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Finals :
[2] Borja Golan bt [1] Thierry Lincou 11/7, 11/8, 11/8
[1] Maud Duplomb bt [2] Coline Aumard 10/12, 11/9,
11/4, 9/11, 11/5 |
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 "It's
always very hard to play in the middle of the summer, I know that
I'm not at the top of my form, but for Thierry, I think it was even
worse!!!!!
I was happy to come here to play matches, as I don't have much
opportunities in Santiago. So I didn't come here to joke around! And
this was a good preparation for my next tournament....
It was my first time in Marseille, club is awesome, you can chill
outside next to the pool, food is excellent, courts are good.
That's what you want in a tournament really, good crowd, good
organisation, and good courts!!!!
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BORJA IMPERIAL
From the way Borja
played in the semis this morning, I knew he meant
business, and no way he came here to enjoy the beach, although
the company of his charming journalist of a girlfriend Chelo
Suarez must have made the weekend sweeter!!!
Borja was on fire today, his length was excellent, his lobs
lethal, counter-attack not bad thank you, and his movement, well,
as good as ever.
Thierry was not all on court. He even started chatting with the
ref, that is something my friend you don't see often. And today,
he played well at times, but Borja had just all the answers. On
a warm court, with a high tin, the Frenchman was never at his
best, and Borja, cleverly, took perfect advantage of it.
The large crowd was disapointed of course, but not that much.
They came to see a good weekend of squash, and that, they saw... |
Semi-finals :
[1] Thierry Lincou
bt Olli
Tuominen
12/10, 11/8, 11/8
[2] Borja Golan bt Alister Walker
11/7, 11/7, 11/7
Maud Duplomb bt Chloé Mesic
11/9, 11/8, 11/4
Coline Aumard bt Laura Pomportes
11/8, 8/11, 11/9, 11/3 |
HARD JOB....
I must say I did admire my players this morning, ready to do
their work at 10am, when we finished rather late last night.
Thierry and Olli were on first, and it became obvious rather
quickly that they didn't want to make the pleasure last that
long! Taking the ball very early, volleying a lot, attacking at
will... long rallies were not on the menu.
Well, that said, the turning point for the first game was a very
long rally at the middle of the game, one of those you
KNOW is going to be felt heavily in the legs for the loser.
And Olli was the one, after a rather harsh "no let" we thought.
Again, poor Olli was at the end of a few other harsh decisions,
but as ever, the Finn didn't show much, although I could see
his frustration that led to a few uncharacteristic unforced
errors at 6/6 in the second.
Coming back from 2/0 against Thierry "chez lui", in his home
backyard, at 10am on the Sunday after playing three rounds the
day before didn't seem likely. And M. Lincou will be thanking
his opponent for that quick and painless victory.
For Borja, job was a bit simpler I'm afraid to say, as Ali, in
the middle of his summer training, was not at his best, bless
him. Mind you, he ran, he ran a lot. One way to describe the
match would be, Borja played squash, and Ali ran and ran.
Still, good effort from both. I was impressed with Borja's
concentration, who played a few unforced errors that had to be
expected, but played a clever, intelligent, structured game, as
ever. To be noted that he dropped the excessive asking for lets,
and that makes his game more efficient, not to mention more
pleasant for the spectators... |
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DAY
2 - SATURDAY 11th JULY |
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[1]
Thierry Lincou bt Mathieu Castagnet
12/10, 11/6, 11/6
Olli
Tuominen bt Julien Balbo
11/9, 11/4, 11/6 (50m)
Alister
Walker bt Scott Handley
13/11, 7/11, 15/17, 11/9, 12/10 (70m)
[2] Borja
Golan bt Grégoire Marche
9/11, 11/6, 11/8, 11/6 (50m) |
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LOOOONG DAY...
We had three rounds today, well, for the men, plus two for the
ladies, and some B draw matches too. Loads of matches and people around...
Thierry suffered a bit in the first game, I know, you
must be shocked and surprised, and Mathieu even had a
game ball at 10/9. You know the drill, the French National
Champion suddenly finds his marks (despite a high tin), and gets
a "quick" victory against a Mathieu probably not at his best
physically, looking to finish the points a bit too early.
 Olli
was strong today, against a Julien just back from injury,
who definitely was in lack of matches. Olli was strong at the
back, finding as every some lovely boasts and nice attacks.
Logical victory in three for the Finn.
Borja found that young Greg was no picnic, and didn't
have a good start, he looked a bit wary at the start of match.
Greg, who just had his baccalauréat, was attacking well, and
kept well in touch with the Spanish Champion.
Turning point was a massive rallies at 8/7 in the third, players
being at one-all in games. Honestly, I rarely saw such and long and
intense rally, and it's the experienced, clever and extremely
fit young Spanish ("Fram, don't call me young, I'm not anymore,"
he says to me) who found the last shot, a superb backhand drop
shot that the Frenchman cannot reach.... Mentally, physically,
Greg didn't recover really....
But the match of the day has got to be my favourite lunatics,
Scott and Ali, with a Scott just recovering from injury (hernia
6 weeks ago), and hungry for matches and victory, and an Ali in
the middle of his summer training, a bit slower than he normally
is.
Cutting a long story short, a match that ends 12/10 in the fifth,
with nothing between the players, and both men being a credit to
the Spirit of the tournament.
Nicolas up there must be pleased, guys, well done. |
 "I've
learned to not get annoyed when I'm not playing at my best. I'm in
the middle of my summer training, I'm not as sharp or as quick as I
would like to be...
"Overall, I'm happy with the quality of the squash played, just a bit
slow I would say.
"But I truly believe that we played a fair game, we fully enjoyed it,
and I think we played in the spirit the tournament stands for. Scott
and I had a good game and both thoroughly enjoyed it.
"It is my first time Marseilles and I enjoy the city, the club is
fantastic and the members have all come out in memory of their
friend. I hope to be invited back in the future."
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"I always enjoy playing here in
Marseille, I've been playing for them for ten years now, and I feel
confident in these surroundings.
"It was a good and strong match, I felt good and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. I've been training for two now weeks, and I felt well
considering....
"I thought we played in a good spirit, it was a very fair game. At
the end, we started to have a few lets, just because we were tired,
and getting in each other's way, too lazy to move out quickly enough...
"But the crowd enjoyed it, and so did I. I can take a lot of
confidence from a match like that."
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THE STARS HAVE ARRIVED....
Yes, this is a National Tournament,
with points for the French players, but as it's an event in the
memory of Nicolas Siri, young hope of French Squash who
died suddenly seven years ago as he rested in his home at lunch
time, the organisers always try to make this as friendly and as
competitive as possible.
This year, Olli, Borja, Ali and Scott are joining the
fun. Please have a look at the "Tableaux"
page to have the results. For the rest, brush up on your french
people....
Needless to say that none had any problems passing their first round.
Special mention to poor Borja, who had to wake up at 5am to get
in fact two planes, with one getting cancelled and a little bus
drive instead, with three rounds today.
Yes, three rounds. That's French training for you....
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Little videos
Ralucca
Handley teaches Jade Lincou a thing or two about sculpting... |
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