DUTCH INT’L 2011 – 8 times lucky for Hans

While the best Asians were fighting for their continental title, Hans-Kristian Vittinghus was hanging his name for a second time in the Yonex Dutch International played in Wateringen, Netherlands, scooping his 8th international title.  France’s Grosjean and Carême took their first title in men’s doubles.

By Raphaël Sachetat.  Photos : rights reserved

8 titles for 8 finals: Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (photo)  is no man to joke around when one meets him in a final of a tournament on the European Circuit. The Danish player – who had in mind to forget his 19-21 loss in the deciding game to Joachim Persson in the final of his home Interclubs – went all the way on Sunday for a tournament he knows well as he was crowned champion once before here.

“I’m glad to win there once again so I get my name up on the wall for a second time. Björn Joppien’s name is there four times, so I still have some way to go, but this was one step closer,” said the joking Dane.  After a slow start in the final against Ville Lang from Finland, losing the first game 18-21, Vittinghus found his rhythm in the second, winning 21-15 before completely dominating his opponent 21-4 in the decider.

France has had its time of glory in the women’s singles with Pi Hongyan, then more recently with Brice Leverdez and Matthieu Lo Ying Ping in the men’s singles event, but the doubles event had never really been shining until this week end, when Sylvain Grosjean and Baptiste Carême (pictured here live on the podium), national champions, scooped their first ever international title in Wateringen.

The duo, practising under the tough ruling of former Bulgarian Svetoslav Stoyanov, played above par in the semi-final when the beat top seeds Ridder/Bosch from the Netherlands in three games.

“We weren’t surprised by their level because we had trained with them just before in our National Training Centre, but they did well what they’re good at, while Koen and I didn’t play that well,” had hinted Dutch’s Ruud Bosch after their semi-final loss.

In the final, the French pair overcame Germany’s Kaesbauer/Zurwonne in three games as well, ending their international title drought. It was, all in all, a good week for the Grosjean family as Sylvain’s little brother Joris, had scooped bronze in the individual event of the European Juniors held in Finland the same week-end.

The other surprise of the week was the amazing performance by Michelle Li of Canada, coming one step short of winning the title after beating no less than Judith Meulendijks and Kamila Augustyn – both in straight games – along her road towards the final. But the young Canadian fell to the experience of Susan Egelstaff in three games on Sunday, not without giving a tough fight to the Scottish shuttler.

Valeria Sorokina won both the mixed and the women’s doubles with her respective partners Nina Vislova and Aleksandr Nikolaenko. In the mixed doubles, Mie Schjott and Michael Delbo Larsen were leading when Schjott injured her back, having to end the final early.

Final results:
MS: Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (DEN) beat Ville Lang (FIN): 18-21, 21-15, 21-4
WS: Susan Egelstaff (SCO) beat Michelle Li (CAN) 21-18, 13-21, 21-15
MD: B. Carême/S. Grosjean (FRA) beat P. Kaesbauer/J. Zurwonne (GER): 21-11, 19-21, 21-17
WD: V. Sorokina/N. Vislova (RUS) beat P. van Dooremalen/L. Jonathans (NED): 24-22, 21-12
XD: A. Nikolaenko/V. Sorokina (RUS) beat M. Delbo Larsen/M. Schjott-Kristensen (DEN) 13-21, 12-11 (ret)

All Results HERE