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TODAY in Herentals -
Wed 27th, Day ONE: |
Hannes
brings home joy in Herentals
Day one saw two rounds of action in each draw - for the men it
was five qualifying matches, then the first round which saw all
sixteen seeds safely through.
For the women eight morning first round winners this took on the
top eight seeds in the evening, with local favourite Kim
Hannes the only interloper into the quarter-finals.
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STARTERS…
Framboise reports from Herentals
Valery Litvinko (Rus) bt Vedran
Svonja (Cro)
6/11, 11/7, 11/8, 11/6 (39m)
Miroslav Celler (Svk) bt Sergey
Kostrykin (Rus)
11/2, 11/8,
11/3 (19m)
Alexandre Benassi (Bel) bt Miklos
Vadas (Hun)
11/4, 11/5,
11/5 (17m)
At 11am sharp, the men's
qualifying round got under way, with six
players I have to admit I never saw before.
Very quickly, Slovakian Cellar Miroslav dominated Russian
Sergey Kostrykin - who I found running on the Athletics
ground this morning as I was taking a few pics.
Sergey is obviously a good runner, but lacks a bit in technique.
Cellar was able to keep him at the back just by finding good
length and keeping the ball tight really. He made very few
errors, and forced the Russian to make find the tin… Basic rule
of squash, isn’t it?
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bit the same story for the second match, under 20mn including a
blood injury, between young, trim and willing Belgium
Alexandre Benassi, and a slightly less fit Miklos Vadas from
Hungary. Painless victory for the home boy…
The third match was very disputed, Russian Valeri Litvinko
found a good resistance in Vedran Svonja from Croatia.
Those two run a lot, but the left hander from Russia was just
stronger today. Vedran saved a few match balls in the 4th, and
fought to the last shot.
Still, Valeri will be the one who has the pleasure to play seed
#1 next round, Greg Gaultier.
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BELGIUM ON TOP
Stefaan Vereecke (Bel) bt Filip
Madaric (Cro)
11/2, 11/2, 11/1 (13m)
Mats Raemen (Bel) bt Artem Beba
(Ukr)
11/2, 11/4, 11/3 (14m)
 In
the next two matches, completing the qualifying, the Belgian players were basically far too
strong for their opponent.
Stefaan Vereecke, a tall and lean Belgium was keeping the
game simple, and was winning most of the long rallies against
his Croatian opponent, a young and fit player. A lefthander,
Filip Madaric was a bit weak technically on his backhand,
detail that didn’t go unnoticed with Eagle Eye Stefaan, who kept
pilling on the right side of the court, forcing the error out of
the Croatian….
 On
the glass court, Artem Beba, from Ukraine never found his
marks on a court where his opponent, nicks and all, was
obviously at home – literally. Mats Raemen will now play
Nick Matthew, and something tells me it’s a match he is really
looking forward to.
On a personal note, I must say I was impressed with the level of
the Belgian players I’ve seen so far. Fit, determined,
technically very sound, it’s obvious that they are working
extremely hard and it’s a shame I don’t get to see more of them
on the tour… |
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GIRLS,
GIRLS…
[9/16] Maud Duplomb (Fra) bt
Xisela Aranda Nunez (Esp)
11/6, 11/4, 11/5 (30m)
[9/16] Victoria Lust (Eng) bt
Yara Delagrange (Bel)
11/4, 11/7, 11/4 (17m)
[9/16] Kim Hannes (Bel) bt
Helga Kecse-Nagy (Hun)
11/4, 11/9, 11/4 (19m)
 First
on, we had English Victoria Lust, 20, who was too precise
for Belgium's Yara Delagrange, who still fought
especially in the 2nd, and saved a match ball in the third. I
felt that Victoria was very at her ease, and her international
experience showed today…
Maud Duplomb, from France, got more and more comfortable
as the match went on. If she was a bit weary in the first game,
she found some good width, twisting and turning Spanish
Xisella Aranda, coached by Spain number one Borja Golan. A
good match, with nice rallies, and two determined to run girls…
The third match, on the glass court, was between two ladies with
the same physical type, tall, slim, extremely fit, and obviously
excellent athletes.
