Day TWO at the EICC

If Day One got off to a quiet start, we were in top gear from the off today, with two full rounds of play, which saw us down to the last four in each draw.

Men's Quarter-Finals:

It will be the six-time champion against the defending champion in the men's semis after straightforward enough wins for Gregory Gaultier and Olli Tuominen in the first pair of men's quarter-finals.

Germany's Simon Rosner came through a tough four games to see off Chris Simpson, the only English representative, and the day concluded with an elated Laurens Jan Anjema putting out second seed Borja Golan in just short of an hour.

[1] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 [6] Nicolas Mueller (Sui)
            11/5, 11/9, 11/8 (44m)
[8] Olli Tuominen (Fin) 3-0 Piedro Schweertman (Ned)
            11/6, 11/5, 11/6 (27m)

[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 [7] Chris Simpson (Eng) 
            11/8, 8/11, 11/7, 11/9 (67m)
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 3-1 [2] Borja Golan (Esp)
             11/7, 8/11, 11/6, 11/4 (56m)

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Women's Quarter-Finals: 
 
While top seeds Natalie Grinham and Camille Serme progressed easily enough, and Coline Aumard won her all-French matchup in straight games, Switzerland's Gaby Huber-Schmohl caused the first big upset of the event as she came from two games down, saving match balls in the fourth, to oust 3/4 seed Lucie Fialova in a marathon match.

[1] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 Laura Pomportes (Fra)
           11/8, 11/3, 11/6 (25m)
[3/4] Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-0 Maud Duplomb (Fra)
           11/4, 11/4, 11/6 (20m)

Gaby Huber-Schmohl (Sui) 3-2 [3/4] Lucie Fialova
             9/11, 9/11, 11/9, 15/13, 11/5 (75m)
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-0 Lotte Eriksen (Nor)
             11/2, 11/5, 11/3 (25m)

You'll find reports and quotes on the BLOG, photos in the GALLERY,
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watch the glass court matches LIVE or on REPLAY.

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Rosner v Casteleyn

Men's Round Three:                       full and interactive draws

All of the top seeds are through to the quarters (with one match to go), joined by Birthday Boy Piedro Schweertman, taking advantage of a gap in the draw. Local favourite Stefan Casteleyn led Simon Rosner by a game and 8-6 before running out of gas.

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[1] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 Jan van den Herreweggen (Bel)
                  11/7, 11/5, 11/4 (22m)
[6] Nicolas Mueller (Sui) 3-0 Jan Koukal (Cze)
                 11/6, 11/8, 11/7 (38m)

[8] Olli Tuominen (Fin) 3-0 Gregoire Marche (Fra)
                  11/6, 11/4, 11/3 (37m)
Piedro Schweertman (Ned) 3-0 Przemyslaw Atras (Pol)
                  11/4, 11/4, 11/6 (18m)

[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 Stefan Casteleyn (Bel)
                  9/11, 11/9, 11/3, 11/3 (42m)
[7] Chris Simpson (Eng) 3-0 Mathieu Castagnet (Fra)
                  11/6, 11/5, 11/5 (48m)

[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 3-1 Lucas Serme (Fra)
                   7/11, 11/5, 11/9, 11/4 (59m)
[2] Borja Golan (Esp) 3-0 Miroslav Celler (Svk)
                   11/5, 11/4, 11/8 (22m)

Women's Round Three: 

It was a good opening session for the French, who provide half of this afternoon's quarter-finalists, but the home fans won't get to see their own Nele Gillis again in the main draw ..

[1] Natalie Grinham (Ned) 3-0 Ineta Mackevica (Lat)
             11/9, 11/5, 11/3 (17m)
Laura Pomportes (Fra) 3-0 Xisela Aranda (Esp)
              11/6, 11/7, 11/8 (30m)

Maud Duplomb (Fra) 3-1 Birgit Coufal (Aut)
               11/7, 4/11, 12/10, 12/10 (37m)
[3/4] Coline Aumard (Fra) 3-0 Franziska Hennes (Ger)
              11/7, 11/8, 11/6 (30m)
 
[3/4] Lucie Fialova (Cze) 3-0 Judith Diepeveen (Ned)
              11/2, 11/3, 11/8 (20m)
Gaby Huber-Schmohl (Sui) 3-0 Cyrielle Peltier (Fra)
               11/8, 11/9, 11/8 (39m)

Lotte Eriksen (Nor) 3-1 Nele Gillis (Bel)
                11/6, 11/9, 5/11, 11/7
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) 3-0 Nikki van der Heijden (Ned)
                11/3, 11/5, 11/4 (21m)

[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 3-1 [2] Borja Golan (Esp)
         11/7, 8/11, 11/6, 11/4 (56m)

LJ takes out second seed

You could feel that if LJ was in the season (he started last week in Rotterdam), Borja just started it. Far too many unforced errors, quite uncharacteristic for the Spanish really (6 in the crucial third), the mind wandering a bit... He was not happy.

Trimmed, very trimmed, obviously worked very hard physically during the summer break, but quite logically not match fit....

