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10-Sep: Hat trick for Marche!!!...
[2]
Fiona Moverley
(Eng) 3-0 [4] Nele Gilis (Bel)
11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (35m)
[1]
Grégoire Marche
(Fra) v [4] Nicolas Mueller (Sui)
11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3 (70m)
Nici said
Grégoire said
France’s
Gregoire Marche
lifted his third Open de Nantes
title in a row, while England’s Fiona Moverley lifted the
biggest title of her career...
So it's a third one for The Acrobat, bless him. It didn't go
smoothly, but the Frenchman, after a biiiig wobble at the end of
the 2nd and 3rd game, just found energy out of nowhere to snatch
the title right under the Swiss Rocket's racquet, 1-9, 7-11,
9-11, 11-5, 11-3 victory in 70 minutes.
In the previous finals, Greg had beaten Henrik Mustonen in 2015,
and Chris Simpson in 2016 (who he played again here in the
quarters this year) to win the 2015 and 2016 titles. Was he
going to beat his friend back from the Junior Days, that he only
managed to beat twice in 12 encounters (PSA and non PSA), and
that he didn't beat since 2009?
Yes.
After taking the opening game courtesy of some accurate play and
impressive retrievals, Marche fell to a 2-1 deficit after
Mueller fought his way into the encounter. But with the crowd on
his side, Marche came back into the match and got the better of
Mueller in some blistering exchanges to complete the upset and
win his 12th match in a row in Nantes.
Nici said
Grégoire said
Meanwhile, Fiona
took the biggest title of her career up to date
after she defeated Belgium’s Nele Gilis in straight games at the
$15,000 prize money tournament.
Moverley, the World No.24 from Hull, followed on where she left
off after her dominant display against Canada’s Hollie Naughton
in the last four as she controlled the pace of the final to go a
game up.
Gilis dug in and looked on the brink of levelling the scores in
the second game as she went 9-7 ahead but it was to be
Moverley’s day as the 30-year-old took four points in a row to
double her advantage before closing out the third to take it
11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (35m).
Preview
 Let's
face it. It's not looking good stats wise for the French
Acrobat, at out of 6 encounters on the PSA, Nicki won all the
matches, last time and only time Gregoire won was in 2009. Non
PSA is even more frightening, with 12 matches - including the
junior days - and only 2 victories for the French....
Now, Nantes' water seems to do something very special for the
French Rubberball bless him, as he hasn't lost a match here
(that makes 11 victories in a row).
In front of a packed crowd, loud, with the special atmosphere
that the François Lejort team has been able to create - a lot of
it comes down to the incredible energy coming from the MC Romain
Suire who makes a superb job warming up the fans - everything
can happen and today could be the day!
On the other hand, well, the Swiss Rocket is playing very well
this week, he is feeling good physically, and won't have any
pressure somehow I feel.
As for the girls, they played 3 times on the PSA, and it's an
overwhelming 3/0 for Fiona, plus 55m more time on court for the
Belgium, and a huge match yesterday to oust seed number 1. It
will be hard for the young 21 years old, but she is extremely
fit and won't have anything to lose!...
Stay tuned, or as we say in La Belle France, stay tuned... |
SEMIS
Nantes with Kids
Part Two
Nantes with Kids, Part One
Follow the Green Line
Discover Nantes!
Les Machines de L'ile
SEMIS
QUARTERS
ROUND ONE
QUALIFYING
PHOTO GALLERY |
