England & Belgium triumph at 2024 European Team Championships

England successfully defended their men’s title at the 2024 ESF European Team Squash Championships in Switzerland, beating France 8-7 on games countback, whilst Belgium made squash history as they claimed their first ever title by denying England in the women’s team final, following a tension-filled finals day at the Uster Squash Arena in Zurich, Switzerland which witnessing two tightly-contested finals.

England successfully defended their men’s title at the 2024 ESF European Team Squash Championships in Switzerland, beating France 8-7 on games countback, whilst Belgium made squash history as they claimed their first ever title by denying England in the women’s team final, following a tension-filled finals day at the Uster Squash Arena in Zurich, Switzerland which witnessing two tightly-contested finals.

Beset by injury problems before the event, England's chances of a 44th men's title in the 50th edition of Europe’s’ premier team championships looked slim when they found themselves 2-1 down in matches and one game away from defeat with Baptiste Masotti leading 1-0 in the deciding match against Marwan ElShorbagy, competing in only his second tournament for England after switching nationality from Egypt last year.

The final had started with a 102-minute five-game contest between Sebastien Bonmalais and Curtis Malik which the French No.3 eventually won 11-8 12-10 4-11 10-12 11-4.

England No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy restored parity in the contest with a clinical straight-games victory over Victor Crouin, before 34-year-old Gregoire Marche overcame Tom Walsh 11-7 12-10 11-6, with the Englishman making his senior debut at this event.

France led 2-1 and 6-5 in games heading into an epic tension-filled final rubber between Marwan ElShorbagy and Baptiste Masotti. The Frenchman took the first game and knew he needed only one more game for France to win on games countback. Marwan ElShorbagy took the next, but Masotti was 8-4 up in the third and on the brink of earning France victory, only to lose it 11-8. Amidst a bear pit atmosphere and a flurry of refereeing decisions, Marwan ElShorbagy took the fourth 12-10 after a distraught Baptiste Masotti tinned two drop shots in succession.

Switzerland won the Men's Bronze Medals with 2-1 victory over Wales, a repeat of their win last year in Helsinki and at the WSF Men's World Team Championship in Tauranga, New Zealand last December.

Men's Final Positions:
1 England, 2 France, 3 Switzerland, 4 Wales, 5 Germany, 6 Spain, 7 Czech Republic, 8 Ireland

Belgium sisters Nele Gilis and Gilis Tinne, ranked World No.4 and World No.9 respectively, sealed an emotional 2-1 victory for their country - denying defending champions England a 41st title out of 43 championships and becoming only the fourth country to win the illustrious women’s trophy, after France in 2019 and the Netherland in 2010, with England triumphing on every other occasion since 1978.

The opening match between Nele Gilis and England’s World No.6 Georgina Kennedy proved to be the pivotal contest with the Belgium winning 11-2 11-8 11-13 11-5 in 64 minutes.

Lucy Turmel then levelled the match with an 11-8 11-7 11-2 victory over World No.202 Marie Van Riet ensuring the result would be settled Tinne Gilis and Jasmine Hutton in a repeat of last year's decider in Helsinki which Hutton crucially won. England’s World No.29 Jasmine Hutton had her opportunities, however unforced errors proved crucial at several key moments in the match, and it was Tinne Gilis who achieved redemption for last year’s defeat with a 11-8 12-10 11-2 victory.

Wales won a tight women's bronze medal match which came down to a deciding match between Emily Whitlock and Enora Villard which the Welsh No.2 won 9-11 11-6 11-7 11-7.