Kim Hannes, from Belgium, who is also heavily involved in
the tournament organisation, was facing Hungarian Helga
Kescse-Nagy, a lady who like to hit the ball hard, and very
close to the tin. Kim was superior technically wise, but those
two offered us a strong match, that I had pleasure to watch. |
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SECOND WAVE…
[5/8] Adrian Grant (Eng) bt
Miroslav Celler (Svk)
11/2, 11/3, 11/4 (22m)
[9/16] Rasmus Nielsen (Den) bt Petr Martin (Cze)
11/4,
13/11, 11/3 (31m)
[9/16] Dylan Bennett (Ned) bt Andrea Torricini (Ita)
5/11, 11/8, 11/5, 6/11, 11/7 (54m)
We started the men's first round
with one very short game – to be expected – between Adrian
Grant, world number 11, and Slovakian Cellar Miroslav,
who beat Litvinko this morning rather easily.
Cellar was a bit out of his depth here, but he shows good
technique, he hits the ball cleanly, and possesses a very fair
all over game. At the end, he was a bit overwhelmed with
Adrian’s power and relentlessness, but he will be proud of his
performance.
Then came the “Battle of the runners”, between two charming
lunatics who didn’t stop chasing that ball from the first rally
to the last as if their life depended on it. Not exactly your
typical technique for Petr Martin from the Czech
Republic, but a ferociously determined young player who gave a
good game to Rasmus Nielsen, from Denmark, especially in
the first game, won 13/11, only just…
But the “Match of the day” was definitely played between Fit
Andrea Torricini and Intense Dylan Bennett.
Andrea surprised us all by taking the first game 11/5, against a
Dylan who didn’t seem at his ease today. The court was a bit
slippery, it seemed, and the Dutch was not happy when he got out
after losing the first, but was able to take the next two rather
comfortably, and we thought that was it really.
 But
that devil of an Italian was just astonishing today, varying his
shots, so unorthodox to say the least, and on top of that,
honestly, those two were having rallies from hell, Dylan was
clearly in the red, but intense red, and Andrea was barely
sweating, white as Italian sand. Impressive fitness.
Add to that his ability to slow the pace down, to play a ball
with absolutely nothing on it, forcing Dylan to push so hard to
give it speed, frustrating him to force his shots. The Italian
volleyed a tremendous lot for such a short guy, taking the ball
very early, increasing the pressure on his already nervous
opponent, who started to hit more and more tins.
Cut a long story short, it all came down to a fifth, and 11/7
for Dylan, who will be delighted to win that one - not his best
match ever, but at the end of the day, great players are the
ones that still win when not at their best, aren’t they… |
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FIVE O’CLOCK, LADIES…
[9/16] Linda Hruzikova (Svk)
bt
Nikoleta Pozidi (Gre)
11/2, 11/7, 11/5 (15m)
[9/16] Celia Allamargot (Fra) bt
Eliza Kargioti (Gre)
11/1, 11/3, 11/3 (20m)
[9/16] Birgit Coufal (Aut) bt
Sonja Schrijvers (Bel)
11/5, 11/4, 11/8 (25m)
[9/16] Annabel Romedenne (Bel) bt
Anna Detter (Swe)
7/11, 11/5, 11/7, 7/11, 11/4 (37m)
 Linda
Hruzikova and Nicole Pozidi will have to forgive me,
I didn’t have even a glance at their match, but as we had 7
matches at 5pm – the Greeks were delayed, and their matches were
rescheduled from 1 to 5 – I could only do what I could…
Celia Allamargot from France didn’t have any problems
today against Greek Eliza Kargioti, and was able to work
on her length and short game to warm herself up for her meeting
with World number 11 – former world number 1 – Vanessa Atkinson,
only two hours after this match, late arrival from the Greek
obliges…
 Annabel
Romedenne had much much more trouble getting rid of Anna
Detter, from Sweden, who was able to put the Belgian lady
under much pressure with her short game. Annabel seemed a bit
slow to move to the front today, and it all came down to
preventing Anna from playing her shots.
