Bernet & Baltayan Make History In Amsterdam

David Bernet and Lauren Baltayan were simply sensational in Amsterdam as Switzerland's men and France's women caused huge upsets on a drama-packed semi-finals day at the 2026 ESF European Team Squash Championships at Frans Otten Stadion.

Bernet won a magnificent deciding rubber against fellow 21-year-old Melvil Scianimanico 7-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-8, to earn Switzerland a 3/1 win over France and an historic first ever appearance in the European Team Championships men's final, where they will face England.

Earlier, brilliant Baltayan fired France's women into their first women's final for seven years, defeating former world no.4 Nele Gilis in four and ending Belgium's run of three successive finals. England await France on Saturday.

Bernet and Scianimanico have played each other in European, British and World Junior Opens, but this was their most important, and surely most intense, battle yet.

Lasting 69 minutes, it was pure theatre packed with stunning retrieval and attacking panache, played out in front of an admiring crowd that included Dutch football legend and Frans Otten Stadion club member Marco van Basten.

"I'm proud, very proud!" said Uster-born Bernet. "We have a great team and we're improving year by year. We showed that in the last three years by getting bronze medals and we always wanted to take a step further. Now we've done it and got to the final, but the job's not done yet!"

Nicolas Mueller kicked the match off by defeating Gregoire Marche in four. Although world no.5 Victor Crouin equalised for France by downing Dimitri Steinmann in three scrappy games, Yannick Wilhelmi gave the Swiss a crucial 2/1 lead as Baptiste Masotti was curtailed by an injury in the fourth game, losing it 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-1.

When the men's showpiece takes place on Saturday, it will be only the second time in the last 17 years that France will not face England in the final.

In the last match of the evening, England defeated Germany 4/0 with world no.26 Curtis Malik confidently getting past Valentin Rapp in three, Marwan ElShorbagy taking out Raphael Kandra 11-5 11-9 2-11 11-3 and debutant Sam Todd finishing the job by going 2/1 up against Jan Wipperfurth.

Earlier in the women's event, Lauren Baltayan (who can ditch the goggle in four days' time on her 19th birthday) was utterly fearless when faced with the pressure of a decisive third rubber against Nele Gilis.

The two-time European U19 champion built a two-game advantage before the Belgian no.2 fought back to take the third 11-7.

Undaunted, Baltayan raced into an 8-2 lead in the fourth game, but that was quickly reduced to 8-7. However, the Gilis comeback was interrupted by a beautifully-slotted Baltayan backhand drop from the back of the court.

A straight forehand kill gave the teenager match ball at 10-7, and she took it at the second attempt, to cap a 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8 win and send the France bench into ecstasy.

The decider had been set up by Kara Lincou (niece of French coach and former world champion Thierry Lincou) earlier defeating US-based 17-year-old Savannah Moxham 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5. European Individual champion Tinne Gilis downed Marie Stephan 12-10, 11-2, 11-3 in the no.1 rubber.

Baltayan said: "It's my biggest win so far. Nele is top 20 and was top five for a reason, so I knew it was going to be hard. I'm happy that I got to experience my biggest win with the team and we shared it together."

England have only once failed to reach the final since the women's ETC began in 1978 and encountered no issues in doing so again here for a 46th time by beating Scotland 2/0 in the day's first semi-final.

Lucy Turmel defeated Ellie Jones in three, followed up by world no.9 Georgina Kennedy's straight-games win over Lisa Aitken.

Kennedy said: "I get way less nervous than I used to for these matches. That is to do with the changes I've made in the last year, re-working my swing and technique [with Aussie legend Rodney Martin].

"Because I'm so focused on that, it takes away the external pressures, whereas I used to put a lot of pressure on myself, especially in these environments where there's lots of expectation on England."

In the women's Division 2 semi-finals, Hungary sealed an extraordinary second successive promotion with a 2/0 victory over Sweden.

Hungarian no.1 Hannah Chukwu, whose 3/0 win over Malin Frank sealed the win, said: "We're really excited. I'm looking forward to the final tomorrow and so excited for Division 1 next year!"

No.1 seeds Ireland are also back in Division 1 after a two-year absence by virtue of a 2/0 victory over Portugal. Victories by Aimee McConnell against Mariana Martins and world no.60 Hannah Craig over Portuguese debutante Elise Romba were decisive.

In the men's Division 2 event, the Irish contingent was celebrating again as their men comprehensively beat Sweden 4/0 to reach the final and return immediately to Division 1.

No.2 Conor Moran and world no.99 Sam Buckley both won in straight games, so no.3 Oisin Logan needed just one game against Gustav Detter, which he took 11-5.

Israel also return to Division 1 at the first time of asking. Their 3/0 victory of Austria was started by 18-year-old Elad Robenshtok's 3/0 victory over Austria's Jakub Dirnberger, who is the oldest player in the tournament. He turns 46 next week and has played in 22 European Team Championships dating back to 2002!