Kippax Denies All-French European Finals In Slovakia

England's Sarah Kippax battled for five games to beat teenager Camille Serme in the semi-finals of the European Individual Championships to put paid to two all-French finals in the flagship European Squash Federation event which has attracted players from 22 countries in the region to the Slovakian capital city Bratislava.

A 3/4 seed, Kippax defeated the European Junipr champion 11-13, 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7 and will now face favourite Isabelle Stoehr in the final.

Stoehr also recovered from a game down to beat the other 3/4 seed Manuela Manetta, from Italy, 4-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 to reach the final for the first time.

"I'm in the final of the European individuals for the first time, and whatever happens now, I would have done better than the previous years," the world No15 from Montpellier told www.sitesquash.com. "But I intend to give it all to get on the top step of that podium.

"I started poorly against Manuela, and points string away so far when your brain is not connected!!! Now I'm playing against Sarah - from memory it will be our first meeting - so an interesting encounter. I'm feeling good, I love playing on the glass court... It's nothing but pleasure."

The men's final will be an all-French affair between Gregory Gaultier - the top seed looking for his fifth successive title - and second seed Thierry Lincou, the former world number one now in his first final.

Gaultier beat England's Adrian Grant 12-10, 11-9, 11-5, while Lincou defeated Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, also a 3/4 seed, 11-5, 11-8, 11-3.

The final will be the French pair's third meeting this year - with Lincou looking for his first win against his national team-mate since September last year.

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [3/4] Adrian Grant (ENG) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [3/4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-5, 11-8, 11-3

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [3/4] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 4-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
[3/4] Sarah Kippax (ENG) bt [5/8] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-13, 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7