Annabel prevailed but only just, 11/4 in the 5th, and finished
the game with a few pains here and there. All credit to the
Swedish girl, who came close to creating an upset… |
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…AND THE MEN
[5/8] Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned)
bt
Mark Andrew Burke (Bel)
11/3,
11/3, 11/8 (27m)
[5/8] Borja Golan (Esp) bt
Rusian Sorochynskvi (Ukr)
11/7, 11/7, 11/1 (36m)
[9/16] Piedro Schweertman (Ned) bt
Marton Szaboky (Hun)
11/4, 11/1, 11/9 (31m)
[9/16] Kristian Frost Olesen (Den) bt
Lukas Jelinek (Cze)
12/10, 11/6, 11/4 (37m)
[9/16] Simon Rosner (Ger) bt
Marek Manik (Svk)
13/11, 11/8, 11/3 (30m)
 LJ
Anjema wasn’t sure how his body would feel, as it was his
first competition since breaking for injury. “Now I had a break
I didn’t want, I have even more keen than I was before” he told
me, “in front of you is standing a very keen man, Framboise”.
Good to hear, LJ, good to see you back.
If Borja Golan never felt under threat against Rusian
Sorochynskyi from Ukraine, I was personally impressed by the
strength, determination and skills from the young man. He never
said die, although he nearly did at the end of the second,
looking a bit like a fish out of water.
“Yes, he is good” Borja said, “and he gave it his 100%, that’s
the way to go”. The Spanish had to stay concentrated, but as the
match went, so did the Ukranian’s fitness too, and Borja was
able to wrongfoot his opponent better and better, especially
when counter-attacking…
Piedro Schweertman was rather comfortable until the
third, when Marton Szaboky started to let go of his
shots, finding some good inhibited squash, and saving several
match balls and starting to make his opponent doubt a bit. But
the Dutch was technically superior, and the 3/0 result is
probably a logical one…
And the last one, I know, that was a long session, Kristian
Frost from Denmark played a good match against a strong and
powerful Czech Lukas Jelinek. Kristian will be glad to
win that game in three, as the rallies were pretty long (47
minutes for 3 games only), and wining the first game was
probably the turning point of the match… |
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REVENGE FOR CAMILLE,
UPSET FOR KIM
[5/8] Camille Serme (Fra) bt
[9/16] Victoria Lust (Eng)
11/4, 11/6, 11/4 (20m)
[9/16] Kim Hannes (Bel) bt [5/8] Orla Noom (Ned)
11/4, 11/6, 11/1
(18m)
 France's
Camille Serme was up for her revenge today against
English Victoria Lust, who took her a bit unexpectedly
out of the Welsh Open a few weeks back. And according to a
spectator – no, not a French one – Camille’s performance was
purely clinical.
The French girl was able to control the rallies, open the court
at will, and take advantage of Victoria’s not so settled game.
The English girl seemed a bit inconsistent at times, finding the
tin too many times, but still placing some lovely shots at the
front. But today, Cam basically gave an impressive performance
which, according to the scoresheet, lasted only 20mn.
Local favourite Kim Hannes played in a zone today, there
is no other word for it. In front of her friends and daughter
Fiene, Kim didn’t take any prisoners on the glass court.
 Precise,
sharp and pitiless, the Belgian girl didn’t give Orla Noom,
who I thought was going to win rather comfortably, sorry Kim, a
single chance to settle in her game, frustrating the young girl
more and more as the match unfolded.
The crowd was delighted, so was Kim, who has the hard task to
organise the tournament as well as playing in it. What a
performance, Kim, well done girl… |
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ONE OUT OF THREE FOR FRANCE…
[1] Natalie Grinham bt
[9/16] Maud Duplomb
11/4,
11/9, 11/3 (33m)
[3/4] Isabelle Stoehr bt [9/16] Linda Hruzikova
11/8, 11/3, 11/7 (44m)
[3/4] Vanessa Atkinson bt [9/16] Celia Allamargot
11/2, 11/2, 11/3 (20m)
 French
girls had different fates today. A solid performance from
Isabelle Stoehr, fully back from her injury, physically fit
and much trimmer than she’s been right after her healing time.
First game was pretty tight, but the second rather comfortable.
It would have been logical for Linda Hruzikova to say
die, but quite the contrary, she led 6/2 in the third, but
wasn’t able to stop the French lady coming back to close the
game 11/7.
