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TODAY at the ETC:
Steve Cubbins in Riccione
Sat 5th May, FINALS |
Another England Double
in Riccione
England claimed their 30th straight European Teams title in Riccione as
Alison Waters and Tania Bailey powered the defending champions into a
2-0 lead in the first match on the glass court at the FIGS National
Centre. Report
In the men's event, the sequence of seven England v France finals was
broken by last night's dramatic semi-final win by the Netherlands, who
made their first ever appearance in the men's final.
Adrian Grant set England along the road, and James Willstrop all but
sealed it, winning a brutal 95-minute encounter with LJ Anjema. Nick
Matthew clinched the title with a 3/0 win over veteran Lucas Buit,
leaving Lee Beachill and Dylan Bennett to play the dead rubber.
Report
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THE PLAYOFFS
playoff draws & results
complete results list
Photo Galleries
Team Photos |
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MEN'S FINAL
England 4-0 Netherlands
Adrian Grant bt Tom Hoevenaars 9/3, 9/0, 9/1 (36m)
James Willstrop bt LJ Anjema
9/7, 9/6, 7/9, 9/5 (95m)
Nick Matthew v Lucas Biut
9/0, 9/2,9/3 (34m)
Lee Beachill bt Dylan Bennett
9/1, 9/1 (22m)
Different opponents, same result
Having played France in the last seven finals, this time England faced
the conquerors of an injury-ravaged French side. The result was never
really in doubt, but my, LJ Anjema didn't half make James Willstrop work
hard to put England into a winning position.
 Adrian
Grant was comfortable enough in the first match, and although James
always led in the first game, he looked very tired at the end of the 31
minutes it took.
We knew we were in for a long one after that, and it was just that all
the way. However tired James seemed, he kept on running, kept on
retrieving, and kept on finding the odd winner where he could. You had
the feeling that he was hanging on a little, but LJ was showing the same
symptoms as the punishing rallies continued, all played in excellent
spirit.
LJ pulled a game back, and led briefly at 5-4 in the fourth, but in the
end it was James who lasted the pace the better, taking the last five
points to put England into a commanding position.
Two games were enough for England now, and Nick Matthew soon delivered
them. He added a third and Lee Beachill rounded off with two of his own
in the best of three dead rubber.
Different opponents from the last seven finals, but England were champions
again ...
 "95
minutes? It felt like three and a half hours! I was always a few
points behind in the first two, I had to try to catch up two
points before I could start playing.
"His experience was probably the key. I felt in it on equal
terms 90% of the time, but for 10% I wasn't there and that made
the difference.
"It's a combination of fitness, experience and playing more big
occasion matches. He played well, kept his calm on the big
points.
"It's always a fair game between us, we just play squash ..."
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 "I
knew it would be hard, but that was some match, it was just
brutal. We were both so tired, I thought maybe I was more tired
than him, it was just a question of hanging in there.
"That's what you expect with normal scoring on a 19-inch tin in
hot conditions, maybe we should be going to 11 for these things,
this takes you back to the old attritional way of playing.
"I managed to get a lead in the second and held on, but at the
end I was physically wrecked and trying to get my breath at
every opportunity.
"It was a good match, played in great spirit, we've got a lot of
mutual respect for each other."
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 "The
best you can ask for is for the first player to get on and off with a
3/0, it makes it easier for the rest of the ream to carry on the
momentum.
"Even though we're all ranked higher, the pressure's there, if you give
these guys a chance they'll go for it, they've got nothing to lose and
they showed what they can do yesterday ..."
 "I
think that's the first time I've played the winning rubber on a team
event, I've always played early before, so it was a great feeling to
bring it home for the team.
"I've been concentrating all week on keeping my momentum going after a
good end to the season, trying to do a professional job and not letting
anything slip.
"I'm normally a bit jaded at the end of the season, but after being out
injured I came into this much fresher and hopefully I can carry this
into the start of next season."
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Women's Final:
England 3-0 Netherlands
Alison Waters bt Margriet Huisman
9/0, 9/4, 9/0 (25m)
Tania Bailey bt Vanessa Atkinson
9/2, 9/2, 9/2 (34m)
Vicky Botwright v Annelize Naude
9/0, 10/8 (19m)
30 in a row for England
England cruised to their 30th consecutive European Teams title as Alison
Waters and Tania Bailey took the first two rubbers against the
Netherlands, giving England victory in one minute under the hour.
Waters was first up against Margriet Huisman, taking the first game in a
single hand. The Dutch girl picked up the pace thereafter, but Waters
still had too much pace and too many winners, volleying everything as as
she does.
There were a series of handouts at the start of the third game, but once
Waters broke the deadlock the end came quickly (for info, under PAR
scoring the first game would have finished 9-0, the third 19-10).
Next up was Tania Bailey against Vanessa Atkinson. The Dutch former
world champion just couldn't get her gam going - "I'm trying, but I
can't hit anything tight," she complained to her corner after the second
game.
Bailey, by contrast, was playing well, and kept the pressure on
constantly as she powerd England through to another title, leaving Vicky
Botwright to finish off in the best of three against Annelize Naude.
 "That
felt very good. I was pretty nervous going into the match, I may be
ranked higher than Vanessa now but she's been number one and we've had a
lot of battles, I know what she's capable of.
"I thought I played really really well and she was a bit off, so it was
a combination of those.
"It's just great to win it for the team, with everyone behind you and
wanting you to win, I love playing for England.
"It's a great way to finish the season, but I've not slept in my own bed
since April 2nd so I'm really looking forward to getting back home
tomorrow!"
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 "Going
on first is never easy, and it w as like a furnace on there ...but I'm
glad to get the team off to a good start.
"It was a bit backwards and forwards at the start of the third, but once
I got a couple of points ahead I managed to get going again. "
 "She
plays at such a tempo, so much faster than what I'm used to. The first
game was over in a flash, but I got used to it and managed to extend the
rallies after that.
"It's the first chance I had to play on this court this week, but I love
it, I won my first WISPA title on it in the Swedish Open!"
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Ellen
Petersen wins the decider against Germany to give Denmark third place |
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