Today's Schedule:

Ladies' Singles Final: 12h: Vigrass (1) v Hird (2) 5/6 6/2 4/6

Men's Singles Final: 14h: Fahey (1) v Riviere (2) 6/3 3/6 6/5 6/2

email: jeudepaumesquash@orange.fr

17.32: Distracted by the Pol. Two cracking finals, congrats to all winners. Until next time.

16.56 ROB LIFTS HIS ARMS INTO THE AIR WITH SHEER DELIGHT! The dedans are cheering and singing songs (i dont understand what there singing). Cam will look back on chances in the third set. Congratulations Rob.

16.50 5/2 Fahey! He is on top now now.....

16.44 Fahey strikes a beauty of a backhand on the half volley into the grille to take a 3/2 lead! He is dominating the service end at the moment.

16.40 Thats a gift from Fahey, he digs out a game he was 40-15down in only to give Cam the next with 2 errors. Its going to be another close set!

16.35 1-0 Cam in the fourth and will be kicking himself that he is not a set up here, however he is a class player and bounces straight back taking the first game of the fourth set. One thing everyone saw in teh previous set is just why Rob is the greatest ever how he dug that set out i will never know!

16.29: THIRD SET FAHEY. Riviere's pegged in the returning corner and can't dig out a couple of Fahey volleys. The tension's too much. Over to Ricardo for the fourth.

16.23: Not sure I've seen that before. The marker calling for a ball-boy! At 40-15, that's two set points Fahey! Riviere saves the first with a mainwall dedans. Changing ends for the second, Fahey can't make his volley return of serve, and that's deuce!

16.21: Fahey steps up a gear. He pounds the short mainwall boasts and Riviere can't keep getting those back. Fahey levels the set to love.

16.17: Fahey smacks two consecutive sidewall volleys from under the winning gallery, but can't stop Cam from finishing the point with a grille. Set point Riviere, but Fahey's finally got the service back. Fahey saves it with a mainwall-tambour. On game point Fahey a great backhand volley into the tambour corner is too good for Riviere. 

16.13: Cam's monopolising the service end. He goes ahead 4-3. In the ninth Cam pounds away at the tambour, and there's not much can do about that. Riviere stretches into a 5-3 lead with a game to 15.

16.08: Riviere takes the next to 30. You can't split these two with a butcher's cleaver right now.

16.04: At 15-30 down Riviere smacks two dedans. Fahey responds with a grille and closes out the game.

16.00: Oh dear, Fahey's smiling. Not good news for Cam. I think he knows he's getting away with it a bit in this third set as he's not playing well at all.....but still has the lead. No sooner having written that, he falls short with a boast trying to beat last gallery and swings swipes his racquet in irritation. Level again.

15.55: There's another tambour shot......straight into the net. That grille might be seeing more of his racquet soon if this goes on. But Riviere's not twisting the knife yet. From deuce, Fahey beats worst than last, and Cam then tries to be too cute defending hasard first and dinks the ball into the net post.

15.47: At deuce in the next, another Fahey force goes high and out. He tosses his racquet into the grille in utter disgust.  Both players have games points, but two more unforced errors from Fahey at the receiving end are compounded by a Riviere grille to take the game.

15.41: Ricardo's off for a short Liverpool/United break. It's ok, his hopes aren't high. I'm sure there are many people out there who've seem a lot more Fahey matches than me, but I don't think I've even seen Rob missed so many balls of the tambour and looked to have so little control in a set as he did in that one. I don't think he thinks he has either. Having said that, Fahey comes out with more aggression at the start of the third and hits his grilles. He takes the first.

15.39 To all you worried Camden fans his hand is strapped up and is not bothering him as much as the semi-final match! THE SECOND SET GOES TO CAMDEN! He is well on top now.... Can he keep it up to clinch yet another major title?

15.34 Cam now takes a 4/3 lead, Rob making a few errors now and Cam is looking very confident indeed! As i type Cam takes a 5/3 lead! Can he close the set out?

15.22 3/2 Cam takes a well deserved lead in the second set! This is shaping up into a very close set! Some bounces on the court still raising a few eyebrows here.

Any other questions welcome! :)

15.10 1/1 second set! In answer to Mr Rivieres question - Rob is focusing more on deep cut volleys to Cams backhand, but sure if he gets a chance he is blasting into the dedans! However Cam slowly coming into this match.

15.03 First set Fahey! 6/3 - Alot of dedans from Fahey he really has found his range now... However one thing i have learned from watching the boy wonder Riviere play over the years is that he will not give in here!

14.54: Fahey powers his way into a 5/2 lead now, Cam will be slightly unhappy he didnt convert some game point chances! Some good news though Ricardo has now replaced Simon reporting on this one!

14.48: Quite conservative play from both players at the start. Not much forcing from Rob at all, he's just content to find the corners and take his gallery chases when he can get them for now. He takes a 3-2 lead.

14.44: Anyway, to the tennis. Fahey took the first, then lost the second after being 40-0 up. They've just reversed the order of game swapping and we'll 2 all now. Looking like it's going to be rather closer than last year's final which Fahey won in straight sets.

14.42: Knoxy's clearly more interested in last night's shenanigans. Suffice it to say that Smith and Sayers were annoyingly perky this morning, although some measure of satisfaction was gleaned by the sorry state of Matthews. He'll enjoy that flight this afternoon. 

14.35: Brilliant effort, Karen ! And thanks to whoever is providing the gripping commentary. Looking forward to Rob v Cam ! Murray Glover (RTC member for 51 years.) I thought I'd slip in a bit of an ego boost there.

14.32: Can't say much about Camden's record against Rob as it bound to improve as time goes on!  So, I guess that means there is room for improvement. The Riviere clan.

