Denmark Women Celebrate Return To Top Four In Riccione
Men's final qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[4] NETHERLANDS bt [8] SCOTLAND 3-1
Laurens Jan Anjema bt Harry Leitch 9-4, 9-7, 9-0 (52m)
Lucas Buit lost to Alan Clyne 2-9, 6-9, 9-10 (79m)
Dylan Bennett bt Stuart Crawford 9-4, 9-4, 2-9, 9-6 (50m)
Sebastian Weenink bt Chris Small 10-8, 9-3, 7-9, 8-10, 9-2 (84m)
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] IRELAND 4-0
Nick Matthew bt Liam Kenny 9-5, 9-3, 9-3 (43m)
Lee Beachill bt John Rooney 9-3, 9-6, 9-3 (35m)
Adrian Grant bt Arthur Gaskin 9-2, 9-0, 10-8 (43m)
Peter Barker bt Steve Richardson 9-3, 9-3, 9-7 (37m)
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] NETHERLANDS 4-0
James Willstrop bt Dylan Bennett 9-1, 9-1, 9-5 (36m)
Lee Beachill bt Tom Hoevenaars 9-1, 9-1, 9-1 (22m)
Adrian Grant bt Sebastian Weenink 9-0, 9-0, 9-6 (27m)
Peter Barker bt Rene Mijs 9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (29m)
[5] IRELAND bt [8] SCOTLAND 4-0
Liam Kenny bt Harry Leitch 9-7, 9-1, 9-6 (39m)
John Rooney bt Alan Clyne 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (29m)
Derek Ryan bt Jamie Macaulay 9-5, 9-2, 9-4 (36m)
Arthur Gaskin bt Graham Melvin 9-1, 9-5, 9-6 (45m)
Final positions: 1 England, 2 Netherlands, 3 Ireland, 4 Scotland
Pool B:
[3] WALES bt [7] SPAIN 3-1
Alex Gough lost to Borja Golan 4-9, 0-9, 0-9 (36m)
David Evans bt David Vidal 9-3, 9-0, 9-2 (26m)
Ricky Davies bt Bruno Vega 9-3, 9-0, 9-3 (29m)
Jethro Binns bt Arturo Santo Tomas 9-0, 9-5, 9-3 (38m)
[2] FRANCE bt [6] GERMANY 3-1
Renan Lavigne bt Simon Rosner 9-7, 9-4, 10-8 (60m)
Jean-Michel Arcucci bt Stefan Leifels 9-7, 1-9, 9-6, 9-7 (62m)
Julien Balbo lost to Patrick Gaessler 8-10, 0-9, 0-9 (31m)
Romain Tenant bt Jens Schoor 9-5, 9-7, 9-2 (46m)
[2] FRANCE drew with [3] WALES 2-2
Renan Lavigne bt Alex Gough 9-7, 9-2, 9-0 (38m)
Jean-Michel Arcucci bt David Evans 9-2 ret.
Julien Balbo lost to Rob Sutherland 8-9, 0-9, 2-9 (30m)
Romain Tenant lost to Ricky Davies 3-9, 1-9, 0-9 (18m)
[6] GERMANY bt [7] SPAIN 4-0
Simon Rosner bt David Vidal 9-2, 9-2, 9-0 (28m)
Stefan Leifels bt Alejandro Garbi Caro 9-5, 9-3, 9-0 (35m)
Patrick Gaessler bt Bruno Vega 9-7, 9-0, 9-2 (21m)
Tim Weber bt Arturo Santo Tomas 9-0, 9-3, 9-3 (22m)
Final positions: 1 France, 2 Wales, 3 Germany, 4 Spain
Pool C:
NORWAY bt CROATIA 4-0
Hans-Olav Torgersen bt Domagoj Spoljar 6-9, 9-6, 8-10, 9-2, 9-6 (81m)
Kristian Solhave bt Robert Petrovic 9-1, 5-9, 9-2, 9-4 (26m)
Patrick Hansen bt Marko Milek 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (19m)
Rashid Younis bt Oliver Vugrek 9-1, 9-7, 9-5 (42m)
[9] SWEDEN bt [17] ISRAEL 4-0
Badr Abdel Aziz bt Ilan Oren 7-9, 9-1, 9-5, 5-9, 9-1 (59m)
Christian Drakenberg bt Art Gitelband 9-0, 9-0 ret.