Women's Final Positions:
1 Belgium, 2 England, 3 Wales, 4 France, 5 Scotland, 6 Switzerland, 7 Spain, 8 Czech Republic

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Men's Final:
[1] ENGLAND bt [2] FRANCE 2/2 (England win 8-7 on games countback)
Curtis Malik lost to Sébastien Bonmalais 8-11, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10, 4-11 (102m)
Mohamed ElShorbagy bt Victor Crouin 11-5, 11-6, 11-0 (31m)
Tom Walsh lost to Grégoire Marche 7-11, 10-12, 6-11 (42m)
Marwan ElShorbagy bt Baptiste Masotti 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10 (57m)

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Women's Final:
[2] BELGIUM bt [1] ENGLAND 2/1
Nele Gilis bt Georgina Kennedy 11-2, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5 (64m)
Marie van Riet lost to Lucy Turmel 8-11, 7-11, 2-11 (24m)
Tinne Gilis bt Jasmine Hutton 11-8, 12-10, 11-2 (33m)

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Men's 3rd Place Play-Off:
[3] SWITZERLAND bt [4] WALES 2/2 (Switzerland win 8-6 on games countback)
Yannick Wilhelmi bt Owain Taylor 17-15, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 (72m)
Nicolas Müller bt Joel Makin 14-12, 11-9, 11-9 (39m)
Robin Gadola lost to Elliott Morris Devred 10-12, 4-11, 2-11 (35m)
Dimitri Steinmann lost to Emyr Evans 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-5 ret. (57m)

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Women's 3rd Place Play-Off:
[3] WALES bt [4] FRANCE 2/1  
Tesni Murphy bt Marie Stéphan 11-3, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8 (36m)
Lowri Roberts lost to Lauren Baltayan 9-11, 5-11, 9-11 (25m)
Emily Whitlock bt Énora Villard 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (52m)

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Men's Place Play-Off Matches:
[6] GERMANY bt [8] IRELAND 3/1
[5] SPAIN bt [7] CZECH REPUBLIC 2/2
[5] SPAIN bt [6] GERMANY 2/2
[7] CZECH REPUBLIC bt [8] IRELAND 3/1

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Women's Play-Off Matches:
[7] SCOTLAND bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 2/1
[6] SWITZERLAND bt [5] SPAIN 2/1
[7] SCOTLAND bt [5] SPAIN 3/0
[6] SWITZERLAND bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/0

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Men's Semi-Finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [3] SWITZERLAND 3/0
Marwan ElShorbagy bt Dimitri Steinmann 11-4, 7-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9 (73m)
Mohamed ElShorbagy bt Nicolas Müller 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 (26m)
Curtis Malik bt Yannick Wilhelmi 15-13, 11-7, 11-9 (48m)
Ben Smith v Robin Gadola

[2] FRANCE bt [4] WALES 3/1  
Baptiste Masotti bt Emyr Evans 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (31m)
Victor Crouin lost to Joel Makin 9-11, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11 (63m)
Sébastien Bonmalais bt Elliott Morris Devred 11-7, 11-6, 11-1 (33m)
Grégoire Marche bt Rhys Evans 11-4, 11-5

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Women's Semi-Finals:
[1] ENGLAND bt [3] WALES 2/0
Jasmine Hutton bt Lowri Roberts 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 (25m)
Georgina Kennedy bt Tesni Murphy 11-9, 11-3, 11-1 (25m)
Sarah-Jane Perry v Emily Whitlock

[2] BELGIUM bt [4] FRANCE 2/1
Chloé Crabbé lost to Lauren Baltayan 9-11, 12-14, 11-5, 3-11 (32m)
Nele Gilis bt Marie Stéphan 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (28m)
Tinne Gilis bt Énora Villard 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (27m)

European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Qualifying Rounds - Pool A:
Final Positions: 1 England, 2 Wales, 3 Spain, 4 Ireland
[1] ENGLAND bt [8] IRELAND 4/0  
Ben Smith bt Michael Creaven 11-5, 8-11, 11-1, 11-1 (35m)
Marwan ElShorbagy bt Sam Buckley 11-6, 11-9, 11-4
Tom Walsh bt Conor Moran 11-3, 11-6, 11-2 (26m)
Curtis Malik bt Oisin Logan 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 (26m)