14.19: A fantastic fighting victory for Karen. As for Claire, she's rue that first set. Boys on now. I'm off for 10.

14.16: Vigrass finally gets back the service........but she's 0-40 down. Hird can't quite beat chase 6 with a drive volley. But the next forehand is too good for Vigrass. She's can't deal with it and nets. KAREN HIRD WINS FRENCH OPEN!

14.15: Vigrass pulls one back, but it's from the receiving end. And she's a bit stuck there right now.

14.12: Wi-fi problems again. Sorry. Much erasing of text. Vigrass takes a 30-0 lead in the next, but after the inevitable deuce, Hird, attacking a hasard chase, gets another lucky net cord on game point which Vigrass can't quite get to. She's one game away now!

14.01: A forehand grille for Hird is countered by one of those famous mach 10 (according to Matthews) Vigrass forces. Vigrass holds off 3 game points but, hitting out, forces a couple of volley errors from Hird and gets away with that one.

13.58: Vigrass smacks a dedans, and a Hird double fault means it's 30 love. I need hardly say that we end up at deuce. Karen's giving it the 'come ons' with regularity now, and she's got to be odds on favourite the way they're both playing.

13.55: Some great defence from Hird at the hasard end and some more sand-wedged groundstrokes from Vigrass allow Hird to take the sixth from deuce. 

13.48: Come on, surely someone's got something pithy to email in which they'd like to share with us. Something to do with Camden's record against Rob might provoke an interesting reaction before they go on court. If they ever get on court. We're heading on for two hours in this one now.

13.43: Game points for both players in the fifth. A Hird backhand, defending 2nd gallery, drops dead on the hasard side at deuce, and is followed up by a netted volley return from Vigrass. She wriggles ahead.

13.37: There we go. A couple more tentative errors from Vigrass give Hird 40-15. Three contrary stinging forehands give Vigrass her own game point. But it's Hird who scraps out that one too to make it as even as Stephen.

13.35: Hird scraps out the third. If she can hang in here, I wouldn't bet against a re-appearance of the Vigrass nerves. She missed a couple of those balls with pretty loose air-shots.

13.28: A few errors creeping into the Hird game now in the face of some much more consistent Vigrass play. That's six games in a row. That'd be a bagel if they were the first six.

13.21: A couple of unforced forehand errors from Hird give Vigrass two set points. Hird gets a winning gallery to save the first, but can only net a volley return of serve attacking hasard 2. And, with a lot more facility than the first, we're all square.

13.15: A long deuce game falls to Vigrass and gives her some breathing space.

13.10: That's better from Vigrass. Despite having a couple of game points herself, Hird can't deal with several pacey Vigrass forces. A glorious backhand drive to the dedans from the tambour corner seals a two game lead.

13.05: You remember that Hird nick railroad service at the end of the first set? Well there's three more for the marker to make up for it. A love game for Vigrass. She takes the next to 30 too, but I'm not going to say that either oozed confidence.

12.58: Hird battles through the second game, and then in the third, we're back to the nervy Vigrass. At deuce, another couple of wafted forehands from the service end are given the treatment by the Hird cut, and it's Hird who now goes ahead.

12.54: And there's the difference. In the first game of the second Vigrass immediately reverts to striking through the ball with authority and takes the game easily.

12.48: But the winner I was going to pick at 5 all was Hird. She pulls back to deuce, but it's as much to do with the consistency of her striking as it is to do with some really tentative prodding by Vigrass here. On the next point, with serve, Vigrass floats a couple of fairy backhands off the back wall, the second of which is suitably dealt with, cut to chase seven. Hird closes out the set with a ball into the tambour corner.

12.45:.......well, not after Vigrass beats my typing and goes 40-15 as she can't get her body out of the way of ball that rebounds off the back wall.

12.41: At 30 all in the next, Vigrass loses the serve. Attacking last gallery in a long rest, the Vigrass forehand is pushing a bit at the ball. Hird gets too many back and eventually it's Vigrass who can't get one off the winning gallery wall. Vigrass loses chase seven and it's a decider. I'm not going to pick a winner, thank you. 

12.36: Vigrass takes the first two points of the ninth, beating first chase 7, then chase six. A service winner followed by a railroad nick pull it back to 30 all. Practice does make perfect after all! Although, having said that, she almost nails the marker with the next effort. Anyway, she takes the game to stay in the set.

12.33: A couple more volley returns from Vigrass and a missed volley from Hird give Vigrass a 40 love lead in the eighth. Hird then swings her racquet against the floor in frustration. She pulls back to 30-40 but then nets attacking chase last gallery. Vigrass has a two game lead for the first time.

12.25: Vigrass is hitting some strong clean shots, but can't get away. Hird has a couple of game points in the seventh, but a Vigrass forehand volley return crosscourt is too good when she has one of her own.  

12.17: They share the next two. In the fifth, at 30-15 down, Hird opts to leave a ball attacking hasard 3 which falls hasard two. Not the best judgement. She promptly loses the game.

12.15: Vigrass hits back with authority to level to love from the service end.

12.08: It was a good dinner. Anyway, we're off and running, Hird serving. A long first rally is won by Hird off the tambour. She goes on to take the game to 15 forcing errors from Vigrass attacking chases 7 and 11. 

12.03: The end of the week is nigh, although we have the pleasure of an additional hour of it. Or, to quote a fuzzy eyed Tayt Baldwin to Philippe Travis a few minutes ago: 'Dude, it's only noon, not one o'clock.'