Gustav Detter bt Nadav Tannen 9-2, 9-1, 9-5 (30m)
Sebastian Victor bt Ariel Lewis 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (20m)
[9] SWEDEN bt [16] CZECH REPUBLIC 4-0
Badr Abdel Aziz bt Martin Stepan 9-3, 9-5, 9-1 (31m)
Christian Drakenberg bt Pavel Sladecek 9-3, 9-5, 9-1 (32m)
Rasmus Hult bt Lukas Jelinek 9-0, 9-1, 9-2 (34m)
Sebastian Victor bt Jaroslav Cech 9-4, 9-4, 9-2 (24m)
[17] ISRAEL bt CROATIA 4-0
Ilan Oren bt Domagoj Spoljar 9-7, 9-7, 9-1 (31m)
Nadav Wilensky bt Robert Petrovic 9-1, 9-2, 9-0 (17m)
Nadav Tannen bt Marko Milek 9-2, 9-0, 9-5 (25m)
Ariel Lewis bt Ozren Lapcevic 9-2, 9-1, 9-2 (17m)
[16] CZECH REPUBLIC bt NORWAY 4-0
Pavel Sladecek bt Hans-Olav Torgersen 9-3, 9-2, 9-0 (25m)
Lukas Jelinek bt Kristian Solhave 9-4, 4-9, 9-2, 9-2 (44m)
Jaroslav Cech bt Patrick Hansen 9-1, 6-9, 6-9, 9-5, 9-2 (42m)
Jan Lempart bt Rashid Younis 9-7, 9-0, 9-2 (20m)
Final positions: 1 Sweden, 2 Czech Republic, 3 Israel, 4 Norway, 5 Croatia
Pool D:
LATVIA bt [23] ISLE OF MAN 4-0
Alexander Pavulans bt David Norman 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (25m)
Arnis Tihvinskis bt Robert Smith 9-3, 9-1, 9-1 (24m)
Gunars Prizevoits bt Kevin Watterson 1-9, 9-1, 9-4, 10-8 (38m)
Kaspars Purgailis bt Lyndon Cheetham 9-5, 9-5, 9-7 (29m)
[15] AUSTRIA bt [23] ISLE OF MAN 4-0
Aqeel Rehman bt Robert Smith 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (14m)
Andreas Freudensprung bt Lyndon Cheetham 9-2, 9-4, 9-3 (23m)
Stefan Brauneis bt Alister Crossley 9-3, 9-1, 9-0 (23m)
Lukas Gnauer bt David Hedley 9-7, 9-7, 9-1 (35m)
[10] DENMARK bt [18] ITALY 3-1
Morten W Sorensen lost to Simone Rocca 8-10, 9-0, 7-9, 7-9 (31m)
Rasmus Nielsen bt Andrea Capella 9-4, 9-6, 9-0 (46m)
Michael Frilund bt Andrea Torricini 7-9, 9-7, 9-3, 9-3 (67m)
Kasper Gross Jeppesen bt Matteo Vaccari 9-2, 9-0, 9-3 (42m)
[10] DENMARK bt [15] AUSTRIA 3-1
Morten W Sorensen lost to Aqeel Rehman 9-10, 2-9, 2-9 (45m)
Rasmus Nielsen bt Jakob Dirnberger 9-5, 9-6, 9-0 (30m)
Michael Frilund bt Andreas Freudensprung 3-9, 9-2, 9-0, 9-2 (37m)
Rene Jepsen bt Lukas Gnauer 9-6, 9-1, 6-9, 9-0 (47m)
[18] ITALY bt LATVIA 4-0
Andrea Capella bt Andris Lapins 9-0, 9-1, 9-2 (18m)
Andrea Torricini bt Gunars Prizevoits 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (16m)
Domenico Cerabona bt Kaspars Purgailis 9-2, 9-2, 9-5 (23m)
Michelangelo Bertocchi bt Agris Muravjovs 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (19m)
Final positions: 1 Denmark, 2 Italy, 3 Austria, 4 Latvia, 5 Isle of Man
Pool E:
GREECE bt [22] RUSSIA 4-0
Fabian Kalaitzis bt Alexei Severinov 9-2, 9-4, 9-4 (30m)
Petros Tzamaloukas bt Roman Fetisov 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (11m)
