(updated 6-jun-09 11:39 ) 

Kandra & Sedlmeier Celebrate German Junior Double

Raphael Kandra and Lisa-Marie Sedlmeier produced a notable domestic double in the German Junior Open Squash Championships with U19 title successes in the European Squash Federation Junior Circuit event in Germering, Germany.

It was a semi-final win over Frenchman Lucas Vauzelle that not only took Kandra, a 3/4 seed, into a surprise men's final – but also the first in living memory between two Germans!

And Kandra, an 18-year-old left-hander from Erlangen, then continued his giant-killing run in the event by upsetting top-seeded compatriot Rudi Rohrmuller 7-11, 14-12, 11-4, 12-10 to win his first ESF circuit U19 trophy.

The women's event saw the top two seeds Lisa-Marie Sedlmeier and Cyrielle Peltier come through the two qualifying pools unscathed to meet in the final. 

Sedlmeier, the 18-year-old German favourite, delighted the local crowds by beating her 17-year-old second-seeded French opponent 11-9, 6-11, 11-0, 12-10 to keep the women's U19 title in German hands.

RESULTS:          German Junior Open Squash Championships, Germering, Germany

Men's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) bt [5/8] Rick Penders (NED)                            11-3, 11-6, 11-3
[5/8] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [3/4] Robert Downer (ENG)                    11-6, 11-2, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9
[3/4] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [5/8] Antoine-Camille Petrucci (FRA)        11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 12-10
[5/8] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) bt [2] Lucas Serme (FRA)                                8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6
    Semi-finals:
[1] Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) bt [5/8] Geoffrey Demont (FRA)                      11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 3-11, 11-8
[3/4] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [5/8] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA)                        7-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8
    Final:
[3/4] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [1] Rudi Rohrmuller (GER)                 7-11, 14-12, 11-4, 12-10
    Third place play-off:
[5/8] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [5/8] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA)                     11-5, 11-7, 11-8
 
Women's final:
[1] Lisa-Marie Sedlmeier (GER) bt [2] Cyrielle Peltier (FRA)               11-9, 6-11, 11-0, 12-10
    Third place play-off:
[3/4] Cigany Sillevis (NED) bt [5/8] Franziska Hennes (GER)                    11-7, 14-12, 11-3

 

 

Grainger, the in-form No2 seed from Greenwich, crushed England's Jenny Duncalf 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 in just 25 minutes - the fifth seed clearly feeling the effects of her marathon hour-long upset over fourth seed Natalie Grinham in the previous round.

"I'm very happy with how that went - I knew Jenny had a hard match and a good win yesterday, so I really wanted to make sure I was on my game from the start, take my time and make sure my shots were tight," explained Grainger, the reigning US and Pan American Games champions.

"I worked it well, good shot selection and once I got on top it was important to keep it going, you can't afford to let anyone back in.

"Now it's the same routine as before - good food, good sleep, breakfast, a bit of sun and ready to go for the next match!"