Today's schedule of play:

18.00 Men's Doubles qualifying match: P Sarlangue/Benkemoun v Knox/Rich Smith

19.30 Men's Doubles Quarter Final: Ronaldson/Kemp v Ricardo Smith/Sayers

Knox/Smith bt Benkemoun/P Sarlangue 6-0 6-5

Ricardo Smith/Sayers bt Ronaldson/Kemp 6-1 6-3

Today's Schedule:

M2R: Knox v Kemp 6/2 6/0 6/3
M2R: Virgona v Pinsent 6/0 6/1 6/0
M2R: Riviere v Ronaldson 6/2 6/2 6/5
MDQF: Knox/Smith v Wood/Wright 4/6 3/6
M2R: Fahey v P Sarlangue 6/2 6/1 6/0
M2R: Matthews v Chinneck 6/2 6/1 6/1

20.47: Chinneck looking resigned to defeat out there. Another missed volley (of which there have been rather too many) from Chinneck gives Matthews three match points. The first is saved with a dink down the line, but attacking last gallery, Matthews thumps it into hasard 2nd. And it's all over. Rather more one sided than it could have been, but that's the tell-tale of a man in form. Next up for Matthews in the singles, a quarter-final against his doubles partner, Master Riviere. But before that, they'll be teaming up for the doubles semi's tomorrow. But first up at 11am, it's Sayers v Wright. A demain.

20.43: Another marathon deuce game goes the way of Matthews to lead 3-1. And he takes the next too. This could be over in time for the football at this rate.

20.21: Matthews running away with this at the moment at 5-1. He's making mistakes but Chinneck's making more at the moment. He needs to find another gear if he's to get into this. He's struggling with the clutch though. Matthews wins a deuce game to take the set, and then the first game of the third.

19.58: Chinneck pulls one back, but in the blink of an eye that's the set gone. Chinneck takes the first game of the second from deuce with a fine retrieval off the tambour followed up by a straight force. Not a lot of targets being hit here and Matthews getting the better of most of the rests. He leads 3-1.

19.52: Another love game followed by one to 15 sees Matthews steal ahead 3-1. Much scampering from side to side by both players. Cracking rally, at least 20, but some  great defensive work from Matthews at the receiving end, sees him go up 40-15, then take the game with a precise backhand volley into the winning gallery corner. He leads 5-1.

19.43: Interesting one now, Matthews against Chinneck. Both guys training hard and Matthews fresh from his first ever victory over a top five player, having beaten Nick Wood in the European Open last week. Solid start from the number 7 seed, taking the first game to love. But Chinneck comes right back with a love game of his own to square it.

19.30: A little less joking now from Sarlangue. At 4-0 looks like he's desperate to avoid the final set doughnut. But doughnut it is. A good match from Sarlangue, but Mission Possible it was always going to be. Next up for Fahey, Paul Knox.

19.12: The champ is certainly being forced to break (at least a little bit) of sweat here as Sarlangue is putting up a good struggle here. Still doesn't stop Fahey from taking the set 6-1 though.

18.55: That's the first set. Straightforward as you like. Sarlangue takes a 40-0 lead in the first game of the second, but three dedans returns of serve in a row whistle past and ends that chance. 

M2R: Sayers (5) v P Wright 5/6 6/1 6/0 6/2

M2R: Wood (4) v Rich Smith 4/6

M2R: Ricardo Smith (6) v Benkemoun 6/0 6/0 6/0

MDSF: Fahey/Virgona (1) v Wood/Wright w/o

MDSF: Riviere/Matthews (2) v Smith/Sayers 5/6 4/6

20.43: One unforced error apiece from Cam and Ben allows Smith and Sayers to take the service at 30-15. A winning forehand from Sayers earns a first match point. And that's enough! Matthews can't get back a low tambour shot and Smith and Sayers continue their assault on both singles and doubles titles. Can they get revenege for their defeat in the final of the World Doubles? Will Fahey and Virgona, without a match following their walkover today prove rusty? Who knows. We shall know Saturday afternoon. Til tomorrow. Bonsoir.

20.38: And so it proves. In the blink of an eye, the well-oiled pairing of Smith and Sayers roar back and take the next three games. They're just one away now from a first Open final.

20.35: Riviere and Matthews go 4-2 up. But I wouldn't say it's a solid lead yet!

20. 28: There's nothing in this at all. They're exchanging changes here. 3-2.

20.25: Cam thumps a forehand at Ricardo covering second gallery and gets the colonel's steely eye in response. But a 30-0 lead is wiped out by the Riviere forehand error off the return and then a bum call of 'up' from Matthews to a ball which sails into the dedans. 30 all. After a two set points for Cam and Ben, Smith and Sayers have one of their own, serving. Cam takes charge of a forehand in the grille corner, nails it cross court, but who's there to kill a volley winner into the the winning gallery corner? Yes, the Colonel Smith himself. And that's the first set, 6-5.

20.16: Cam and Ben eke out a 5-3 lead thanks to a few Sayers errors from the back of the court and some solid forcing from Matthews. But then Sayers and Smith come back again. It's 5 all.

19.56: Cagey start from both pairings. Riviere and Matthews sneak into a 3-0 lead after a couple of long deuce games, only to to be pegged back to 3 all by some fine Smith forcing.

19.23: Rob and Steve start us off with a quick demonstration of boasting off the tambour, but now make way for the number 2 seeds against this year's World Doubles Finalists, Sayers and Smith. Best of 3.

18.12: After a lengthy break, news is that Nick's back has not managed to sort itself out in time for this evening's doubles semi-final and he's had to withdraw. Steve and Rob go straight into the final then where they will meet the winners of tonight's other semi which will kick off at about 19.20 local time.

