France & England To Meet In European Junior Final

Defending champions England will take on top seeds France in the final of the European Junior U19 Team Championships after 2/1 semi-final victories in the European Squash Federation event in the Norwegian city of Stavanger.

France, led by newly-crowned men's individual champion Gregoire Marche, defeated fourth seeds Germany. Lucas Vauzelle put the favourites ahead with a 9-2, 9-5, 9-3 win over Carsten Schoor, before Marche sealed the final place after beating Florian Silbernagl 9-5, 9-1, 9-2.

Astrid Kern provided a consolation point for the underdogs after despatching France's Laura Pomportes 9-5, 9-1 in the best-of-three 'dead' rubber.

It was Victoria Lust who clinched the victory which maintains England's 100% appearance record in European Junior Championships' finals since the inaugural event in 1984.

British Junior champion Joe Lee put England ahead against Switzerland, beating Reiko Peter 9-6, 9-3, 9-2. But the third seeds fought back, courtesy of 2007 European Junior champion Nicolas Mueller, who defeated England number one Adrian Waller 9-6, 9-2, 9-5.

However, Victoria Lust - runner-up in the women's individual championship - overcame Jasmin Ballman 9-1, 9-1, 10-9 to set up a repeat of the 2007 team final.

Semi-finals:
[1] FRANCE bt [4] GERMANY 2-1
Lucas Vauzelle bt Carsten Schoor 9-2, 9-5, 9-3
Gregoire Marche bt Florian Silbernagl 9-5, 9-1, 9-2
Laura Pomportes lost to Astrid Kern 5-9, 1-9

[2] ENGLAND bt [3] SWITZERLAND 2-1
Joe Lee bt Reiko Peter 9-6, 9-3, 9-2
Adrian Waller lost to Nicolas Mueller 6-9, 2-9, 5-9
Victoria Lust bt Jasmin Ballman 9-1, 9-1, 10-9

5th - 8th place play-offs:
[6] WALES bt [10] NETHERLANDS 3-0
Sam Fenwick bt Tim van der Pluijm 9-6, 9-7, 5-9, 9-7
Hywel Robinson bt Rick Penders 9-3, 9-6, 9-0
Natalie Pritchard bt Melissa Meulenbelt 9-6, 9-7

[8] SCOTLAND bt [5] CZECH REPUBLIC 2-1
Christopher Ferguson bt Roman Svec 9-6, 9-2, 2-9, 9-4
Lyall Paterson lost to Petr Martin 3-9, 1-9, 9-4, 9-10
Lisa Aitken bt Anna Klimondova 9-6, 9-1, 9-5

9th - 12th place play-offs:
[9] DENMARK bt [12] SPAIN 3-0
Philip Tran bt Damian Arosa Rodriguez 5-9, 9-0, 9-0, 9-3
Casper Grauballe bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas 9-5, 8-10, 4-9, 9-2, 9-3
Sally Skarrenborg bt Carla Fernandez Vazquez 9-1, 9-6

[7] BELGIUM bt [11] FINLAND 2-1
Alexis Broka bt Ville Hiltunen 10-8, 9-2, 6-9, 9-1
Sam van Brusselen lost to Henrik Mustonen 3-9, 1-9 ret.
Toke van Wesemael bt Tia Knuutila 9-3, 6-9, 9-1, 9-3

13th - 15th place play-offs:
[14] IRELAND bt [15] NORWAY 2-1
Colm Dolan bt Kjeil Fjellgard 9-2, 9-0, 9-4
Neil Martin bt Simon Nordstat 9-6, 9-2, 9-0
Sarah Corcoran lost to Amanda Aakeson 7-9, 6-9, 3-9

[13] SWEDEN bye