RESULTS    GALLERY

France is getting better. No doubt about it. In 2002, the ladies finished 7th, in 2003, 5th, and this year, they are assured to finish at least 4th. And I strongly believe that the home crowd that was packing the place from top (side gallery) to bottom (front and side of court included) played an enormous role yesterday afternoon.

Loud. Very loud. For the French. But also for the German.

Especially a player who had a very high pitched voice, plus a rattle that she was turning too quickly, making a deafening, strident noise. And as she was right in my left ear, I have to say that I had to put my hands on my ear every time Germany played a good point or won the rally.

By the time it stopped, I’d forgotten what the point was! So, not good for taking notes and praising Germany’s game. Most of the time, I don’t have a clue why or how they won their points!

The 2nd string started with Laurence Bois playing Kathrin Rohrmueller. The German was simply in a different league, and boasted her opponent in nearly every rally, again and again and again, leaving the French player gasping for air, although she succeed to return the German’s serve brilliantly (Back Hand volley cross court drop shot). Also, Laurence Bois played a very short game, which was probably a tactical mistake, as her opponent was too good in the front, but had problems moving in the back corners. The French (and the French crowd) succeeded to take the second game 10/9, after losing the first one 9/1, and again the next 2 9/2, 9/2.

One up for Germany.

In come the 3rd string. A totally physically transformed Corinne Castet who has dropped about 2 stones in a few weeks (no, not magic dear, diet and training). And who is at the end of a good career, and she’s got the drive to “finish in beauty”, as we say in French.

And finish in beauty she did! She was fit, fit, fit, determined, moving very quickly on court, and retrieving everything on site. Her opponent, the tall and strong Karin Beriere was playing beautifully well, brilliant lob serve, good length, good drop shots, but Corinne was just Master in Retrieving today.

Castet succeeded to pick up the numerous boasts – seems to be the German trademark – placing her in a good attacking position. And what was a weapon in the previous match became a weakness in this one. But Corinne was very patient, playing long balls, drives, cross courts, lobs, waiting patiently for the good moment. And then a perfect drop shot.

Tactically a perfect match. But it was her athletic abilities that made the difference. Beriere took the second game 10/8, but after that, you could see in her eyes a “where the heck can I play the ball?” banner…

9/2, 8/10, 9/1, 9/0 in 46 minutes.

One all.

And Isabelle Stoehr stepped in along with Sabine Tillman, carrying a huge responsibility. Giving France her first semi-final in the event. And that what the 25 year-old from Tours (my father’s home town) did in 37 minutes.

The French player was playing shots that amazed the crowd, volley kills, backhand in particular, drop shots, kills. Some went in the tin, but mostly up. She wrong footed her opponent more than once, and nibbled Tillman’s fitness breath by breath.

Shame that Stoehr seems to lapse in and out of the matches, but as it’s the first time I have seen her play, I’m not sure if it’s on this event only (she was badly injured a few weeks ago) or a permanent trade.

But she took it home, 9/6, 9/3, 9/3.

And the crowd erupted in a joy that even led Jean Louis Lavigne (father of Renan, the French player) to wag the French flag (I was expecting the Marseillaise, but no, we keep that if the Men win against England!!!!!!!!!!!!).

FRANCE 2-1 GERMANY
ISABELLE STOEHR 3-0 SABINE TILLMAN
9/6 9/3 9/3
LAURENCE BOIS 1-3 KATHRIN ROHRMUELLER
4/9 10/9 2/9 2/9
CORINNE CASTETS 3-1 KARIN BERIERE
9/2 8/10 9/1 9/0
 

France are pleased

Kathrin Rohrmueller

ISABELLE STOEHR:
NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE!
At 25, ranked 13 in the world (the highest French lady player ever), Isabelle carries the French hopes everywhere she goes.

And it’s heavy to carry sometimes. Her coach, Jean Luc Bonetat (father of the former French marvel Julien, the first French player to get in the top 15) is more than a coach. When Isabelle’s mother died when Isabelle was a teenager, he and his wife Marie (owners of the brilliant Squash des Carnaux, in Tours, who saw so many international tournaments, formed so many French players, even me!) took her under their wing, advised her to stop squash for a while in view of passing her commercial diploma to ensure her future after her sporting career. And then, Isabelle came back, with a vengeance.

A few weeks ago, Isabelle got injured while playing against Rebecca Macree in Chicago, and had to retire. She could hardly move her right arm, and did the preparation for the event with the French Team in great pain.

“Three days ago, I couldn’t hit the ball”,  the French player told me. “But I had to play for the team, I had to do it, but I’m out of matches. I did a lot of physical preparation, but I haven’t played any matches since Chicago”.

Yes, the pressure was immense, but the little girl (for me, that’s who she is, a little shrimp that used to run everywhere in the club, entering all the empty courts she could find to play with a racquet far too heavy for her) delivered.

Thank you Isabelle.
 

FRANCE 4-0 WALES
THIERRY LINCOU 3-0 DAVID EVANS
10/9 9/7 9/0
GREGORY GAULTIER 3-0 GAVIN JONES
9/1 9/4 9/0
RENAN LAVIGNE 3-0 GREG TIPPINGS
9/2 9/3 9/3
JEAN-MICHEL ARCUCCI 3-0 RICKY DAVIES
9/4 9/5 9/3

England, of course, won 4-0 again, against the Netherlands. Both teams rested their number ones for the semi-finals.

ENGLAND 4-0 NETHERLANDS
LEE BEACHILL 3-0 LUCAS BUIT
9/0 9/2 9/1
NICK MATTHEW 3-0 DYLAN BENNET
9/0 9/2 9/5
JAMES WILLSTROP 3-0 GABOR MARGES
9/5 9/3 9/1
ADRIAN GRANT 3-0 MARC REUS
9/2 9/4 9/0
 

Welsh team put up a
nice display against France

There's still fire in this Welsh Dragon!