14.49: And, with a high under-arm twist that falls on the bang on the service box line, the colonel seals a triple bagel in just 36 minutes. Next up for Ricardo, it's Virgona, and if he can play like that tomorrow, there's no reason why he can't trouble the number three seed!

14.44: All credit to Benkemoun, he's fighting away, but Ricardo's not letting up at all. 4-0.

14.34: Benkemoun's not playing too badly now, but Ricardo's not letting have anything. That's the second set too, and I think the Benkemoun only got three points in that one. 

14.24: Well that's just ruthless from the Colchester colonel. By my reckoning that's an 8 minute set. 6/0. At 2/0 down, Benkemoun pulls out the first top-spin, a volley return of serve that loops off the back wall and is sent straight into the winning gallery. 

14.18: Not an unorthodox shot in sight so far from Benkemoun. He probably needs to start getting them out though. It's 4-0.

14.14: A question for the next match. Will Smith be able to cope with the slightly unorthadox topspin approach from Benkemoun or could it overhaul him?! Conor Medlow. Don't know, but it annoys the life out of me.

13.58: The news from the dressing room is that it's a back spasm that did for Nick. It doesn't seem too serious though, and he should be ok for tonight's doubles. I'm not up on the calculations, but it may well have done for Nick's chances of getting into the eliminators.

13.42: It can't go on is the answer. At deuce in the next game Nick walks up to the net and shakes the marker's hand. He then throws his racquet into the gallery. A real, real shame.

13.39: Smith finally starts making Wood play some more balls, and Wood's not up for the long rallies, he's just chipping it into the corners. Not sure how long this can go on for. Smith takes the set 6/4.

13.30 As Wood cuts another precise forehand into the corner, Smith asks himself what he's doing. Good question. Nick's barely moving at all out there, but Smith's trying too hard to exploit this and giving him too many loose balls. And the Silver Fox is too wily to miss those. It's 4 a piece. 

13.24: Wood's back doesn't seem to be getting any better, and at the moment he's doing nothing more than shuffling round the court and hardly going for anything in the corners. Still only 3 though. Smith seems as inhibited by Wood's injury as Wood himself.

13.15: It's Smith fastest out of the blocks, taking the opening two games. Wood takes the third thanks to two consecutive Smith forces that rattle around the dedans' lips and then out, but at the beginning of the fourth, pulls up short with what seems like a back twinge. There's a brief pause, but Wood continues. He's moving very gingerly, but Smith lets him off the hook and three unforced errors allow Wood to draw level.

13.00: Next up, following some rather functional reportage from Smith (very pun-lite after the earlier big-up) in the latter half of the last match, Wood against the Richer Smith. About to get under way, Wood wants to know why there are no RTC members in the galleries....one in particular. The question on everyone's lips is can Wood put last week's chastening defeat to student Matthews out of his mind and keep hold of that final eliminator position ahead of Sayers?

Its over Sayers takes the 4th set 6/2.

12:40 4-1 Sayers clinical stuff from the number 5 seed this match is all but over.....

12:34 Peter ends Sayers 14 game streak by picking up the third game of the 4th set 1/2. Can he mount a last push to keep this match alive?

12.26 Can someone smell fire?? And no its not Ricardo burning his liverpool shirt its heat coming from Sayers racket as he crushes another crisp volley in the grille. 1-0 4th set.

12.24 The Sayers steam train rolls in..... takes the third set 6-0! Is there any way back for Peter now??

12.15 All Sayers now - takes a 3 game lead.

12.07 Sayers on top now 6-1 second set, although its only 1 set all!

12.04: Sayers finding his range here now. He forges ahead 5/1.

11.58: Although the credit for the first email must go to the ever reliable Ross Brown. The answer to his two questions being, in reverse order, gutted, and Simon.

11.57: I was wondering how the trusted pairing of Ricardo and Bryn will approach their doubles match later on - will they play each ball on its merit, or will they try to make a turkey of Bernard Matthews, the weaker player, by targeting him? Also, does Camden stay quiet on court, or does Riviere babble on? - I'll get my coat. Simon Edmond, clearly an afficionado of BBC text commentary.....as we all are. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all. 

11.53: Sayers grinds out the next two games.

11.47: Wright looking even more confident on the volley (if that's possible) and he storms through the first game of second. At 40 years young, he's giving away 16 years on Sayers, but on the court it doesn't look like that now! Although he's not the oldest man in the tournament is he. 

11.43: Wright goes 30 love up. Sayers draws level. But Sayers can't handle the next two straight forces, and that's the first set.

11.31: Sayers is high and wide with his forces at the moment. Two more ping pong off the penthouse.  Wright has two points for 5-3 at 40-15 but can't take either of them and Sayers draws level. He takes the next too with some solid groundstrokes. Wright goes 40-30 up in the 10th game and then puts away a clean straight volley into the grille. 5 all. 

11.27: This time it's Wright with the unforced errors, gifting Sayers some soft points to concede the game. But then Wright bounced straight back to take the seventh game. Ding dong affair this is at the moment.

11.22: Sayers takes the first game to love, and then, easy as you like, takes the next. Wright wriggles into the next game at deuce and takes it at the first opportunity. Two more follow in quick succession for Wright helped by some uncharacteristic errors off the floor from Sayers and a thumping smash volley into the dedans from the winning gallery corner from Wright.

11.05: Morning, morning. If there is anyone out there, myself and Ricardo would love to hear from you in the spirit of interactivity at jeudepaumesquash@orange.fr. Ricardo has a whole list of frankly atrocious puns lined up for the coming days (which he is unashamedly proud of), so any help in forestalling them is most welcome.