[4] WALES bt [5] SPAIN 3/1  
Elliott Morris Devred bt Sergio Garcia Pollan 13-15, 5-11, 11-2 ret. (66m)
Joel Makin bt Iker Pajares Bernabeu 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (71m)
Owain Taylor lost to Iván Pérez 7-11, 2-11, 11-9, 12-10, 6-11 (83m)
Emyr Evans bt Bernat Jaume 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6 (44m)

[1] ENGLAND bt [4] WALES 4/0  
Ben Smith bt Rhys Evans 11-2, 11-8, 11-7 (32m)
Mohamed ElShorbagy bt Emyr Evans 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9 (40m)
Curtis Malik bt Elliott Morris Devred 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (33m)
Marwan ElShorbagy bt Owain Taylor 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (24m)

[5] SPAIN bt [8] IRELAND 4/0  
Hugo Varela bt Michael Creaven 8-11, 11-1, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6 (59m)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu bt Sam Buckley 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 (37m)
Iván Pérez bt Conor Moran 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7 (61m)
Bernat Jaume bt Oisin Logan 11-9, 13-11, 12-10 (49m)

[1] ENGLAND bt [5] SPAIN 3/1  
Tom Walsh bt Iván Pérez 18-20, 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10 (102m)
Mohamed ElShorbagy lost to Iker Pajares Bernabeu 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 6-11 (47m)
Marwan ElShorbagy bt Bernat Jaume 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4 (41m)
Ben Smith bt Hugo Varela 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (34m)

[4] WALES bt [8] IRELAND 3/1  
Owain Taylor lost to Conor Moran 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12 (63m)
Joel Makin bt Sam Buckley 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (33m)
Emyr Evans bt Oisin Logan 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (36m)
Elliott Morris Devred bt Gavin L'Estrange 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (31m)

Men's European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Qualifying Rounds - Pool B:
Final Positions: 1 France, 2 Switzerland, 3 Germany, 4 Czech Republic[2]
FRANCE bt [7] CZECH REPUBLIC 4/0  
Auguste Dussourd bt Ondrej Uherka 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 (27m)
Victor Crouin bt Martin Svec 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (21m)
Sébastien Bonmalais bt Ondrej Vorlícek 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (30m)
Baptiste Masotti bt Viktor Byrtus 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (24m)

[3] SWITZERLAND bt [6] GERMANY 3/1  
Robin Gadola bt Jan Wipperfürth 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (28m)
Nicolas Müller lost to Raphael Kandra 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 2-11 (32m)
Yannick Wilhelmi bt Valentin Rapp 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 (28m)
Dimitri Steinmann bt Simon Rösner 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 (46m)

[2] FRANCE bt [3] SWITZERLAND 3/1  
Grégoire Marche bt Louai Hafez 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (28m)
Victor Crouin lost to Dimitri Steinmann 9-11, 7-11, 4-11 (31m)
Sébastien Bonmalais bt David Bernet 11-5, 11-8, 11-2 (36m)
Baptiste Masotti bt Yannick Wilhelmi 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (42m)

[6] GERMANY bt [7] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/1  
Valentin Rapp lost to Jakub Solnicky 4-11, 13-11, 2-11, 6-11 (52m)
Raphael Kandra bt Martin Svec 11-6, 11-3, 11-1 (18m)
Yannik Omlor bt Daniel Mekbib 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3 (73m)
Simon Rösner bt Viktor Byrtus 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (50m)

[3] SWITZERLAND bt [7] CZECH REPUBLIC 4/0
Yannick Wilhelmi bt Ondrej Vorlícek 11-5, 11-6, 11-1 (28m)
Nicolas Müller bt Viktor Byrtus 11-8, 12-10, 11-6 (22m)
Dimitri Steinmann bt Jakub Solnicky 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (29m)
Robin Gadola bt Ondrej Uherka 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (29m)

[2] FRANCE bt [6] GERMANY 4/0  
Auguste Dussourd bt Valentin Rapp 11-3, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7 (44m)
Victor Crouin bt Raphael Kandra 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (30m)
Baptiste Masotti bt Yannik Omlor 7-11, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-9 (53m)
Toufik Mekhalfi bt Jan Wipperfürth 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (31m)