Maud Duplomb, our runner, she is famous to pick up all
the balls you throw at her, and to never give up – she really
put Isabelle under pressure during our Nationals in the semis,
probably costing Isa her French title. Well, she did exactly the
same to Natalie Grinham, especially in the second, 11/9.
But Natalie reassessed in the 3rd, to logically win 11/3.
 Celia
Allamargot probably played one of her worst matches ever.
The length of the match was 15mn, take out the 4 minutes rest
time, you have an 11 min match, as in an average game length of
less than 4 min. Not good. Tins, wrong tactical choices, Celia
never got in the match really, and Vanessa Atkinson
played her part to perfection, never giving the French girl any
chance to settle down.
LAURA AND MANUELA COMFORTABLE
[5/8] Manuela Manetta
bt [9/16] Birgit Coufal
11/9, 11/3,
11/7 (32m)
[2] Laura L-Massaro bt [9/16] Sina Wall
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (33m)
 If
Manuela Manetta more or less controlled the match from
start to finish, hitting the ball very hard, and varying her
shots to perfection, Sina Wall cause Laura L. Massaro
more problems, and that match was very watchable…
 Good
length, a nice precise game at the back, and some great attacks
at the front, the German girl was a good start in the tournament
for the English Lady, who has changed both her hair length and
colour, making her look even younger… |
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AND TO FINISH…
We had four boys from the top 8 playing all sorts of standard
players, and it has to be said, as kindly as possible, that the
results were in no doubt.
Thierry Lincou started as ever, as in, losing the three
first points to Belgium's Stefaan Vereekcke. The rest
allowed the Frenchman to find a few good shots at the front, and
gave him some marks on a traditional court.
He was the first one to finish his match, closely followed by
Greg Gaultier, who was playing lefthander Litvinko.
Greg made his opponent run around the court with a few lob/boast
combinations, and they both seem to have a great time…
Nick Matthew and
Peter Barker had players of a better standard I believe.
Alexandre Benassi, from Belgium, was really up for it, and
got pretty frustrated when he made unforced errors I’m sure he
never usually makes. And Nick on the glass court had probably
the short straw, with a very hungry young Mats Raemen who
never let the world number 6 win any easy point.
To finish the evening,
Annabel Romedenne gave another strong performance tonight,
8, 8, and 9.
After her five setter this afternoon, I thought she might have
been a bit tired, but being at home gave her wings against
Annelize Naudé, and each game to have gone either way, but
it was the Dutch who prevailed.
That was a perfect end to a long day. With another one just as
long coming up tomorrow…
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Preview |
Six up for EICC ... and
Gaultier ?
 The sixth edition of the revived European
Individual Championship
heads for Belgium next week, with many of the continent's top
players vying for the title of European Champion.
France's Gregory Gaultier - winner of the last five
men's events - is sure to be top seed, with his main
challenges expected to come from compatriot Thierry Lincou, the
strong English contingent of Nick Matthew, Peter Barker and
Adrian Grant, Spain's Borja Golan and Dutchman LJ
Anjema.
Isabelle Stoehr will be hoping to make it another
French double, as last time out in Bratislava, with her main
challengers coming from the Netherlands and England in the form
of Natalie Grinham, Laura Lengthorn-Massaro and
Vanessa Atkinson.
Top Men's Entries
#2 Gregory Gaultier (Fra)
#6 Nick Matthew (Eng)
#7 Peter Barker (Eng)
#8 Thierry Lincou (Fra)
#11 Adrian Grant (Eng)
#12 Borja Golan (Esp)
#19 Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned)
#37 Renan Lavigne (Fra)
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Top Women's Entries
#4 Natalie Grinham (Ned)
#7 Laura L-Massaro (Eng)
#11 Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)
#12 Vanessa Atkinson (Ned)
#24 Line Hansen (Den)
#29 Annelize Naudé (Ned)
#34 Camille Serme (Fra)
#37 Manuela Manetta (Ita)
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full draws |
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2008 podium in Bratislava |
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VENUE:
Flemish Squash Centre
Vorselaarsebaan 62
2200 Herentals
Belgium |
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