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European
Individual
Championships 2004
08-11
Sep, Bratislava, Slovakia
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11-Sep, Finals:
Men's Final:
[2] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) bt [1] John White (Sco)
10/8, 2/9, 2/9, 9/3, 9/6 (90m)
Women's Finale:
[2] Becky Botwright (Eng) bt [1] Vicky Hynes (Eng)
8/10, 2/9, 9/4, 9/4, 9/5 (72m)
Gaultier and Botwright claim
European Titles in Bratislava
It
was a good day for the second seeds in Bratislava, as Gregory
Gaultier and Becky Botwright both beat their top-seeded
opponents in five games to claim the European Individual Championship
titles - the first time the event had been held for over ten years.
After a close first game, top seed John White raced to a 2/1 lead over
the second-seeded Frenchman before a packed crowd surrounding the
all-glass court at Bratislava's Tennis Centre. But Gaultier, the world
No11 from Aix-en-Provence, still had plenty in reserve. The 21-year-old
levelled the match and dashed to an 8-0 lead in the fifth game decider.
White, the 31-year-old Scot who is ranked 7 in the world after securing
the top spot in the world rankings earlier in the year, fought back to
6-8. Gaultier, however, resisted the challenge and after 90 minutes
clinched the prestigious title.
In the women's final, top seed Vicky Hynes opened up a 2/0 lead against
her second-seeded compatriot, but Manchester-based Botwright - ranked
just one place lower in the WISPA world rankings - rallied back to
overtake the favourite and claim a 72-minute victory.
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3rd place play-offs:
[4] Adrian Grant (ENG)
9-7, 9-5
[3] James Willstrop (ENG)
[4] Sarah Kippax (ENG)
9-4, 8-10, 9-2, 9-6
Pamela Pancis (AUT) |
European Individual Championships 2004
MEN'S DRAW |
First Round
Wed 8th |
Last 16
Thu 9th |
Quarters
Thu 9th |
Semis
Fri 10th |
Final
Sat 11th |
[1] John White (SCO)
9-1, 9-2, 9-0
[Q] Roman Dolynych |
John White
9-1, 10-8, 9-1
Klemen Gutman |
John White
9-4, 9-3, 4-9, 9-7
Jan Koukal |
John White
9-4, 8-10, 9-3, 9-3
Adrian Grant |
John White
10/8, 2/9, 2/9, 9/3, 9/6
Gregory Gaultier |
[9/16] Klemen Gutman (SLO)
9-0, 9-1, 9-1
Alexei Severinov (RUS) |
[9/16] Leopold Czaska (AUT)
9-1, 9-3, 9-3
Marek Zvoncek (SVK) |
Leopold Czaska
9-3, 9-2, 9-2
Jan Koukal |
[6] Jan Koukal (CZE)
9-2, 9-2, 9-0
Ivan Djordjevic (SCG) |
[8] Mark Krajcsak (HUN)
9-5, 9-2, 9-2
Jakub Stupka (CZE) |
Mark Krajcsak
9-0, 5-9, 9-5, 9-0
Andras Torok |
Mark Krajcsak
10-8, 9-0, 9-0
Adrian Grant |
[9/16] Andras Torok (HUN)
9-5, 9-2, 9-4
Aqeel Rehman (AUT) |
[9/16] Andreas Fuchs (AUT)
9-3, 9-3, 9-1
Martin Stepan (CZE) |
Andreas Fuchs
9-3, 9-1, 9-1
Adrian Grant |
[4] Adrian Grant (ENG)
9-2, 9-0, 9-0
[Q] Marcin Leszewicz (POL) |
[3] James Willstrop (ENG)
9-1, 9-1, 9-1
[Q] Roman Celler (SVK) |
James Willstrop
9-3, 10-8, 9-0
Derek Ryan |
James Willstrop
9-4, 9-1, 9-1
Martin Heath |
James Willstrop
9-2, 9-5, 9-1
Gregory Gaultier |
[9/16] Derek Ryan (IRL)
10-8, 9-1, 9-7
Marek Manik (SVK) |
[9/16] Rob Aerts (BEL)
1-9, 9-6, 9-1, 2-9, 9-5
Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) |
Jakob Dirnberger
9-1, 9-2, 9-2
Martin Heath |
[5] Martin Heath (SCO)
9-4, 9-1, 9-3
Nasos Karasavvas (CYP) |
[7] Stefan Leifels (GER)
9-5, 9-3, 9-0
Andrej Schmidtmayer (SVK) |
Stefan Leifels
10-8, 4-9, 5-9, 9-5, 9-0
Sandor Fulop |
Stefan Leifels
9-0, 9-2, 9-3
Gregory Gaultier |
[9/16] Sandor Fulop (HUN)
9-5, 9-5, 9-5
Pavel Sladecek (CZE) |
[9/16] Patrick Gaessler (GER)
10-8, 9-4, 9-7
Domagoj Spoljar (CRO) |
Patrick Gaessler
9-3, 9-6, 9-0
Gregory Gaultier |
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
9-0, 9-0, 9-2
[Q] Atilla Dobai (SVK)
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Qualifying finals:
Roman Dolynych (UKR) bt Maciej Chadzynski (POL) 9-3, 9-2, 9-2
Marcin Leszewicz (POL) bt Andrew Brattner (RUS) 9-1, 9-3, 9-3
Roman Celler (SVK) bt Tomasz Wawszczyk (POL) 9-0, 9-2, 9-1
Atilla Dobai (SVK) bt Waldemar Paturej (POL) 6-9, 9-1, 9-0, 9-0
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European Individual Championships 2004
WOMEN'S DRAW |
First Round
Thu 9th |
Quarters
Thu 9th |
Semis
Fri 10th |
Final
Sat 11th |
[1] Vicky
Hynes (ENG)
9-0, 9-1, 9-0
Veronica Koukalova (CZE) |
Vicky Hynes
9-1, 9-3, 10-8
Margriet Huisman |
Vicky Hynes
9-3, 9-4, 9-6
Pamela Pancis |
Vicky Hynes
8/10, 2/9, 9/4, 9/4, 9/5
(72m)
Rebecca Botwright
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[6]
Margriet Huisman (NED)
9-3, 9-1, 9-3
Petra Vihar (SLO) |
Pamela
Pancis (AUT)
9-4, 9-3, 9-1
[7] Jana Smeralova (CZE) |
Pamela Pancis
9-3, 9-2, 9-6
Carola Weiss |
Carola
Weiss (GER)
9-4, 6-9, 9-3, 5-9, 9-6
[3] Kate Roe (ENG) |
[4] Sarah