Today's Schedule:

MQF: Fahey (1) v Knox (8) 6/2 6/1 6/0

MQF: Virgona (3) v Ricardo Smith (6) 6/1 6/2 3/6 6/4

MQF: Riviere (2) v Matthews (7) 6/3 6/2 6/3

MQF: Sayers (5) v Rich Smith 6/0 6/2 6/1

21.11: Semi-finals day then tomorrow, when the much anticipated ladies event kicks into action too. Claire Vigrass up first against Nicola Cavill at 1pm, followed by Karen Hird and Freddy Adam. Then, starting at 18.30, Fahey v Sayers followed by Virgona v Riviere. Big question beings, what time will we all get to bed tomorrow? And will Smith finally come up with a pun worthy of his reputation? Ciao.

21.07: Oh my word. About to close out the match with a clinical love service game, and what does Sayers go and do? He only goes and shanks and backhand into the bottom of the net from the service end. A bit too cute that from many spectators' number one pin-up. But it's only a short reprieve. A grille the next point and we're done and dusted.

21.04: Smith takes out the long iron with the forces and pulls one back, but that's from a flickering candle that's about the snuffed......surely?

20.59: Smith has another couple of game points, but some great defensive work off the tambour on the backhand by Sayers sees them off, and takes the game. He takes the next too. It looks like the Sayers steam-train is headed in only one direction - and that's tomorrow evening's semi-final.

20.50: Smith opts to leave a Sayers force to chase 3 which arrows into the bottom of the dedans on game point in the second. Not going to win them like that  against the number 5 seed, that's for sure. And he doesn't.

20.42: It's a change of tactics. Smith's not hitting hard any more, he's hitting harder instead. But Sayers is like a wolf in sheep's clothing, and he's gobbling up this pace. He whistles into a 5/2 lead, and then closes it out to love.

20.33: Smith's up and running. Better late than never.

20.23. It's a bagel. Happy munching Brownie! And Sayers continues on his merry way with the opening game of the second. Smith might be regretting that return trip  to Toulouse if he doesn't get into this match soon.

20.20: Sayers smacks three backhand volleys in a row into the grille on his way to a 5-0 lead.

20.14: Sayers out of the blocks considerably faster than he was yesterday against Wright. Obviously gave himself a bit of a bit of roasting after that.....if that's physically possible. Anyway, he leads 3-0.

20.06: A six minute opening game that. I think even the marker's loving the prospect of long, tight one here. Game points for both players, but it's the number 5 seed who eventually opens the scoring.

20.00 And were off!

19:48 Its over Camden books his place in the semi-finals, the scoreline looks convincing but Ben will know he had chances tonight.... Anyways a big match now.... Bryn Sayers (touring pro - seacourt) v's Richard Smith (head pro - Newport RI)

19:44 Ben has had chances galore in this set but just has not converted them Camden without being at his best is now close to victory! 5-3 to the european open champion.

In answer to Kens question... Is Cam taking out there doubles loss on Ben? obviously im going to say it didnt matter either way as Smith and Sayers were just class! but.... I dont think so there both very keen on there singles game and have put that loss to the back of there minds! its now 3-3

Oh and after a 15min deuce game Cam edges it to pull it back to 2/3... Again chances for Ben though.

In answer to Simon Edmonds question - i think Steve Ronaldson is the best pro with his weaker hand he plays off a very impressive 16! however Adrian Kemp or 'skeeter mcsquid' as he calls himself plays off 60.

'Watching Cam and Ben on court is like watching the borrowers play tennis' thank you to Ross Brown for that classic!

19.25 he doesn't just make fantastic turkey twizzlers he plays tennis to! 'Bernard Matthews' 3-1 Ben with points for 4-1....

19.15 Ben to his credit has started this set well, takes a well deserved 2/1 lead in the 3rd set. a comeback maybe??

19.07 And thats the set 6/2 a long way back for Ben here.... Bryn and Rich begin to prepare for the final match of the evening.

19.03 The first sign of anger from Ben as he slams his custom green racket into last gallery! 5-2 Cam now but it has been scrappy with chances for Ben to get closer! Neither player at his best but still some good tennis!

18:53 Ben needs to be careful here - 2 quick games from Cam and he takes control of the second set at 3-1. Big next game ahead....

18:47 Welcome to the gun show!! Ben is hitting the ball very hard but can he keep this postive play up towards the end of the set?? 1-1 second set.

18:39  Thank you Ted Alexander for this comment 'this set is as tight as Matty Ronaldsons shorts'  However a double fault at a crucial point hands Cam a chance to take the first set... Which he has just taken 6/3.

18:35 3-2 Cam now! Ted Alexander has called for more gags... Its all a bit tight on court at the moment for gags.... But Teddy they will come dont you worry!

18:29 Close start Cam just infront at the moment! Ben is targeting the backhand of Cam at the moment.

18.26: first game Riviere and it was an epic... game points both ways!

18.20 fresh from my defeat i am here with Paul Knox ready for your questions!! please email your questions over.... good start from Matthews!

16.04: And bad news for all you bagel fans, Smith did in fact avoid it in the first. Still, you can't have it all. Bit of a break now. Next on is the yesterday's beaten doubles finalists, Riviere and Matthews at 18.00.

15.58: Virgona's trying to close this out as quick as he can, but Smith's having none it. Some great retrieving at the tambour end sees Smith take the service at 15-0 down. He then misses a forehand round mainwall-backwall and is punished for that. Was that his last chance? Yes, great players like Virgona don't let you get away with that, and two points later it's all over. A great effort by Smith worthy of a doubles finalist. For Virgona, he's into the semi's.  

15.54: That's Faheyesque from Smith......three dedans in a row followed by a service winner. In the next, Virgona nets four forehands in a row. This match isn't dead yet! 

