Set Squash Marseilles
International Open 2004
14-16 May, Marseilles, France, €6k
 

16-May:
Lincou Doubles up
in Marseilles

Super Series champion Thierry Lincou wasted no time in collecting another title, with victory in the International Open 2004 final in Marseilles over compatriot Grégory Gaultier.

In the morning semi-finals Lincou and Gaultier both eased to 3/0 victories, Lincou over Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee, and Gaultier over Super Series finalist Joe Kneipp.

In the all-French final Lincou collected his second trophy inside three days, beating Gaultier 3/2. 

France's European Teams heroine Corinne Castets collected the women's title, beating Maude Duplomb 3/0 in the final.

The tournament was held at the Set Squash Club in Marseilles, in commemoration of Nicolas Siri, a member of the French National Junior squad who who died suddenly last year at the age of 21, and who is greatly missed by all in Marseille and the whole of French Squash.

Max de Peretti of
Set Squash Marseilles reports
(English & French) ...
 

More coverage & all draws from SetSquash.com

AT LAST !
An open in France
Framboise Gommendy previews the tournament ...
 

Men's Final:
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [2] Grégory Gaultier (Fra)  5/9, 9/3, 6/9, 9/2, 9/4 (105m)
Semi-Finals:
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [4] Ong Beng Hee (Mas)   9/7, 9/7, 9/7
[2] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) bt [3] Joe Kneipp (Aus)  9/6, 9/7, 9/5
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Thierry Lincou (Fra) bt [8] Stephane Galifi (Fra)  9/7, 9/0, 9/4
[4] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt [5] Renan Lavigne (Fra)  7/9, 9/2, 4/9, 9/4, 10/8 (110m)
[3] Joe Kneipp (Aus) bt [6] Alexandre Muller (Fra)  9/1, 9/3, 9/3
[2] Grégory Gaultier (Fra) bt [7] Julien Balbo (Fra) 9/3, 9/0, 9/5

Women's Final:
[1] Corinne Castets bt [2] Maude Duplomb  9/2, 9/1, 9/6
Semi-Finals:
[1] Corinne Castets bt [4] Catherine Bignotti  9/0, 9/1, 9/1
[2] Maude Duplomb bt [3] Celia Allamargot  9/5, 9/6, 9/0
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Corinne Castets bt [8] Emilie Bouzezza  9/1, 9/2, 9/2
[4] Catherine Bignotti bt [5] Saraya Renai  9/2, 9/10, 9/3, 9/2
[3] Celia Allamargot bt [6] Virginie Fribourg  9/6, 9/5, 10/9
[2] Maude Duplomb bt [10] Sandy Mathews   9/4, 10/8, 9/3

Max de Peretti reports
from Marseilles ...

Les deux plus beaux matchs du week-end ont été le match de Renan Lavigne contre Ong Beng Hee (3/2 7/9 9/2 4/9 9/4 10/8 en 110 min) et celui de Lincou Thierry contre Gaultier Gregory (3/2 5/9 9/3 6/9 9/2 9/4 en 105 min).

Les deux marseillais (Thierry Lincou et Renan Lavigne jouent tous les deux pour l'équipe du Set Squash marseille dans la "French Ligue") ont bataillé très dur pendant près de 2 heures pour ne pas décevoir leur public qui les a encouragé constament.

Tout le tournoi s'est déroulé dans une ambiance magnifique pour rendre un vibrant hommage à notre ami Nicolas Siri.

Nous vous donnons rendez-vous l'année prochaine pour la 2ème édition de l'open International de marseille en Mai ou juin 2005 qui sera à n'en pas douter encore une grande fête du squash.

Toutes les informations vous seront communiquées.

Max de Peretti
 

In this weekend rich in beautiful squash of the highest standard, the nicest matches have been Renan Lavigne (France) against Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia) (3/2 7/9 9/2 4/9 9/4 10/8 in 110 min), and Thierry Lincou against Grégory Gaultier (3/2 5/9 9/3 6/9 9/2 9/4 in 105 min).

The 2 French players, who are actually playing for Marseilles Squash Club in the French League, had to battle long and hard (nearly 2 hours) to delight an extremely supportive crowd.

The whole tournament was a great tribute to our friend Nicolas Siri, and the atmosphere was nothing short of magnificent.

Hoping to see you next year for the second edition of the event, planned for May or June 2005, which will no doubt a beautiful event once again.

We'll let you know as soon as we have more details.

Max de Peretti

15-May:
Lincou & Kneipp set
for Marseilles replay ???
Fresh from claiming his first major title on Friday in London, France's Super Series Champion Thierry Lincou is top seed in Marseille's International Open, titled "En hommage à Nicolas Siri".

Lincou moved easily into Sunday's semi-finals with a 3/0 victory over Stefan Galifi, and now faces Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee, who survived a 110-minute battle with local favourite Renan Lavigne, eventually winning 10/8 in the fifth.

In the bottom half of the draw France's second seed Gregory Gaultier meets Joe Kneipp, the Australian who lost in the Super Series Final to Lincou.

Armed with a bag of freshly-strung rackets (he broke three, and was forced to borrow rackets from spectators in the Super Series Final), Kneipp will be looking for a rematch with Lincou to make up for his disappointing finish in London.

In the women's event an all-French semi-final line-up features European Teams heroine Corinne Castets seeded to face new German Junior Open champion Maude Duplomb in the final.

Semi-finals are on Sunday morning, with the finals scheduled for 15.00 and 15.30 at the Set Squash Club.