 3-11, 12-10
[5/8] Caroline Sayegh (GER) bt Marina de Juan (ESP) 6-11, 16-14, 11-4, 11-5
[5/8] Katie Smith (ENG) bt Milena Penkov (SUI) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3
[9/16] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6
[9/16] Ilona Lagerweij (NED) bt Annika Wiese (GER) 11-6, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6
[2] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Katerina Strakova (CZE) 11-5, 11-3, 11-4
3rd round:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [9/16] Fabienne Oppliger (SUI) 11-2, 11-1, 11-1
[5/8] Hannah Jane Davies (WAL) bt Emilia Soini (FIN) 14-12, 13-11, 11-9
[9/16] Victoria Temple-Murray (ENG) bt [5/8] Rebecca Quiney (ENG) 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 11-1
[9/16] Elvira Bedjai (FRA) bt [3/4] Julia Lecoq (FRA) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-9
[3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [9/16] Kristina Alexova (CZE) 11-7, 11-6, 12-10
[5/8] Caroline Sayegh (GER) bt [9/16] Chloe Pearson (ENG) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4
[9/16] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [5/8] Katie Smith (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 13-11
[2] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [9/16] Ilona Lagerweij (NED) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4
Quarter-finals:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [5/8] Hannah Jane Davies (WAL) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4
[9/16] Elvira Bedjai (FRA) bt [9/16] Victoria Temple-Murray (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 12-10
[3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [5/8] Caroline Sayegh (GER) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4
[2] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [9/16] Nele Gilis (BEL) 11-5, 11-4, 12-10
England Celebrate Historic European Junior Breakthrough
For the first time in the tournament’s 22-year history, players from a single country will line up in the men’s semi-finals of theEuropean Junior (U19) Individual Squash Championships after four Englishmen prevailed in the quarter-finals of theEuropean Squash Federation event in Kriens, Switzerland.
It was England’s Nicholas Hopcroft who made the breakthrough when he twice came from behind to upset Belgium’s 3/4 seed Tom de Mulder 5-11, 11-5, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6 to claim a surprise semi-final berth.
The 18-year-old from Surrey, a 5/8 seed, will now take on Nathan Lake, the top seed from Cheltenham, also 18, who marked his fourth straight games win in the event by defeating Zbynek Standera, from the Czech Republic, 11-5, 11-2, 11-4.
The other semi-final will feature Declan James and James Earles. Second seed James, a 17-year-old from Nottinghamshire, beat county colleague Oliver Holland 11-9, 11-6, 11-5, while 3/4 seed Earles, from Hull, despatched Spaniard Hugo Varela 11-7, 11-1, 11-1.
An English double is on the cards – though firm favourite Emily Whitlock is the lone English player in the last four of the women’s championship.
English Junior National champion Whitlock, who is expected to become the third successive English winner of the women’s title, defeated Welsh opponent Hannah Jane Davies 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 – and will now face surprise opponent Elvira Bedjai, a 16-year-old from France who beat fellow 9/16 seed Victoria Temple-Murray 11-8, 11-9, 12-10.
There will be French interest in the other semi when 3/4 seed Melissa Alves takes on Tesni Evans, the No2 seed from Wales.
Men’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) v [5/8] Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG)
[2] Declan James (ENG) v [3/4] James Earles (ENG)
Women’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [9/16] Elvira Bedjai (FRA)
[2] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA)