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FRENCH LEAGUE PLAYOFFS 2006
03-04 Juin, Antibes |
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Sunday 4th June, Day Two:
N1 Women's final:
Rennes 3-1 Antibes
N1 Men's final:
Rouen 2-2 Marseille (8-8, +6pts)
N1 Men's 3/4:
Aix 2-2 Bron (9-7)
N1 Women's 3/4: Aix
3-1 Mulhouse
N3 Men's Final:
Antibes 2-2 ASL Robertsau (6-7) |
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DRAWS
GALLERY
En Français |
Rouen retain French Title
In a nail-biting finish to the French
'National 1' playoff final, Rouen's team of international stars
came from two-nil down to deprive Marseille's all-French outfit of the
title by a mere six points.
After Thierry Lincou and Yan Perrin had put Marseille ahead it was left
to Laurens Jan Anjema, and, in the decider, Daryl Selby, to restrict
their opponent's games, and points tally.
After taking the first game from Selby, Mathieu Castagnet knew that one
more game, or a bagful of points, would give the match to Marseilles.
But the young Frenchman didn't have enough left in the tank as Selby
took the next three and Castagnet fell agonisingly short as Rouen
claimed their fifth title.
The women's title went to L'Hermine Rennes, who consolidated on
the 2-0 lead that Linda Elriani and Sonia Pasteris earned for them,
Isabelle Stoehr clinching the title.
Earlier in the day there was a deafening roar as host club Antibes
claimed the 'National 3' title, beating ASL Robertsau by a single game
after another tied match - the ninth in twelve 'N3' matches played over
the weekend!
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N1 Men's Final:
Rouen 2-2 Marseille
(8-8, 140-134pts)
Peter Nicol lost
Thierry Lincou
11/3, 4/11, 11/5, 9/11, 4/11 (63m)
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Renan Lavigne 11/9, 4/11, 11/7,
11/4 (107m)
Daryl Selby bt Mathieu Castagnet
6/11, 11/9, 11/5, 11/4 (55m)
Peter Genever lost Yann Perrin
9/11, 9/11, 7/11 |
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Marseille fall just short
Marseille's all-French team went two-up against Rouen's multi-national
defending champions when Yann Perrin beat Peter Genever in
straight games and Thierry Lincou battled to victory over Peter
Nicol in yet another epic encounter between the two former world number
ones.
An Epic Encounter
Lincou got off to his traditional slow start, making too many mistakes
in the oven-like, bouncy conditions to suggest he would improve his poor
win/loss record against Nicol.
The second game opened with a series of long rallies, and even though
Nicol led 2-1 the first signs of tiredness started to appear. Playing
very patiently Lincou eased ahead, and although the Englishman was
retrieving as only he can, the mistakes started to come, the game
finishing on two tins to put Lincou level.
The roles were reversed in the third as Lincou hit two tins of his own
to start the game, recovered, then made three more errors at the end of
huge rallies to give Nicol an unassailable lead. 2/1.
Arguing a little more than is his norm, Nicol nevertheless opened up a
lead in the fourth, 4/1 and 5/2, then gave the lead away with three
errors. They matched each other point for point up to 9-all, and when
Nicol tinned after another monster rally the match was virtually all
over.
Lincou took the point he needed to level, then raced ahead in the fifth,
4/0, 6/1, 7/3, 10/3. An outrageous service return into the nick saved
the first match ball, but there was to be no miracle comeback today as
Lincou took Marseille into a 2-0 lead.
Marseille on top ...
It was looking good for Marseille when, in the second round of matches,
Renan Lavigne was holding LJ Anjema at one-all and Mathieu Castagnet
took the first against Daryl Selby.
Cue the calculators. The only way that Rouen could win now was if they
were to take the next five games without reply, which would tie the
match at 2-all 8-all, but they also had to restrict Marseille to as few
points as possible, it was that close.
Rouen accept the challenge
Anjema was the first to complete his task, overcoming Lavigne in a
marathon 107 minutes, which meant that Selby needed to take his last two
games for the loss of no more than 15 points.
Against a tiring Castagnet, who nevertheless gave his all, desperately
diving several times to retrieve lost causes, Selby duly completed his
mission with six points to spare, and Rouen could start celebrating
their fifth French title ...
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 "It
was very hot on the court. Between the points, if you looked at
Thierry and I, you could see that we were dead.
"But then, during the points we were just fine. And again, between
points, dead. And then fine. Well, until the last game where I
just couldn’t move at all…
"I needed the fourth. I’m less tired than I was at the end of the
season, but the problem now is that I’m not fit enough, for that
level I mean. Last week was the same against Greg, I was up 2/0,
playing very well, and then physically, got tired…
"Thierry has got mentally stronger since he stayed world number
one for a year.
"And as far as our matches are concerned, he has worked hard, and
now he believes that he can beat me.
"The turning point was at the BO last year, we had a very hard
game, I still won 3/1, but something different happened, and all
of a sudden, from that point onwards, our matches got tougher and
tougher, even if I succeeded to win a few times, but it was only a
question of time before he would beat me…"
Peter Nicol |
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 This
is our fifth title, and the fact that we have five non-French players
doesn't bother me at all.
I don't know why it seems to bother people in squash when it doesn't
bother them in other sports.
For Peter Genever it was his first year with us, but for Peter Nicol,
who has been an emblematic member of the team for a long time, it was
his last year.
He won't be with us next year but we'll be bringing in some of the young
players who won the National 2 title for us this weekend.
The rules of the French championships have been criticised, but we've
learned how to win and how to exploit those rules.
We have a very strong and friendly relationship with out players, and
it's a great joy to win our fifth French title.
Jean-Marc Poupel
(Rouen) |
 It
went so close at the end of the second, I should have won that one. But
in the third and fourth I just didn't have any legs left, it was
heartbreaking ...
Mathieu Castagnet |
 I'm
disappointed, obviously, but I'm also so proud of what they've achieved.
They gave everybody in the place a buzz.
I'm more disappointed for the players than for myself, especially
Mathieu, who has been so good for the whole year.
We've had four matches with the same team, we'll have the same team next
year and we'll try to go all the way.
We lost in the semis of National 2 through an injury and finished
fourth, and here we were so close, so over the whole season we can only
take positives.
Max de
Peretti (Marseille) |
Marco is proud of his kids ...
 I'm
disappointed for them, they gave everything they had and we were just
six points short of becoming the first 100% French team to become French
champions.
Marco Palmieri
(Marseille) |
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N1 Women's Final:
Rennes 3-1 Antibes
Linda Elriani bt Annelize
Naude
9/2, 9/6, 6/9, 9/3 (45m)
Isabelle Stoehr bt Becky Botwright
9/2, 9/6, 9/4 (32m)
Laurence Bois lost Annabelle Romedenne
5/9, 9/1, 6/9, 4/9
Sonia Pasteris beat Cathy Bignotti
9/3, 9/6, 9/0 |
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 I’m
pleased to win !
It’s incredibly hot on the court today, and it’s very difficult to stick
to a game plan, which against Annelize is to slow the ball down…
You’ve also got to be very patient, which I wasn’t in the third, trying
to do too much with the ball, instead of just waiting for the right
opportunity…
I’m glad I did my bit for Rennes, because I always have a very good and
fond memory of the club, it’s where I met Laurent for the first time… so
I’ll never forget it…
Linda Elriani |
 I
was a bit disappointed today, because I’m a team person, I like playing
well for my team, and especially as it was the home team… But I did my
best today, so that’s what counts…
I think that it may be my last match with Linda, and I’ll be missing our
battles!
Annelize Naude |
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N1 Women's 3rd/4th:
Aix 3-1 Mulhouse
Aisling Blake bt Agnes Mueller
9/3, 10/8, 9/7
Celia Allamargot lost Olivia Hauser
10/8, 1/9, 5/9, 3/9
Gaby Delavison bt Gaby Schmol
10/9, 9/5, 8/10, 6/9, 9/1
Sophie Tussot bt Sarah Guebey
7/9, 9/1, 9/1, 9/0 |
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N1 Men's 3rd/4th:
Aix 2-2 Bron
(9-7)
Gregory Gaultier bt
Laurent Elriani 11/4, 11/3, 11/6
Fabien Verseille lost Julien Balbo
14/12, 5/11, 3/11, 7/11
Thibault Gouti lost Romain Tenant
11/4, 6/11, 3/11, 11/9, 9/11
Sameer Khan bt Christophe Labit
11/5, 7/11, 11/6, 11/5 |
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N3 Men's
Final: Antibes 2-2 ASL Robertsau
(7-6)
Maxime Descoteau lost
Alejandro Sanchez 3/11, 11/13, 11/3, 8/11
Stéphane Deroeux lost Marc Jerome
9/11, 5/11, 2/11
Philippe Magit bt Anthony Socie
11/8, 11/5, 11/4
Christian Duron bt Timur Arslan
12/10, 11/6, 11/4 |
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BLAH
BLAH BLAH
 
What can I say… Here I was this morning, after a lovely party last night
at the adorable hotel that Antibes’ club had the kindness to book for me
at just a few minutes from the club, all ready to work on a translation
that I’m supposed to give back like… yesterday.
But I did stumble on a big hurdle, a
breakfast near the swimming pool with Linda Elriani, Laura Mylotte,
Sonia Pasteris, Isabelle Stoehr and Charlotte Delsinne…
And that was the end of my good intentions. I had the laugh of the year.
And I was thinking, as I was drinking my Nth cup of tea in the middle of
a pine forest, laughing my head off with a bunch of stunning clever
ladies that it was a tough job, but…
I love squash.
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Day One: MEN'S SEMIS
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Rouen |
4-0 |
Bron |
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Olli Tuominen |
14/12, 11/5, 11/7 |
Laurent Elriani |
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LJ Anjema |
11/5, 11/8, 9/11, 11/3 |
Julien Balbo |
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Daryl Selby |
11/6, 11/6 (best of 3) |
Romain Tenant |
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Peter Genever |
11/8, 11/4, 11/5
(30m) |
Joan Lezaud |
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Marseille |
4-0 |
Aix |
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Thierry Lincou |
11/9,
11/9, 9/11, 11/5 |
Gregory Gaultier |
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Renan Lavigne |
11/8, 6/11, 11/3, 11/2 |
Fabien Verseille |
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Mathieu Castagnet |
11/3, 4/11, 7/11, 11/1, 11/5 |
Thibault Gouti |
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Yann Perrin |
11/9, 11/7,
11/5 |
Sameer Khan |
WOMEN'S SEMIS
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Rennes |
4-0 |
Mulhouse |
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Linda Elriani |
9/1, 9/0, 9/0 |
Agnès Muller |
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Isabelle Stoehr
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9/0, 9/0, 9/4 |
Olivia Hauser |
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Laura Mylotte |
3/9, 9/5, 9/0, 3/9, 9/7 |
Gaby Schmohl |
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Charlotte Delsinne |
9/0, 9/2, 9/0 |
Stéphanie Hopp |
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Antibes |
3-1 |
Aix |
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Annelize Naude |
9/6, 10/8, 9/2 |
Aisling Blake |
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Becky Botwright |
9/1, 9/2, 7/9, 9/7 |
Celia
Allamargot |
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Annabelle Romedenne |
9/10, 9/6, 9/0, 9/2 |
Gaby Delavison |
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Emilie Bouzeza |
8/10, 1/9,
3/9 |
Sophie Tossut |
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DRAWS
GALLERY
En Français |
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03-Jun,
Semi-finals:
Rouen on track in Antibes,
Lincou leads Marseille to final ...
Quick summary from Steve Cubbins
Defending champions Rouen Squash had a comfortable semi-final
victory as the French play-off finals got under way in Antibes.
Resting number one Peter Nicol, their multi-national lineup was still
too strong for the all-French squad of Squash Passion Bron.
 In the second semi-final France's top two, Thierry Lincou and Gregory
Gaultier, met again as they lead their Marseille and Aix
teams into battle - Lincou coming out on top in a controversial match
which saw Gaultier penalised a conduct stroke for dissent in the fourth
game, followed by a conduct game when he continued the dispute. That put
Marseille 2-0 up and they too went on to win 4-0 to move into the final.
In the women's event star-studded L'Hermine Rennes cruised into the final with
a 4-0 win over Mulhouse, while hosts Antibes, last year's
runners-up, overcame Aix 3-1 to maintain the home club's interest in
tomorrow's finals.
The Men's 'National 3' (the main matches are 'National 1') semi-finals
produced two thrilling finishes, with both ties finishing 2-2 and
requiring countback. Antibes claimed a second place in Sunday's
finals as they beat Joe Bar Le Coteau 10-8 on games, while ASL
Robertsau made it by an even narrower margin, 6-all in games, 100-93
in points!
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DARYL'S ANTIBES DIARY ... #1
 We
are at Antibes Squash Fitness Club for the French League Play-off
Finals. The club is fantastic, with four glass back courts in a row and
swimming pool and seating outside.
This is perfect as the weather is lovely as you would expect if for this
time of year in the South of France.
For most of the players, I think this is the last bit of competitive
squash at the end of a long hard season, so one final push, then I’m
sure a few Corona’s and a bit of sun sea and sand for most of the guys.
The squash has gone well so far, with Rouen (the team I play for) wining
4/0 and so through to the final, where hopefully we can win and make
Thierry and Jean-Marc (the managers) very happy and repay them for the
hard work they put into the team.
"We even got new shirts for this weekend, but they were well-needed as
the last ones didn’t hug the figure too well!"
Daryl Selby |
Rouen bt Bron
4-0
Olli
Tuominen bt Laurent Elriani
14/12, 11/5, 11/7
LJ Anjema bt Julien Balbo
11/5, 11/8, 9/11, 11/3
Daryl Selby bt Romain Tenant
11/6, 11/6 (best of 3)
Peter Genever bt Joan Lezaud
11/8, 11/4, 11/5 (30m) |
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 "The
first game was tough, it took me a little time to adjust, but once I
got on top, my 'experience', my age !!! allowed me to pull
through…
"Still, the first game was very tough indeed, and he is a very good
player…"
Peter Genever |
 "It
was a nice match, but it’s so warm in there, from the first rally, the
ball is very bouncy, which gives you a lot of time on the ball…
"I just flew in this morning, so it was nice to get a 2/0 match.
In the end, I felt that he let go a bit, I guess that if it had been
to five, and a live match, he probably would have pushed harder…"
Daryl Selby |
 "In
the first game, I was up 7/2, and I got a bit too comfortable, and he
came back into the game quite well.
"The third was pretty much the same story, got the lead, got
comfortable, starting shooting too early, and he started to play
extremely well…
"But at the end, it was pretty ok… just enough…"
Olli Tuominen |
 "As
Olli takes the ball very early, and as the courts are very warm, I
tried to be patient, trying to make the rallies last, but at the end
of the first game, I played a few cross courts too many, and got burnt.
"Overall, not a bad performance, I really enjoyed it…"
Laurent Elriani |
 "Peter
G is so strong, so solid, he makes so few mistakes… I was able to
place a few nice attacks, but I lost all the long rallies.
"I was too slow, my legs felt too heavy, a bit of tiredness coming
from the last two weeks training hard with André Delhoste, my coach."
Joan Lezaud |
Sophie Tossut, Gaby
Delavison |
LJ Anjema, Peter
Genever |
Thibaut Gouti, JM
Arcucci |
Marseille bt
Aix 4-0
Thierry
Lincou bt Gregory Gaultier
11/9, 11/9, 9/11, 11/5
Renan Lavigne bt Fabien Verseille
11/8, 6/11, 11/3, 11/2
Mathieu Castagnet bt Thibault Gouti
11/3, 4/11, 7/11, 11/1, 11/5
Yann Perrin bt Sameer Khan
11/8, 11/6, 11/5 |
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RAINING ON A LOVELY PARADE…
What a shame.
The
match between Thierry Lincou, French number 1, and Greg
Gaultier, French National Champion, started in a perfect and
professional atmosphere.
God knows that Greg used to annoy me when he used to argue day in day
out with the ref. But nowadays, Greg has matured, he is more patient,
more focused, and even though he serves us with his trademark “what
arrre yuuuu doinggggg” once in a while, his behaviour is way on the norm
acceptable from a passionate performer.
 And
it’s in that perfect spirit that our two French Champions were facing
each other today, in a very close match indeed, with Thierry leading
11/9, 11/9, 6/0, and Greg suddenly finding stunning nicks and fantastic
low drives that only he knows how.
Finally taking the third 11/9, Greg was racquet to racquet with his
sparring partner at 4/5, Greg to serve, when Thierry found a lovely
forehand drop shot. Greg was refused a let, and for the first time in
the whole match, starting to get edgy, giving the ref the evil eye, and
throwing the ball in front of himself.
“Conduct stroke”, announced the ref.
That didn’t go well at all with the National Champion, a few words were
exchanged, and before we understood what was happening, we heard a
“conduct game, match to Marseille”.
The match was over.
To be honest, correct decision, not correct decision, I honestly
couldn’t care less. I simply think it’s a shame for squash in general,
and for French Squash in particular.
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Rennes bt Mulhouse
4-0
Linda Elriani
bt Agnès Muller
9/1, 9/0, 9/0
Isabelle Stoehr bt Olivia Hauser
9/0, 9/0, 9/4
Laura Mylotte bt Gaby Schmohl
3/9, 9/5, 9/0, 3/9, 9/7
Charlotte Delsinne bt Stéphanie Hopp 9/0, 9/2,
9/0 |
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 "A
very good first encounter for Rennes l’Hermine against Mulhouse, a team
that we couldn’t afford to take for granted.
"It’s an homogeneous team, with experienced players.
"Linda, Isa and Charlotte won their matches with authority. Laura dug in
and was able to get her victory in five.
"Well done girls, and hourray for Rennes!!!!!!"
Laurence Bois |
Sarah Guebey, Stephanie Hopp, Thierry Yung, Olivia Hauser
"For our first participation in D1, the Mulhouse team has today
encountered some “aliens”, (for more details, please have a look at the
other team's composition)…
"Nevertheless, our presence in itself is already a wonderful
achievement. To be noted, the beautiful performance of Gaby Schmohl, who
pushed Laura Mylotte to five games.
"I’m confident that our group will be able to raise to the challenge
that waits for them tomorrow morning for a place on the podium, against
Aix."
Thierry Jung |
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Romain Tenant, Julien
Balbo |
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