George Vafakos bt Viacheslav Perfiliev 9-1, 9-3, 9-0 (20m)
Konstantinos Kargiotis bt Sergey Kostrikin 4-9, 9-1, 10-8, 9-2 (46m)
[11] SWITZERLAND bt [19] SLOVAKIA 4-0
Nicolas Mueller bt Marek Manik 9-4, 9-0, 9-0 (29m)
Marco Datwyler bt Thomas Toth 9-2, 9-3, 9-2 (25m)
Marcel Straub bt Marek Zvoncek 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (10m)
Kevin Villiger bt Robert Dobai 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (22m)
[14] HUNGARY bt [22] RUSSIA 4-0
Mark Krajcsak bt Alexei Severinov 9-2, 9-3, 9-2 (21m)
Sandor Fulop bt Viacheslav Perfiliev 9-3, 9-0, 9-1 (17m)
Marton Szaboky bt Andrey Bratter 9-0, 9-1, 9-1 (25m)
Peter Hoffman bt Maxim Shokin 9-1, 9-1, 9-0 (15m)
[11] SWITZERLAND bt [14] HUNGARY 3-1
Andre Holderegger lost to Mark Krajcsak 1-9, 3-9, 0-9 (16m)
Nicolas Mueller bt Sandor Fulop 9-2, 9-2, 10-9 (36m)
Marco Datwyler bt Marton Szaboky 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (18m)
Marcel Straub bt Peter Hoffman 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (15m)
[19] SLOVAKIA drew with GREECE 2-2
Marek Manik lost to Fabian Kalaitzis 8-10, 0-9, 4-9
Thomas Toth lost to Petros Tzamaloukas 7-9, 4-9, 4-9 (39m)
Marek Zvoncek bt George Vafakos 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (20m)
Robert Dobai bt Konstantinos Kargiotis 9-0, 9-5, 9-1 (33m)
Final positions: 1 Switzerland, 2 Hungary, 3 Slovakia, 4 Greece, 5 Russia
Pool F:
[20] UKRAINE bt [21] GIBRALTAR 3-1
Dmytro Shcherbakov lost to Anthony Brindle 2-9, 2-9, 0-9 (27m)
Roman Dolynych bt Stephen Shacaluga 9-5, 9-4, 9-0 (24m)
Oleksandr Molodukha bt Christian Navas 9-0, 9-2, 10-8 (38m)
Artem Shandybin bt Nicholas de Haro 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (20m)
[12] FINLAND bt [13] BELGIUM 4-0
Olli Tuominen bt Wim van Asten 9-4, 9-1, 9-0 (28m)
Matias Tuomi bt Gregory Lecerf 9-5, 9-6, 9-0 (32m)
Erno Teitti bt Ben Vandezande 9-0, 9-6, 9-4 (26m)
Mika Monto bt Mats Raemen 9-4, 9-2, 9-7 (32m)
Final positions: 1 Finland, 2 Belgium, 3 Ukraine, 4 Gibraltar
Women's final qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] ENGLAND bt [5] DENMARK 3-0
Tania Bailey bt Line Hansen 9-5, 9-2, 9-1 (30m)
Alison Waters bt Marie-Louise Feddern 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (15m)
Jenny Duncalf bt Ellen Petersen 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (20m)
[4] FRANCE bt [8] SPAIN 3-0
Camille Serme bt Elisabet Sado 9-2, 2-9, 10-8, 9-0 (28m)
Celia Allamargot bt Stela Carbonell 9-7, 9-0, 9-7 (24m)
Soraya Renai bt Alicia Alvarez Riaza 9-3, 9-6, 9-3 (25m)
[1] ENGLAND bt [4] FRANCE 3-0
Tania Bailey bt Camille Serme 9-1, 9-2, 9-6 (32m)
Laura-Jane Lengthorn bt Maud Duplomb (disqualified)
Vicky Botwright bt Soraya Renai (disqualified)