Kippax (ENG)
9-6, 9-0, 9-1
Birgit Coufal (AUT) |
Sarah Kippax
9-0, 9-2, 9-7
Kathrin Rohrmueller |
Sarah Kippax
9-1, 10-8, 9-0
Rebecca Botwright |
[8] Kathrin
Rohrmueller (GER)
9-6, 6-9, 9-6, 6-9, 9-7
Milja Dorenbos (NED) |
[5] Kim
Hannes-Teunen (BEL)
9-0, 9-0, 9-0
Olga Ertlova (CZE) |
Kim Hannes-Teunen
9-5, 9-0, 10-8
Rebecca Botwright |
[2] Rebecca Botwright (ENG)
9-2, 9-0, 9-0
Henrieta Kollathova (SVK)
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Reports |
10-Sep, Semi-Finals:
Top Seeds To Contest Euro Finals
The finals of the European Individual Championships in Bratislava will
be contested by the top seeds in both men's and women's events.
Scotland's John White took four games to beat Adrian Grant, while
France's Gregory Gaultier recorded a comfortable 3/0 win over his
old-time junior rival James Willstrop.
"It was a very hard match," said White afterwards, "particularly as we
had to play with the same high tin as the girls, as they couldn’t lower
it. The first game took nearly 45 minutes. Being the European Champion
would be another nice title to have, particularly as this is the first
one for more than 10 years."
The women's final will be an all-English affair, as Vicky Hynes ended
the run of Austria's Pamela Pancis and Becky Botwright won the
all-English clash with Sarah Kippax, both in straight games.
Botwright was pleased with her win over Kippax. "It’s
very hard to play against your mate. We train together and know each
other very well. I'm glad I won."
On the Question of whether she
will be as good as her famous sister she answered without hesitation: "I
want to be better."
Becoming European Champion tomorrow would be a great start ...
06-Sep:
Beachill and Matthew drop out
The European Individual Champions were today thrown into confusion by
the late withdrawal of top seed Lee Beachill and the third seed
Nick Matthew. The event has been re-drawn.
Beachill beat John White in the quarters of the Hong Kong Open but faded
against the eventual winner Thierry Lincou. Matthew, who put out David
Palmer in the Hong Kong semi-final in 59 minutes to reach the final
against Lincou was said to be exhausted.
White is expected to move to the top of the draw, with France's Gregory
Gaultier moving to second seed. England's hopes for a European men's
title will now rest on James Willstrop and Adrian Grant.
27-Aug:
Continent's Best To Compete
In New European Championships
After an absence of more than ten years, the European Individual
Squash Championships return to the sport's international calendar
next month - featuring the cream of the world's elite players.
Restricted to Europeans only, the European Individual Championships will
be staged at the National Tennis Centre in Bratislava, the
capital of Slovakia, from 8-11 September. The Centre is a brand new
state of art building boasting four ASB courts and an all-glass show
court featuring seating for around 800 spectators.
The 2004 staging of the event is the fulfilment of a campaign by the
European Squash Federation (ESF) to revive the event which was first
played in Rotterdam in 1990 and last played in Lille three years later.
"The revival of the event was raised by members at our 2003 AGM, as a
logical extension of National Championships and as a stepping stone to
World Championships," said ESF President Chris Stahl. "We hope it
will also enhance our Olympic aspirations and should encourage further
financial support from some Governments.
"All 41 Members of the ESF had the right to enter at least one and not
more than four men and four women in the event. We have men's entries
from 18 Countries and women's from 13 - hopefully we can build on the
success of this year's revitalised event to attract more players and
sponsors next year," Stahl explained.
"We were delighted that Rusty Koys took up the challenge to stage
the event and is doing so in grand style in Bratislava supported by the
Slovak Squash Federation. We've had excellent support from our members
and the quality of entries has exceeded our expectations - though sadly
the women's field is not quite as strong as the men's due to a
conflicting event on the WISPA World Tour," Stahl added.
England's world No2 Lee Beachill is top seed in the men's event.
The 26-year-old from Pontefract in Yorkshire, who earlier this month
secured the English Open title in Sheffield, is expected to face
Scotland's Nottingham-based world No5 John White in the final.
An English victory is also expected in the women's event, where Vicky
Lankester, the world No36 from Birmingham, is the favourite - and
scheduled to face compatriot Rebecca Botwright, ranked two places
lower, in the final.
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