Hosts Germany Celebrate Twin Semi-Final Berths In European Championships
by Howard Harding
May 4, 2012 - Hosts Germany fully exploited home advantage in the European Team Squash Championships in Nürnberg by securing unexpected semi-final berths in both the men's and women's events of the 40th staging of the European Squash Federation event at the Sportpark Nord.
Despite losing 4/0 to men's favourites and defending champions England, fifth seeds Germany cemented their position as runners-up in Pool A by defeating eighth seeds Denmark 3/1.
The hosts, certain to achieve their best finish since 2008, will now meet France for a place in the final. The second seeds, runners-up for the past four years, beat Scotland 4/0 and Italy 3/1 to finish as expected Pool B winners.
But Scotland went on to beat Finland 3/1 to finish in second place - putting the sixth seeds through to an unpredicted semi-final, where they will face England. The plucky Scots, led by world No28 Alan Clyne, are already sure to celebrate their best finish since 1999!
Sixth seeds in the women's event, Germany scored one of the best results of the day by beating second seeds Netherlands 2/1. The Dutch side took the lead through Natalie Grinham, but Jennifer Hathway struck back to draw level, then Franziska Hennes produced the performance of her life to fight back from 2/0 to beat Milja Dorenbos 6-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 to clinch a crucial victory for the hosts.
Germany went on to defeat Switzerland 2/1 to finish in second place in Pool B - and will now meet title-holders England in the semi-finals.
RESULTS: European Team Championship, Nürnberg, Germany
Final qualifying rounds:
Men Pool A:
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] GERMANY 4/0
Nick Matthew bt Raphael Kandra 11-2, 11-5, 11-6
Peter Barker bt Jens Schoor 11-1, 11-5, 11-5
Daryl Selby bt Andre Haschker 11-9, 11-3, 11-7
Tom Richards bt Rudi Rohrmuller 11-3, 11-1, 11-3
[4] NETHERLANDS drew with [8] DENMARK 2/2
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Kristian Frost Olesen 11-7, 11-2, 11-5
Piedro Schweertman lost to Rasmus Nielsen 7-11, 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 7-11
Sebastiaan Weenink bt Caspar Grauballe Nielsen 4-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-5
Bart Ravelli lost to Morten W Sorensen 6-11, 6-11, 11-13
[5] GERMANY bt [8] DENMARK 3/1
Simon Rosner bt Kristian Frost Olesen 11-4, 11-13, 11-3, 11-4
Raphael Kandra lost to Rasmus Nielsen 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 8-11
Jens Schoor bt Caspar Grauballe Nielsen 11-6, 13-11, 11-6
Andre Haschker bt Morten W Sorensen 11-8, 12-10, 11-9
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] NETHERLANDS 4/0
James Willstrop bt Laurens Jan Anjema 11-4, 11-6, 11-7
Nick Matthew bt Bart Ravelli 11-5, 11-6, 11-6
Peter Barker bt Lucas Buit 11-0, 11-5, 11-4
Tom Richards bt Rick Penders 11-1, 11-8, 11-2
Final positions: 1 England, 2 Germany, 3 Denmark, 4 Netherlands
Pool B:
[2] FRANCE bt [6] SCOTLAND 4/0
Gregory Gaultier bt Chris Small 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
Mathieu Castagnet bt Stuart Crawford 11-7, 11-3, 11-6
Gregoire Marche bt Kevin Moran 11-8, 11-5, 12-10
Yann Perrin bt Douglas Kempsell 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10
[3] ITALY bt [7] FINLAND 3/1
Davide Bianchetti lost to Olli Tuominen 7-11, 11-3, 2-11, 0-11
Marcus Berrett bt Matias Tuomi 11-5, 11-4, 11-4