[5] DENMARK bt [8] SPAIN 3-0
Line Hansen bt Elisabet Sado 9-6, 9-3, 9-1 (30m)
Marie-Louise Feddern bt Laura Alonso Perez 9-7, 9-4, 9-4 (37m)
Ellen Petersen bt Alicia Alvarez Riaza 9-0, 9-2, 9-4 (16m)
Final positions: 1 England, 2 Denmark, 3 France, 4 Spain
Pool B:
[2] NETHERLANDS bt [6] CZECH REPUBLIC 3-0
Annelize Naude bt Zuzana Vackova 9-1, 9-6, 9-0 (25m)
Karen Kronemeyer bt Hana Vagnerova 9-5, 9-1, 9-2 (21m)
Margriet Huisman bt Veronica Koukalova 9-1, 9-5, 9-1 (18m)
[3] GERMANY bt [7] SWITZERLAND 2-1
Kathrin Rohrmueller bt Gaby Schmohl 9-3, 9-6, 9-6 (29m)
Carola Weiss bt Sara Guebey 9-0, 9-1, 9-6 (26m)
Katharina Witt lost to Olivia Hauser 0-9, 9-3, 8-10, 9-5, 4-9 (51m)
[2] NETHERLANDS bt [3] GERMANY 3-0
Vanessa Atkinson bt Kathrin Rohrmueller 9-5, 9-2, 9-0 (16m)
Orla Noom bt Carola Weiss 9-4, 9-7, 9-1 (29m)
Annelize Naude bt Daniela Schumann 9-5, 9-1, 9-3 (19m)
[7] SWITZERLAND bt [6] CZECH REPUBLIC 2-1
Gaby Schmohl bt Zuzana Vackova 9-4, 9-6, 4-9, 9-4 (30m)
Gabriela Hegi lost to Veronica Koukalova 6-9, 10-8, 6-9, 0-9 (45m)
Olivia Hauser bt Jana Smeralova 9-2, 8-10, 9-6, 9-1 (30m)
Final positions: 1 Netherlands, 2 Germany, 3 Switzerland, 4 Czech Republic
Pool C:
[17] SLOVAKIA bt [16] NORWAY 2-1
Aneta Paprnakova lost to Lotte Eriksen 6-9, 0-9, 1-9 (18m)
Henrieta Loksova bt Maren Myhre 9-7, 9-1, 9-1 (21m)
Linda Hruzikova bt Nina Martinsen 9-4, 9-4, 9-0 (25m)
[13] BELGIUM bt [9] WALES 2-1
Charlie de Rycke bt Karen Leach 10-8, 9-6, 9-6 (33m)
Kim Hannes-Teunen bt Gemma Davies 9-0, 3-9, 9-4, 9-1 (30m)
Annabel Romedenne lost to Natalie Pritchard 10-8, 7-9, 3-9, 0-9 (32m)
[12] SCOTLAND bt [16] NORWAY 2-1
Claire Kidd lost to Lotte Eriksen 2-9, 0-9, 0-9 (21m)
Lisa McKenna bt Maren Myhre 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 (26m)
Frania Gillen-Buchert bt Nina Martinsen 9-5, 9-0, 9-2 (22m)
[13] BELGIUM bt [17] SLOVAKIA 2-1
Charlie de Rycke bt Aneta Paprnakova 9-3, 9-1, 9-6 (27m)
Ankie Nedee lost to Henrieta Loksova 6-9, 3-9, 7-9 (22m)
Annabel Romedenne bt Linda Hruzikova 9-1, 9-7, 9-0 (40m)
[9] WALES bt [12] SCOTLAND 2-1
Karen Leach bt Claire Kidd 9-4, 9-7, 9-0 (34m)
Natalie Pritchard bt Lisa McKenna 10-8, 3-9, 9-3, 9-5 (50m)
Jenny Wright lost to Frania Gillen-Buchert 9-7, 7-9, 4-9, 1-9 (43m)
Final positions: 1 Belgium, 2 Wales, 3 Slovakia, 4 Scotland, 5 Norway
Pool D:
[15] FINLAND bt RUSSIA 3-0
Jutta Tuunanen bt Ekatarina Glinchikova 9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (20m)
Saara Valtola bt Alina Tuzlukova 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (12m)
Elina Kononen bt Irina Assal 9-3, 9-5, 9-1 (24m)
[10] IRELAND bt [14] AUSTRIA 3-0
Madeline Perry bt Birgit Coufal 9-2, 9-0, 9-0 (16m)