15.52: Ricardo starts off the game with two clean dedans. But at 30 all, Virgona drifts a backhand into the winning gallery and then smacks a forehand into the grille. He's just one game away now.

15.50: Virgona hits back with a love game from the service end with three clinical winners.

15.45: How fine are the margins of life.....and sport. That must be the fifth time in the last two games he's hit the top of net with volleys destined for winners. He falls 3-1 behind. Virgona then picks up two volleys in a row running into the tambour, but it can't stop Smith from winning the point and taking the game.

15.42: All of which means that Ross Brown's craving for bagels is set to remain unsatisfied for a while yet. Virgona nicks a deuce game to nose ahead.

15.34: Many apologies for the hiatus. Technology failing induced lunch break. Although Ricardo may thank me for having disappeared, because his Liverpool shirt and Bryn's forehand are not the only things to have been on fire this week. The Colonel's volley is too. Having lost the second set 6-2, he's taken the third 6-3, and we're level in the fourth.

14.51: Virgona fires back with a love game. A long deuce game in the third is finished by Virgona with two grilles and a grille corner put away.

14.44: He's on the board. A easy put away into the grille corner gets the new Paris pro off the mark.

14.42: Smith goes between his legs for the third time already this set. He obviously likes that one. Doesn't stop the dreaded bagel though.

14.38: Sorry, wi-fi problems. All sorted now. Lots of long rallies......but Virgona's winning about 90% of them at the moment.

14.12: No question about it, Knox played well, but what can you do against Fahey? Warming up now, Virgona and Smith.

14.09: And that's it. Knox goes long on chase five and Fahey wraps it up with a love game.

14.06: All credit to Knox, he's hanging on in there. He manages to sneak a 40-15 lead in the fifth, but Fahey forces the next and then, off a fine Knox volley return into the corner, steers it effortlessly into the middle of the grille. Only one away now.

14.02: Knox looks like he's run out ideas as he slaps a bunch of forces straight into the net. And who can blame him. Only a dodgy back's going to save him now. 

13.57: Knox has a couple of game points in the second, but then Fahey goes round his back in the winning gallery corner and goes off the main wall into the dedans. Quite ridiculous. Knox throws his racquet into the dedans in disgust.

13.50: Fahey must have a bad leg, because he's only swinging off one at the moment. He then brings out the blind man's stick for a not up, but up or down Fahey's still pounding away.

13.46: The fans have got the binoculars out for the marker......or Smith and Matthews have anyway. Knox digs out a game point, but Fahey pops him back in his box. 5-1.

13.41: Remember jeudepaumesquash@orange.fr if you've got anything amusing or esoterical to add to proceedings.

13.36: A dive into the corner from Knox on game point allows him to get a racquet on a Fahey cut and steer it into the grille. But then he gifts Fahey a string of free points on the return of serve. The champ's not going to turn those down.

13.32: A loud crack has Fahey look at his racquet mind rally. He still works a chase out of it, then bends it back into shape against the gallery wall, and smacks too more dedans. Not much wrong with it then.  

13.24: After a sluggish start the first set zips by. Knox hasn't done a lot wrong, but he'll be getting neck ache soon watching these forces fly in either side.

13.16: There's three of them though. And a couple more. And that's a cracker: Fahey smashes a missed Knox force off the penthouse from last gallery flat into the grille corner. Not much to be done about that one.

13.13. Fahey's forcing radar is off at the moment. But Knox, despite a couple of games points in the fourth, can't take advantage. All square.

13.02: Fahey starts off with a couple of fizzing volley returns, but it's Knox who wins the opening game. No sign of nerves here from the young Radley assistant. He takes the second too.

12.02 First match up starts at 13h, in an hour. News from the dressing room is that Camden has been running into walls again (he needs a padded court, obviously) and his right wrist has swollen up overnight, but he'll be playing. Sturdy fellow.

Today's Schedule:

13.00 C Vigrass (1) v Cavill 6/2 6/1

K Hird (2) v Adam 6/3 6/4

18.30: Fahey (1) v Sayers (5) 6-3 6-2 6-4

Riviere (2) v Virgona (3) 5/6 6/3 4/6 6/3 6/1

email: jeudepaumesquash@orange.fr

23.17: Just wanted to say thanks for the commentary from Camden's dad, mom and uncle- all following from different places.  We just love this tension.  Why does he do this to us??? La famille Riviere. Why does he do it to any of us? That's at least 3 glasses of wine I wouldn't have drunk had he done it in straight sets. Ok, enough enough. Tomorrow's doubles finals day. First up at 13H Vigrass and Adam against Hird and Cavill. Followed by Virgona/Fahey against Smith/Sayers. Can they avoid the triple bagel?.......Smith muses. Fahey/Virgona, that is. A demain!

23.10. Two match pôints Rivere. Defending chase the door, Steve offers a tired lunge at a ball into his backhand corner. He digs it out but it's only mid-court.....and that's an easy put away for the world number 2. And it's all over. A fantastic match, but in the end Virgona just ran out of steam. Riviere's not number two in the world for nothing!

23.06: No question now. Virgona would have got Cam's shot into the service forehand corner a set ago, but now it slips by for chase two. A couple more errors from Virgona and Riviere's just one game away now.

23.03: Same pattern out there right now. Cam's not doing anything different to the last four sets, it's just Steve's giving him a lot of free points. He looking tired out there.

23.01: All this hard work and what do I get offered? - American Budweiser. Now there's a slap in the face if ever there was one.

22.59: Despite taking the third game, Virgona shows his frustrations with his play at the beginning of the fourth with a loud 'come on' as he nets another forehand.

