Serme Celebrates Historic Swiss PSA Success
by Howard Harding
25 March 2013 - Lucas Serme celebrated his appearance in the first ever all-French men's final of the Swiss Open Squash Championship by becoming the first French winner of the PSA Challenger 5 event marking its 40th anniversary at the Geneva Squash Club in Geneva.
The 21-year-old from Creteil, runner-up twelve months ago, was the event's fourth seed - and made his breakthrough in the semi-finals when he overturned Jens Schoor, the No2 seed from Germany, in straight games.
But his opponent in the final, unseeded compatriot Julien Balbo, produced an even bigger surprise in the other semi when he ousted English favourite Jaymie Haycocks in four games.
But it was all Serme in the final. Determined to go one better than in the 2012 final, the UK-based world No98 defeated 33-year-old Balbo, a former world No42 from Challes Les Eaux, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6.
The historic triumph marks Serme's second PSA Tour title of the year - and the third of his career.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Swiss Open, Geneva, Switzerland
1st round:
[1] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt [Q] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-6, 11-6, 11-3
Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-7, 4-11, 7-11, 14-12, 13-11
Alex Ingham (ENG) bt [Q] Benjamin Fischer (SUI) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
[5] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) 11-5, 5-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3
[Q] Douglas Leslie Kempsell (SCO) bt [7] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-7, 12-10, 11-8
[Q] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-9, 11-5, 4-11, 11-7
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt Kevin Moran (SCO) 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 13-11
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [3] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-5, 12-10, 12-10
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Martin Mosnik (SLO) 7-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-9
Reuben Phillips (ENG) bt [Q] Tim Weber (GER) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8
[Q] Antoine-Camille Petrucci (FRA) bt James Earles (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 5-11, 9-11, 11-8
[8] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Andre Haschker (GER) 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
[6] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [WC] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) 11-3, 11-2, 11-6
Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 10-12, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [Q] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [Q] Hugo Varela (ESP) 11-9, 11-2, 3-11, 11-4
2nd round:
[1] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt Reiko Peter (SUI) 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6
[5] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8
[Q] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt [Q] Douglas Leslie Kempsell (SCO) 12-10, 11-4, 3-11, 4-11, 11-5
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Reuben Phillips (ENG) 11-1, 11-8, 11-3
[8] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [Q] Antoine-Camille Petrucci (FRA) 11-7, 11-1, 11-4
[6] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt [5] Yann Perrin (FRA) 8-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-2
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [Q] Tom de Mulder (BEL) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [8] Nathan Lake (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [6] Greg Lobban (SCO) 11-9, 11-3, 11-9
Semi-finals:
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [1] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [2] Jens Schoor (GER) 13-11, 11-4, 11-3
Final:
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6
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