Greg Tippings

Morning Matches:
ENGLISH AND FRENCH
TRAINS PASSING THROUGH!
No, I don’t do it on purpose, but James Willstrop was playing first, and as I wanted see my compatriots (shoot me!), I saw his match, and his match only against Mads Korsjberg.

My feeling is that the height of the tin has got something to do with the number of mistakes James is making. I know that he can’t be that stressed about the outcome of those pools matches, but it seems that his drop shot are tuned for a lower tin.

Like yesterday, it took the young Englishman 16 minutes to win the first game, 9/5. The Swedish player is very tall as well, and we saw some pretty good volley drop shots and volley kills from both players. James again made a few mistakes, but overall, his performance was good. His opponent physically cracked at 2/8 in the 2nd game, which ended 9/2, followed by another 9/2. Total length of the match: 30 minutes.

Peter Nicol took very little time indeed to beat Morten W Sorensen, 9/1, 9/0, 9/0. Adrian Grant lost 3 points in the whole match, and Nick Matthew had the longest match (well, everything is relative!) 9/3, 9/3, 9/3.

On the French compartment, Laurent Elriani has got 2 things going for him. One, his fiancée’s name is Linda Charman, proving that he’s got good taste (and if you want my opinion, so does she…), two, his lob serve is extremely dangerous. Not to mention the length of his shots and some lovely boasts that put pressure of his opponent. And today his opponent’s name is Tino Casas, from Spain. The rallies were long, the pace was high, and they did more than a few laps of the court. But once again, fitness and rhythm of play won the game, and the Frenchman won in 3 games 9/2, 9/1, 9/3.

So did Grégory Gaultier who was playing Oriol Salvia Victor. It was a pleasure to see the young player varying the length, the drop shots, the deception, the rhythm. But the Spaniard played some nice drop shots and crosscourts that pushed Greg to show his retrieving skills in a few rallies. Renan Lavigne disposed of Victor Montserrat in 3 set, losing only 4 points.

Thierry Lincou was never under real pressure, but he was relaxed enough to tempt a few changes of direction and deceptions, and concentrated enough to use the match as a good training session. His opponent, Iago Cornes,  enjoyed the chance to play a player of that calibre.

“I had nothing to lose. We knew that France was going to be a tough match, so I was under no pressure. I’m happy to have played the number 3 in the world, who was world number one only a few weeks ago.”

Now, we have a biiiiiiiig problem.

If France and England arrive in the semi finals they will probably play in 2 different locations, rather far away from each other. Once again, choices, choices….

So, if it’s the case, as we have Mr Malcolm Willstrop, father and coach of Lee Beachill and James Willstrop, here in Rennes, I’m sure he’ll be only too glad to cover the English side, while I could be covering the French one.

Well, that’s the best solution I found, but I’m open to any suggestions…. 

James scares Mads away ...

Oriol Salvia gives Greg a runout ...

Lincou relaxed ...

“Isabelle Stoehr is not playing, what that’s all about?”

That is how I was greeted this morning by David Pearson and Paul Carter, National coaches of the English Squad.

Like I’m supposed to know?

Well, I did inquire, and it just happens that the French are playing the Germans this afternoon, and it could be a pretty important match for the qualification for the semi-final tomorrow.

So, like yesterday, when England chose not to have Peter Nicol play against Sweden, France chose to keep her number one player fresh.

Satisfied, Sirs?

Linda Charman (world number 6) opened the day against French Corinne Castets, ranked 82.

Need I say more?

“We are a bit weary of this afternoon match against Germany, so I didn’t want to get too involved” Corinne told me  fter her defeat in 3 games 9/2, 9/0, 9/4. “But in general, when you play against a player of that standard, you’ve got to be on your toes constantly. And I was torn between keeping my strength and battling a lost battle! My only regret? Not having volleyed the ball enough.”

Maude Duplomb (string 3) was playing the gorgeously fit Vicky Botwright, and despite her heart and legs, 16 minutes were enough to close the result, 9/1, 9/0, 9/0.

“She left me hanging there systematically, and had the whole court to play the ball!” said a very out of breath but smiling Maud after her match.

The rest of Isabelle, French number 1, meant that Laurence Bois (ranked 78) got to play the World number one.

Laurence used to play tennis, and came very late to squash (23). Her father, who doesn’t understand much about squash, and prefers tennis, is nevertheless helping with the event by driving the players and officials around!

The precision and the length that Cassie Jackman played today didn’t leave any opportunity for the French player to have any say in the match. 9/1, 9/1, 9/2.

England plays Denmark and France is playing Germany in the deciding matches in this group.

The Ultimate Entente Cordiale ... FULLSTORY

 
Not good for the French Ladies ...

Botwright & Charman seal
a second win for the English

DAVID PEARSON :
IT’S A CULTURAL THING!

I was having a chat with the English National Coach before the competition started today, and we came to speak about the reason why the rivalry between France and England is that strong at the moment.

“France is the only European team that has made an immense effort to raise her standard to professionalism in the last 6 years. And also, the perception of what the behaviour can or should be on a squash court is different in the 2 countries. The passion that is sometimes accepted in France would be considered out of place, even out of order in England. It’s a cultural thing!”

When I asked him about the probable final and the very dreaded match between Lee Beachill and Gregory Gaultier (Vienna, the return!), he smiled and said “The match has the potential to blow out of proportion. It’s up to each team to stay dignified, and to remember that, at the end of the day, it’s only a game of squash…”

Hear hear!