22.55: Virgona's certainly looking the more ragged of the two out there at the moment. Too many unforced errors coming from his racquet and Cam, whilst not quite at his best, is taking full advantage of them.

22.52: Cam rips off his shirt at the change of ends to whistles from the balcony. Calm down Knoxy.

22.49: One will do. Two sets all it is. Was it ever going to be anything else?

22.48: Riviere goes 30 love up from the receiving end. Virgona then calls a double hit on himself in the forehand corner to give Cam three set points.

22.40: For info: Camden has been wearing a brace during the day but is not playing with it. Thanks Temple. I've taken two of the drinks in exchange for one of the nibbles. Another ropey game from Virgona there. Too many return nets let Cam off the hook. He's one away from the fifth set.

22.33: I called it Cam in 5 sets.  My prediction is coming true.  This sounds like a repeat of the first eliminator match between Cam and Steve in 2008.  They just can't get enough of each other. Ken Forton. I'll mention it to Ashley. I'm sure she'll be happy to share. Steve pulls two back though. I guess he's not keen on a repeat.

22.25: 'Shot selection' Virgona says, berating himself as he loses the fifth game. It's certainly gone a bit scrappy in this fourth set, but Riviere's nibbling happily away at these.

22.22: Temple, as we all know, the marker is God. And, four glasses in, who are any of us to question that.

22.16: Did that effort take it out of Steve? He drops the opening game of the fourth easily. Despite a yelp of pain from Camden as he runs into another wall (surely that's not what they were built for!) and proceeds to open up a 3-0 lead. Five sets anyone?

22.13. This is, of course, designed for you compulsive refreshers. Cam nicks it. But he can't compete in the next. Virgona has the service and takes the set to fifteen.

22.09: Cam saves the first with some sensational retrieving from the receiving end. One gone. Contention now. Virgona hits a forehand off what appears to be the bandeau. Cam stops. The marker calls it having hit the door post. Virgona's not happy, but he can't do anything about it. Deuce.

22.07: 40-15 Steve, two points for the second set!

22.02: In answer to Temple's question as to whether Cam's hand is hindering his performance, the answer must be yes, but only in the mortal's world. He can't hit the double handed volley return, that's for sure, but then there are enough off the back wall for Cam to wheel round and use his force anyway.

21.55: In my next life I want to be born a leftie! Cam pounds the tambour and the winning gallery corner, but Virgona gets it all back.....and, as the coup to grace, slots a running forehand volleys a ball off the tambour into the dedans. He's fired up now, and he reels off three quick games to lead 5-2.

21.48: Cam goes for a double handed volley return, shanks it into the bottom of the net, and then shakes his hand. He's been keeping his fractured right hand off all volleys til now. I suspect he'll keep doing so after that one. Virgona pounds the dedans and draws level.

21.45: This is great stuff. Both players covering the whole court. But it's Riviere's who's in full flow now! Now that, Smithy, is a pun.

21.40: Yes he can! It's one apiece.

21.35: Ms Adam flinches up on the balcony when Cam skies a volley, although it doesn't come within 20 feet of her. Say no more. Riviere steals to within one game of the set.......again. Can he close this one out? 

21.32: Don't stop emailing! - this could go on a while, and one can get lonely with just a keyboard in the dark.

21.27: Another deuce game goes the way of Riviere with a nick serve. At 15 all in the next, Cam sprints up to first gallery and plonks a simple put away into the net. Ooohs from the galleries. He goes on to lose the game too.

21.24: You'd need a good miscroscope to start splitting the hairs of these two. Was it ever going to be otherwise? Just as in the first, Cam goes 3-1 up but can't get away from the Aussie. Londoners know how that feels!

21.18: Smith and Sayers up on the balcony watching on with interest. Hoping that Virgona wins in three, no doubt, so as he's fresh for tomorrow's doubles.

21.14: In response to various comments, hands are only full with the finest.....surely that's mitigation enough? Virgona goes high and wide with a couple of forces and Riviere's not going to miss those.

21.11: That's a stonker! Cam, at full stretch, smacks a backhand from under the winning gallery - mainwall-dedans. He levels up the second.

21.05: At 30 all, Virgona misses a force that come out to chase 13. Riviere woods his next forehand volley and, at the receiver's end can't dig out a Virgona cut into grille corner. First blood Virgona. Of course, he's tasted that before and not got a full meal.

21.01: Riviere forces a volley error from Virgona attacking chase three to earn his first set point. Virgona then puts away a missed force to stave that one off. He does the same next point and Riviere then dumps the next return into the net. It's a decider.

20.57: Virgona double faults on game point. Thrashes another forehand into the bottom of the net on his next, but third time lucky it is. He beats chase second to pull one back.

20.52: Both players giving it the 'Come ons'.....although Riviere's is a bit more supressed than Virgona's. These little guys eh! They exchange games again.

20.47: Has anyone every tried typing with tajine in one hand and a glass of Goule in the other? It's not easy. Anyway, I've got one free now at least. Virgona slam dunks a forehand from first gallery into the grille corner to take the fifth, but Riviere's got the service and he keeps his two game advantage in the next.

20.39: Riviere sweeps through the next and a wild forehand volley into the bottom of the net from Virgona allows him to open up at 3-1 lead.

20.36: And that's Riviere's first. A carbon copy of Virgona's. 

20.32: Interrupting dinner this one. Oh well, we'll just stick with the Pol. Virgona opens up by taking the first from deuce.

20.07 RING THE BELL THIS ONES OVER! The champ can now put his feet up and watch the battle of the left handers! Im heading up to the top gallery for this one so i will hand you over to Simon Marshall who will commentate on the big one! Cam or Steve??? 15 minute break and we will be under way!

