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.
  

• Men's Draw

• Women's Draw

• Reports
   

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)

EICC Photos by Fritz Borchert

Adrian Grant

10/8, 2/9, 2/9, 9/3, 9/6

Gregory Gaultier

9-2, 9-5, 9-1

Gregory Gaultier

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

EICC Photos by Fritz Borchert

8/10, 2/9, 9/4, 9/4, 9/5 (72m)

Rebecca Botwright

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.