EUROPEAN SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: European Junior (U19) Individual Squash Championships, Herentals, Belgium

Men's semi-finals:
[1] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [3/4] Tom Richards (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1
[9/12] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt [3/4] Chris Simpson (ENG) 3-9, 4-9, 10-9, 9-1, 9-6

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Charlie De Rycke (BEL) bt [5/6] Georgina Stoker (ENG) 9-0, 9-7, 9-5
[3/4] Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt [7/8] Kirsty McPhee (ENG) 9-4, 10-9, 9-1

Castagnet Crashes Into European Final

Top seeds Laurence Delasaux and Charlie De Rycke cruised through their semi-finals in the 2004 European Junior (U19) Individual Squash Championships - but will meet unexpected opponents in the finals in Herentals, Belgium.

England's British Junior National champion Delasaux, runner-up twelve months ago, conceded only three points as he crushed compatriot Tom Richards, a 3/4 seed, 9-2 9-0 9-1.  A further clash with a fellow Englishman looked on the cards as Chris Simpson, the other men's 3/4 seed, headed to a 2-0 lead and match-ball in the third against French giant-killer Mathieu Castagnet.

The 9/12 seed, however, had already progressed two rounds beyond expectation - including a sensational five-game dismissal of second seed Yann Perrin in the previous round.  Castagnet clinched the third game 10-9, and went on to secure his third successive upset in a 3-9 4-9 10-9 9-1 9-6 scoreline to claim his place in the final.

A quarter-finalist last year, Belgium's Charlie de Rycke despatched England's 5/6 seed Georgina Stoker 9-0 9-7 9-5 in the women's semi-final in the top half of the draw.

The local star, winner of last year's Dutch Junior Open title,  will be after revenge in the final where she faces England's Emma Beddoes, her surprise conqueror in last year's last eight.  Beddoes, the British Junior National champion who is a 3/4 seed, defeated compatriot Kirsty McPhee 9-4 10-9 9-1 to reach the final for the first time.