RESULTS: European Individual Squash Championships, Saarbrucken, Germany
Men's 2nd round:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [9/16] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-3, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6
[5/8] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-9, 11-7, 1-11, 11-7
[9/16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [5/8] Renan Lavigne (FRA) 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 2-11, 11-7
[9/16] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [3/4] Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-7, 3-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5
[3/4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [9/16] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 14-12
[5/8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [9/16] Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-9, 11-2, 5-11, 11-6
[5/8] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [9/16] Piedro Schweertman (NED) 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [9/16] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3
Quarter-finals:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt [5/8] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6
[9/16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [9/16] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7
[5/8] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [3/4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [5/8] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-5, 14-12, 11-9
Women's 2nd round:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [9/16] Coline Aumard (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6
[5/8] Orla Noom (NED) bt [9/16] Linda Hruzikova (SVK) 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8
[5/8] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt Franziska Hennes (GER) 11-1, 11-2, 11-3
[3/4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [9/16] Gaby Schmohl (SUI) 11-9, 12-10, 11-7
[3/4] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Cyrielle Peltier (FRA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-6
[5/8] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt [9/16] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3
[5/8] Annelize Naude (NED) bt [9/16] Sina Wall (GER) 5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [9/16] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 13-11, 11-1, 11-3
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [5/8] Orla Noom (NED) 11-0, 11-2, 11-2
[5/8] Tania Bailey (ENG) bt [3/4] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-0
[3/4] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [5/8] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [5/8] Annelize Naude (NED) 13-11, 11-4, 11-4
Mark Krajcsak, a 9/16 seed, became the first ever Hungarian to reach the semi-finals of the European Individual Squash Championships when he beat France's Gregoire Marche in the men's quarter-finals in the 10th staging of the European Squash Federation event at the Tennis & Squash Centre in Saarbrucken, Germany.
The 26-year-old from Budapest made his breakthrough in the last 16 round, upsetting experienced Frenchman Renan Lavigne, a 5/8 seed ranked 31 in the world, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 2-11, 11-7.
Later in the day, world No46 Krajcsak had enough in reserve to defeat fellow 9/16 seed Gregoire Marche 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.
Marche, the 20-year-old world No83 from Aix-en-Provence, had earlier pulled off the biggest upset in the men's event by beating England's 3/4 seed Jonathan Kemp – ranked 21 in the world - 11-7, 3-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5.
Krajcsak now faces top seed Gregory Gaultier, the five times winner of the title who is expected to reach the final for the seventh year in a row. Gaultier despatched Swiss star Nicolas Mueller 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.
Defending champion Thierry Lincou will contest the other semi against surprise opponent Olli Tuominen. Second-seeded Frenchman Lincou ended domestic interest in the event by overcoming Germany's 5/8 seed Simon Rosner 11-5, 14-12, 11-9, while flying Finn Tuominen, a 5/8 seed, upset Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, a 3/4 seed and a semi-finalist the last two years, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.
England's Tania Bailey claimed an unexpected place in the last four of the women's event after upsetting France's 3/4 seed Isabelle Stoehr, the 2008 champion, 11-8, 11-7, 11-0.
Bailey, a former world No4 who has now slipped to 33 in the rankings after a series of injury woes, will now face England team-mate Jenny Duncalf, the top seed.
Duncalf, winner of the title in 2006 and 2007, crushed Dutch opponent Orla Noom 11-0, 11-2, 11-2.
A fierce battle can be expected in the other semi-final between former world champion Vanessa Atkinson and rising French star Camille Serme – who have already faced each other three times before in ESF competitions, with Atkinson 2/1 ahead.
Second seed Serme, the 21-year-old world No10 from Paris who is expected to reach the final for the first time, beat Annelize Naude, a 5/8 seed from the Netherlands, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4, while 3/4 seed Atkinson, also from the Netherlands, downed England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.
Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [9/16] Mark Krajcsak (HUN)
[2] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v [5/8] Olli Tuominen (FIN)
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [5/8] Tania Bailey (ENG)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) v [3/4] Vanessa Atkinson (NED)