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08-Feb, FINAL:
[2] Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-0 [1] Gregory Gaultier
(Fra)
11/9, 11/8, 11/7 (63m)
Five in Seven for Matthew
Nick Matthew made it five CASE
Swedish Open titles in seven years as he beat top seed
Gregory Gaultier in straight games to retain the title.
 The
Englishman made a good start, controlling the rallies and
pulling away from 2-ll in the opening game to establish a
10-5 lead. Gaultier pulled four points back but Matthew
punished a loose serve to take the lead 11/9.
The second game started evenly, but from 5-all it was the
Frenchman who took the initiative to lead 8-5, getting the
better of some lengthy rallies. Matthew wasn't done though
and reeled off the six points in a row to double his
advantage 11/8.
 Three
early errors from Gaultier didn't bode well as Matthew led
3/1 but the Frenchman recovered well as they traded points
up to 7-all. In the end though it was Matthew's day as he
took the last five points of the game for 11-7 and a fifth
Swedish title.
"I came here for the first edition 11 years ago," said
Gaultier, "it's always a pleasure to play here we all really
enjoy it. I hope to be sharper next year and take my
revenge!"
 Matthew
was also complimentary about the event: "I always play well
here, I've been in the final seven times so five titles
isn't a bad return. All of the top players keep pushing each
other, and we always play better when we feel comfortable
like we do here.
"If I'd won all my matches quickly like Greg I's say it was
good to be fresh, but I won a few 12/10s so I said that was
getting me into the groove, nut maybe those tough matches
against Pilley and Rosner did help.
"I'm going to play in the Case Cup O35 next year," added
Matthew, "I'm hoping to play Freddie in the final, I've got
some catching up to do as he's got twelve titles and I only
have five!"
Preview:
Swedish Open dynasty set to continue
...
Gregory Gaultier and Nick Matthew have between
them won the last six editions of the CASE Swedish Open, and
this afternoon will see that run continued as they meet in
Linkoping for the third year in a row - but will it be a
third title for the Frenchman or will Matthew retain the
crown to make it five wins in seven years ...
Gaultier has been impressive this week, winning all three
matches in straight games and none of those nine games have
been particularly close. Matthew has only dropped one game,
but three of his wins have been in extra points and he's
spent 152 minutes on court compared to Gaultier's 118,
although fatigue isn't likely to be an issue.
Naturally there's a lot of H2H history, with Gaultier
leading 17-14 in their PSA meetings since 2002, but
Matthew has tended to win their Euro/World team clashes. In
PSA matches this decade Matthew leads 10-8, but their four
meetings in 2014 were shared, the last one an epic
103-minute semi-final in the British Grand Prix.
They're one-all in Swedish Open meetings, Gaultier
winning the 2013 final, Matthew the 2014 semi. Bookmakers
Unibet have Gaultier as the favourite, but not by much
with the top seed priced at 13/20 compared to
defending champion's 61/50.
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