Amr Swelim bt Janne Jarvinen 11-6, 11-6, 11-7
Jose Facchini bt Jaakko Vahamaa 11-1, 11-6, 11-1
[6] SCOTLAND bt [7] FINLAND 3/1
Alan Clyne lost to Olli Tuominen 2-11, 11-4, 9-11, 2-11
Greg Lobban bt Matias Tuomi 12-10, 12-10, 11-6
Chris Small bt Janne Jarvinen 11-3, 11-2, 11-3
Stuart Crawford bt Jaakko Vahamaa 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-4
[2] FRANCE bt [3] ITALY 3/1
Thierry Lincou bt Marcus Berrett 11-7, 4-11, 11-4, 11-8
Mathieu Castagnet bt Amr Swelim 11-4, 11-4, 11-9
Gregoire Marche bt Jose Facchini 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9
Yann Perrin lost to Andrea Torricini 11-9, 3-11, 12-10, 2-11, 4-11
Final positions: 1 France, 2 Scotland, 3 Italy, 4 Finland
Women Pool A
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] SCOTLAND 3/0
Laura Massaro bt Frania Gillen-Buchert 11-3, 11-5, 11-5
Alison Waters bt Lisa Aitken 11-3, 11-2, 11-6
Sarah Kippax bt Alex Clark 11-5, 11-3, 11-1
[4] FRANCE bt [8] WALES 3/0
Camille Serme bt Tesni Evans 11-4, 11-8, 4-11, 11-4
Coline Aumard bt Deon Saffery 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4
Laura Pomportes bt Hannah Davies 12-10, 11-2, 11-8
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] FRANCE 3/0
Jenny Duncalf bt Coline Aumard 11-6, 11-8, 11-2
Alison Waters bt Maud Duplomb 11-2, 11-5, 11-2
Sarah Kippax bt Laura Pomportes 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
[8] WALES bt [5] SCOTLAND 2/1
Tesni Evans bt Frania Gillen-Buchert 11-7, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4
Deon Saffery bt Lisa Aitken 11-6, 11-9, 11-8
Stacey Gooding lost to Senga Macfie 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 5-11, 5-11
Final positions: 1 England, 2 France, 3 Wales, 4 Scotland
Pool B:
[6] GERMANY bt [2] NETHERLANDS 2/1
Kathrin Hauck lost to Natalie Grinham 7-11, 8-11, 2-11
Jennifer Hathway bt Orla Noom 11-3, 11-8, 11-7
Franziska Hennes bt Milja Dorenbos 6-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
[3] IRELAND bt [7] SWITZERLAND 3/0
Madeline Perry bt Gaby Huber 11-8, 11-4, 11-5
Aisling Blake bt Sara Guebey 11-5, 11-6, 11-2
Tanya Owens bt Julia Schmalz 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4
[6] GERMANY bt [7] SWITZERLAND 2/1
Kathrin Hauck lost to Gaby Huber 16-14, 6-11, 3-11, 4-11
Pamela Hathway bt Sara Guebey 11-5, 11-8, 11-7
Franziska Hennes bt Julia Schmalz 11-6, 11-3, 11-4
[3] IRELAND bt [2] NETHERLANDS 2/1
Madeline Perry bt Natalie Grinham 11-7, 11-7, 11-6
Aisling Blake bt Vanessa Atkinson 11-6, 12-10, 11-2
Laura Mylotte lost to Milou van der Heijden 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-8, 9-11
Final positions: 1 Ireland, 2 Germany, 3 Netherlands, 4 Switzerland
DIVISION 2
2nd qualifying rounds
Men Pool A:
[1] WALES bt [8] SLOVAKIA 3/1
Peter Creed bt Marek Manik 11-2, 11-6, 11-2
Nic Birt bt Tomas Toth 14-12, 11-6, 11-7
Sam Fenwick bt Peter Kviecinsky 11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6
Jordan Davies lost to Miroslav Celler 7-11, 11-1, 11-8, 9-11, 4-11
[1] WALES bt [4] SWEDEN 3/1
Peter Creed bt Christian Drakenberg 13-11, 11-4, 11-5
Nic Birt lost to Sebastian Viktor 9-11, 12-14, 9-11
David Haley bt Joakim Larsson 8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6
Sam Fenwick bt Alex Christensson 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
[5] IRELAND bt [9] AUSTRIA 3/1
Arthur Gaskin bt Aqeel Rehman 9-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5
Derek Ryan bt Leopold Czaska 15-13, 11-8, 13-11