Women's European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Qualifying Rounds - Pool A:
Final Positions: 1 England, 2 France, 3 Spain, 4 Czech Republic
[4] FRANCE bt [5] SPAIN 2/1  
Énora Villard bt Ona Blasco 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
Marie Stéphan lost to Marta Dominguez 11-7, 7-11, 5-11, 12-10, 9-11 (49m)
Lauren Baltayan bt Icia Riveiro 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (22m)

[1] ENGLAND bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/0  
Jasmine Hutton bt Michaela Cepová 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (20m)
Georgina Kennedy bt Karolina Sramkova 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (29m)
Lucy Turmel bt Olga Kolářová 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (16m)

[1] ENGLAND bt [4] FRANCE 3/0  
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Énora Villard 12-10, 11-8, 11-6 (28m)
Georgina Kennedy bt Marie Stéphan 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (19m)
Lucy Turmel bt Lauren Baltayan 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (24m)

[5] SPAIN bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/0  
Sofía Mateos bt Karolina Sramkova 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (28m)
Marta Dominguez bt Anna Serme 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (30m)
Icia Riveiro bt Michaela Cepová 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 13-11 (40m)

[1] ENGLAND bt [5] SPAIN 3/0
Sarah-Jane Perry bt Sofía Mateos 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (17m)
Jasmine Hutton bt Ona Blasco 11-5, 11-2, 11-9 (22m)
Lucy Turmel bt Icia Riveiro 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (20m)

[4] FRANCE bt [8] CZECH REPUBLIC 3/0  
Marie Stéphan bt Anna Serme 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 (28m)
Énora Villard bt Karolina Sramkova 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 (26m)
Lauren Baltayan bt Michaela Cepová 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (28m)

Women's European Squash Team Championship 2024, Squash Arena, Uster, Switzerland
Qualifying Rounds - Pool B:
Final Positions: 1 Belgium, 2 Wales, 3 Scotland, 4 Switzerland
[2] BELGIUM bt [7] SCOTLAND 2/1  
Tinne Gilis bt Katriona Ross 11-7, 11-1, 11-4 (22m)
Nele Gilis bt Georgia Adderley 11-8, 11-8, 11-2 (22m)
Chloé Crabbé lost to Ellie Jones 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, 8-11 (38m)

[3] WALES bt [6] SWITZERLAND 3/0  
Emily Whitlock bt Ambre Allinckx 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 (33m)
Tesni Murphy bt Cindy Merlo 12-10, 11-2, 11-7
Lowri Roberts bt Celine Walser 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 17-15, 11-7 (39m)

[2] BELGIUM bt [3] WALES 2/1  
Tinne Gilis bt Ellie Breach 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 (19m)
Nele Gilis lost to Tesni Murphy 11-6, 9-11, 7-11, 9-11 (59m)
Marie van Riet bt Stacey Gooding 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (36m)

[7] SCOTLAND bt [6] SWITZERLAND 2/1  
Alison Thomson bt Nadia Pfister 11-6, 11-5, 11-5
Georgia Adderley bt Cindy Merlo 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 (35m)
Katriona Ross lost to Ambre Allinckx 9-11, 9-11, 7-11 (26m)

[3] WALES bt [7] SCOTLAND 3/0  
Tesni Murphy bt Georgia Adderley 11-6, 4-11, 11-3, 13-11 (61m)
Emily Whitlock bt Alison Thomson 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (37m)
Lowri Roberts bt Ellie Jones 11-5, 11-2, 11-6 (15m)

[2] BELGIUM bt [6] SWITZERLAND 2/1  
Nele Gilis bt Cindy Merlo 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (22m)
Tinne Gilis bt Nadia Pfister 11-7, 11-2, 11-4 (20m)
Marie van Riet lost to Celine Walser 8-11, 4-11, 8-11 (21m)