Champions Gaultier & Duncalf Retain European Titles

Frenchman Gregory Gaultier and England's Jenny Duncalf retained their titles in the European Individual Championships after victories over compatriots in the finals of the European Squash Federation event in the French town of Royan.

Top seed Gaultier, the world No4 from Aix-en-Provence, clinched his fourth successive men's title when he beat surprise opponent Renan Lavigne 9-0, 9-1, 9-1.

"Tactically, I played well today, I could feel he was very tired from his week, so I tried and pushed him in the first," Gaultier told www.sitesquash.com afterwards. "He played very well in the game, stuck with it, but after that, he had not much left.

"I'm glad we had an event like that in France, and the immense success shows that we have the resources to host more and more events of the kind," added the 24-year-old.

France's second seed Thierry Lincou made up for the disappointment of losing to Lavigne in the semis by beating England international Peter Barker 9-1, 9-7, 9-1 in the play-off for third place.

Jenny Duncalf, the No2 seed from Harrogate in Yorkshire pulled off a notable upset by beating higher-ranked England team-mate Tania Bailey to keep her women's crown.

The world No10 battled for four games to overcome her top-seeded opponent, ranked six places higher in the world, 9-5, 3-9, 9-7, 9-5 to add the European title to the British National trophy she won in February.

"I took a terrible start in the first, 5-0 down, but I seemed to have had the same start in my last three matches!" Duncalf explained.

"Tania and I were set on getting to the final, it was very important to us, so that was achieved. I'm very glad to keep my title, two years in a row now, but also very happy to beat Tania in the final."

Men's final:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [5/8] Renan Lavigne (FRA) 9-0, 9-1, 9-1

Women's Final:
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [1] Tania Bailey (ENG) 9-5, 3-9, 9-7, 9-5