Laura Mylotte bt Theresa Gradnitzer 9-2, 9-1, 9-4 (20m)
Aisling Blake bt Bettina Greslehner 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (17m)
[11] ITALY bt [15] FINLAND 3-0
Manuela Manetta bt Jutta Tuunanen 10-9, 9-1, 9-3 (25m)
Chiara Ferrari bt Eevamaria Vuolo 9-6, 9-2, 10-8 (26m)
Sonia Pasteris bt Elina Kononen 10-8, 9-2, 9-6 (24m)
[14] AUSTRIA bt RUSSIA 3-0
Pamela Pancis bt Ekatarina Glinchikova 9-2, 9-0, 9-7 (17m)
Bettina Greslehner bt Alina Tuzlukova 9-1, 9-0, 9-3 (20m)
Birgit Coufal bt Irina Assal 9-5, 9-0, 9-0 (15m)
[10] IRELAND bt [11] ITALY 3-0
Madeline Perry bt Manuela Manetta 9-1, 9-3, 9-2 (36m)
Laura Mylotte bt Veronica Favero Camp 9-4, 9-1, 9-0 (18m)
Aisling Blake bt Sonia Pasteris 9-4, 3-9, 9-2, 9-7 (46m)
Final positions: 1 Ireland, 2 Italy, 3 Austria, 4 Finland, 5 Russia
Denmark is assured of a place in the women's top four for the first time for four years after clinching second place in Pool A on the final day of qualifying in the European Team Squash Championships in the Italian resort of Riccione.
Relying exclusively on a three-player squad throughout the tournament, the fifth-seeded Danish ladies romped to a 3/0 win over eighth seeds Spain to finish ahead of injury-beset fourth seeds France. Led by world No40 Line Hansen, the only full-time player in the team, the Danes also includes former WISPA Tour players Marie-Louise Feddern and Dr Ellen Petersen, the stalwart making her 12th appearance in the championships since making her Danish debut in 1994.
Denmark will face Pool B winners Netherlands in the semi-finals. Netherlands, the second seeds and runners-up in the championships for the past four years, enjoyed straightforward 3/0 wins over both Germany and Czech Republic make the last four.
Favourites and defending champions England cruised to victory in Pool A and will face Pool B runners-up Germany, the third seeds, in the other women's semi-final.
Belgium, the 13th seeds, upset ninth seeds Wales 2/1 in Pool C to emerge unbeaten after two days. The surprise nation in the play-offs for 5th to 12th places will take on Spain, the No8 seeds, in a bid to secure a top eight finish for the first time in three years.
The semi-finals in the men's event will feature the same four teams for the fifth year: Favourites England will meet third seeds Wales, and second seeds France - who finished at the top of Pool B despite the absence through injury of its two star players Gregory Gaultier and Thierry Lincou - will take on Netherlands, the fourth seeds.
Hosts Italy, the 18th seeds, finished in second place in Pool D after comprehensively upsetting higher-seeded Austria 4/0. Their opponents in the 13-20 place play-offs will be Israel.