Rory Byrne lost to Jakob Dirnberger 4-11, 6-11, 11-1, 12-10, 8-11
Graeme Stewart bt Marcus Greslehner 11-2, 11-9, 11-8
[5] IRELAND bt [8] SLOVAKIA 4/0
Arthur Gaskin bt Marek Manik 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5
Derek Ryan bt Tomas Toth 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
Rory Byrne bt Miroslav Celler 14-16, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8
Graeme Stewart bt Andrej Schmidtmayer 11-1, 11-4, 11-8
Pool B:
[2] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [7] BELGIUM 4/0
Jan Koukal bt Tom de Mulder 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
Lukas Jelinek bt Jan van den Herrewegen 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
Petr Martin bt Jan de Smet 11-3, 11-6, 11-4
Ondrej Ertl bt Gregory Lecerf 11-2, 11-9, 11-7
[6] SWITZERLAND bt [10] PORTUGAL 4/0
Nicolas Mueller bt Rui Soares 11-3, 11-4, 11-2
Lukas Burkhart bt Claudio Pinto 18-16, 11-1, 11-3
Patrick Miescher bt Joao Caiano 11-8, 11-5, 11-7
Jonas Daehler bt Andre Lima 11-3, 11-5, 11-3
[3] SPAIN bt [2] CZECH REPUBLIC 4/0
Borja Golan bt Jan Koukal 11-7, 11-3, 11-8
David Vidal bt Lukas Jelinek 11-6, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5
Alejandro Garbi Caro bt Petr Martin 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 2-11, 11-6
Carlos Cornes Ribadas bt Ondrej Uherka 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3
[6] SWITZERLAND bt [7] BELGIUM 3/1
Nicolas Mueller bt Tom de Mulder 11-8, 11-5, 11-9
Reiko Peter bt Mark Burke 11-7, 11-0, 11-6
Patrick Miescher lost to Jan de Smet 11-9, 12-14, 10-12, 8-11
Jonas Daehler bt Gregory Lecerf 11-9, 11-1, 11-2
Women's 2nd qualifying rounds:
[1] SPAIN bt [4] AUSTRIA 3/0
Xisela Aranda Nunez bt Birgit Coufal 11-13, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6
Stela Carbonell bt Sandra Polak 11-9, 11-7, 11-1
Sara Esperon bt Jacqueline Peychaer 11-8, 11-9, 11-3
[3] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [6] BELGIUM 3/0
Lucie Fialova bt Nele Gilis 11-7, 13-11, 11-9
Olga Ertlova bt Yara Delagrange 11-8, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8
Anna Klimundova bt Loreline Pira 12-10, 12-10, 11-7
[5] FINLAND bt [7] POLAND 3/0
Saara Valtola bt Dominika Witkowska 11-9, 11-7, 11-7
Emilia Soini bt Anna Jurkun 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6
Emilia Korhonen bt Magdalena Kaminska 11-9, 11-2, 7-11, 11-7
[3] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [1] SPAIN 3/0
Lucie Fialova bt Xisela Aranda Nunez 11-13, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7
Olga Ertlova bt Marina de Juan 11-6, 11-4, 11-5
Anna Klimundova bt Sara Esperon 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
[4] AUSTRIA bt [2] ITALY 2/1
Birgit Coufal lost to Manuela Manetta 7-11, 11-9, 4-11, 12-10, 9-11
Sandra Polak bt Katiuscia Grossi 11-9, 11-9, 12-10
Anja Kaserer bt Monica Menegozzi 11-7, 16-14, 8-11, 4-11, 11-9
[6] BELGIUM bt [7] POLAND 3/0
Kim Hannes bt Dominika Witkowska 11-8, 11-6, 11-8
Nele Gilis bt Anna Jurkun 11-5, 11-0, 11-4
Yara Delagrange bt Magdalena Kaminska 11-7, 14-12, 14-12
Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] ENGLAND v [6] SCOTLAND
[2] FRANCE v [5] GERMANY
5th - 8th place play-offs:
[8] DENMARK v [7] FINLAND
[3] ITALY v [4] NETHERLANDS
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] ENGLAND v [6] GERMANY
[3] IRELAND v [4] FRANCE
5th - 8th place play-offs:
[8] WALES v [7] SWITZERLAND
[2] NETHERLANDS v [5] SCOTLAND
Back To Main