It was a very close game, both trying to attack while being accurate at the back, a bit of traffic problem in particular on the right side (especially in the third), but once Borja had that one under the belt, he seemed to relax a bit, and Borja on the contrary to tense up....

I was a bit surprised by the joy explosion we had coming from LJ. Thing is, the Dutch players do get a grant if they get to the semis of this event. So it was an extremely good news for LJ to win today against Top 2 seed....

It was hard to come from your summer training, and suddenly having to play the two most important matches of the season, and like in Junior days, in the same day!!!

When Daryl pulled out, I was hoping they would put me at top 4 seed, but the draw was not redone, and I was not happy. I still would have had to win up to the semis, but it would have made the journey easier....

Last week, I had the first tournament of the season, and it didn't come together squash wise before today.

It normally takes two weeks for things to come together, and I guess for Borja, that's what happened, he was just starting the season, and he'll probably be in a perfect shape when PSA starts next week!

Thing is, you can be in the best shape of your life, physically as trim as you want, but it doesn't mean that your squash will come together. It takes a bit of time...

[4] Simon Rosner (Ger) 3-1 [7] Chris Simpson (Eng)
       11/8, 8/11, 11/7, 11/9 (67m)

Rosner back in Semis

It was an attacking game from both players, nice pace, nice movement, few lets, but too many errors from Simon.

He made about 4 per game (6 in the last one), whereas Chris kept his to a minimum, 1 per game for the first three, then 4 in the 4th.... Fatigue crept in I think...


And it is the beginning of the season, and it felt like it. If both of them really want to win the match, and showed as such, they both seemed to get in and out of focus at times during the match, but with Simon suffering from it more I think than Chris. In the second game, Simon seemed in control, 6/3, but lost his concentration, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, and Chris really letting go of the arm, finding exquisite attacking squash, 11/8 each!

Again in the 3rd, Simon seems to be cruising, 6/2, 8/3, 2 tins, 2 out of court shots, and Chris is back at 7/8! This time, the German feels the danger, and quickly closes it down, 11/7.

Fourth will be about the same scenario, 6/1, 8/3 up, plenty of tins for Chris, 10/6 match ball. And Simon's mind that goes wondering off, and Chris, having nothing to lose, really putting the doubt in his opponent's head. A very lucky Simon get a stroke on a "corner shot" from his opponent's backhand, you that comes shooting off, 11/9....

I feel nearly as bad as that man there [pointing at Nicolas Mueller], losing my concentration when I'm up! I don't know, I guess it's something I'll have to work on, maybe I felt too much in control, and I didn't that edge I needed to close down the games.

I was leading each game, and then.... Chris was chopping it very well on the front wall, so I tried and make him move in the back corners, instead of brining him the front.

Overall, I managed to do what I had to do, then the mind went off...

Still, very happy to be back in the semis...

[1] Gregory Gaultier 3-0 [6] Nicolas Mueller (Sui)
                11/5, 11/9, 11/8 (44m)

Gaby Huber-Schmohl (Sui) 3-2 [3/4] Lucie Fialova
          9/11, 9/11, 11/9, 15/13, 11/5 (75m)

Let's face it. Trying to follow today's schedule and report about it was an impossible dream. I've been running since 10h this morning, smelled some food in the 3rd game of Mathieu C as he was getting his finger bleeding sorted, managed to go to the loo once since 10am, and completely missed 3 out of 4 quarters of the girls.

Apart from that, had a great day. How was yours????

I finally got to sit to watch Gaby against Lucie (the last ladies quarter!) Sat down in a scorching heat - how the players could even MOVE with that temperature was beyond me. Well, if the other ladies quarters were pretty short, 2x 25m and 1x20m, this one lasted... 75!!!!!! Thanks ladies....

I watched as Gaby completely dominated the first two games, overpowering her opponent that just couldn't do anything to counterattack and kept finding the tin. The Czech looked pretty good I have to say, dominating comfortably, and at 7/4 in the 3rd, it looked it was all over. When out of the blue, the Swiss came out with a huge COME ON!!!!!! And that was the turning point!

Slowly, gradually, grindingly, she clawed her way back in the match, took that third 11/9, then the 4th - epic - 15/13 after saving 2 match balls and three game balls!!!!

In the 5th, it looked like we were on for the same style of hit, run, run, hit, hit, run, than we had the whole match, but no. In the middle of the game, Gaby run accidentally into her opponent, who fell on the floor, and who started cramping from everywhere I was told!

The Czech just couldn't run anymore and never scored another point, losing the 5th 11/5....

Needless to say I only saw the last game of the first men's quarters, Nicki against Greg. Looks to me that the Swiss is effectively fitter, hence more patient, and that as ever, Greg is not there to do charity work, and still wants each and every point on his scoreline.

This is going to be a great season....

I was very unhappy in the first two, I just couldn't find a way to get into the match, I was not aggressive enough, like I was waiting to see what was going to happen instead of doing something about it! Plus making far too many unforced errors.

Then I managed to cut the errors, and be more positive, reading her game a bit better as well, in particular her crosscourt forehand.

In the fifth, I run into her, didn't do it in purpose! Not sure what happened, I hope she is ok, because after that, she didn't run anymore...

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