I hope you all enjoyed the commentary. Ricardo :)

20.03 5-4 Rob, Bryn just wont go away! can he keep his composure....

19.57 A future champion? I think so! When you have been on the end of Faheys brutal forcing for the last 10minutes it takes something special to keep going and believing... Bryn has done just that 3-4 the score now!

19.52 2,3,4...5 forces in a row Sayers cant keep the fifth out and Rob wins another game that Sayers has had game points in! when the champ decides (and gets the chances) to hit out like this there is nobody out there can stop this! 4-1

19.45 Fahey has not been at his brutal best today, but that is credit to Sayers who really has deserved more than the score suggests. The champ takes a 2-1 lead in the third.

19.39 Good to hear from you Temple and everyone at the princes court (ive still never been there!). The third set has started as the rest have ..... tight! But my doubles partner is obviously beginning to work out the weakness's in the champs game before our big doubles final tomorrow!

19.35 Fahey wraps up the second set 6-2, its the same story for you Sayers fans out there.... plenty of chances but his conversion rate today has not quite been good enough. However he is 17 years younger... could he pull off the impossible?

First predictions are in 'I'm predicting Cam will prevail in 5 sets.  And it will be jawdropping' Ken Forton Boston RTC.

No prediction here but a very interesting opinion 'Virgona's backhand could shave the bristles from a kiwi friut and its
fantastic watching those forces. Hopefully he doesn't beat himself up too
much if there is a replay of the few forehand errors we saw yesterday...' Matt Loftus Philadelphia RTC

19.27 What odds on 6-3 Fahey this set? This is identicall to the first set! I ask the question again - can Bryn keep this pressure on?

19.15 Fahey back infront - this has a similar feel to the first set, can Sayers keep the pressure into the later stages of this set? Thinking ahead slightly does anyone have any predictions on the next match???? 3-1 Fahey as i write....

19.06 In the blink of an eye the set is over! 2 perfect railroads, 1 Sayers mistake and a perfectly weighted shot underneath the winning gallery gives the champ the opening set. Sayers starts the second set well 1-0 can he keep his nose infront?

19.05 Again Sayers has chances to tie level but does not quite convert them! 5-3 Rob and closing in on the first set.

18.55 Credit to Sayers he is very much in this first set and playing some fantastic tennis. But can he close this 2 game gap?

18.49 Fahey pulling away a  bit now 3-1 up! Bryn needs to stay with him. But can anybody stop this man thrashing mainwall dedans in????

18.40 1-1 Power start from  Fahey takes the first game! Sayers bounces straight back with back to back winning galleries....

Still knocking up at the moment.... First email in thank you Matt i am assuming you are of course a Steve Virgona fan coming from Phili! 0-0 Play!!!

AS ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS..... email address is above :)

18.25 Its that time again Semi finals of the french open! First up we have the man who has won more titles than Matty Ronaldson has had sausage and egg mcmuffins..... Rob Fahey! He takes on Bryn Sayers a regular semi-finalist in all opens and will be a year wiser,stronger and more confident that he can go one better here in bordeaux this year.

15.12: A break until 18.30.

15.09: A couple more volley returns from Hird are too good for Adam, who then can't beat chase one on match point. And there we are, it's a Hird/Vigrass final.....a repeat of last year's semi. Hird will have to play a lot better on Sunday than she did today if she's any chance of going on step further than last year and winning the event.

15.04: That's better. Hird zings a couple of volley returns crosscourt into the corner to take the service, and two wild Freddy forehands bring Hird to within one game of the final.

14.59: This is not exactly pretty stuff.....from either girl. An occasional fizzing Adam winning is invariably cancelled out by a string of unforced errors. Must be difficult for Hird to find any rhythm......and she hasn't.

14.55: Three tambour shots in a row are too much for Hird and it's threes apiece.

14.49: Adam takes the next with a clinical crosscourt volley into the winning gallery corner. A lot of mishits on the backhand volley from Adam in this match. And there's another to gift Hird a game point in the fifth. She duly takes it when Adam can only scoop a forehand off the back wall into the net.

14.45: And there's a couple more railroads from Hird nailed into the 'line' post. The marker's loving this. Hird reverts to the demi-pique and promptly wins the third game. Maybe she should stick to that one.

14.39: No sooner having said this, Hird only goes and reels off three games on the trot to take the first set. A lot more consistency from the Bucks lass there forcing the errors from Adam.

14.34: These two are like Siamese twins right now.....there's nothing between them! 

14.27: Hird's stuck at the receiver's end, cutting into the corners with a 50% success rate at the moment. Hence the fact that we're all square.

14.19: The marker's seeing lots of these Hird railroads right now.....which is more than can be said for the penthouse. That's a long deuce game, which is finally put out of its misery when Hird nets three forehands on the return of serve. Adam's begun. 

14.12: Adam needs to get rid of that lead in her legs, as it's evidently stopping her from running right now.

14.07: Next up, the second semi. Hird starts proceedings with a love game receiving.

13.50: Cavill has 30 love in the sixth game, but can't take advantage. And it's the same in the seventh too. In fact, there's three games points for Cavill. But she can't take any of them, and in a little under 45 minutes Vigrass completes a routine victory to advance into Sunday's final.

13.42: Lots of 30 all games here and long rallies, but it's Vigrass who's winning them. 

13.28: After another sluggish start to the day (apologies to the ladies) we are, needless to say, under way. And with a certain predictability, Vigrass the younger (although, rarely, not the taller) takes the opening set, 6-2.

16.32: Back tomorrow for the singles finals. Claire Vigrass v Karen Hird at 12pm, followed by Fahey v Riviere (episode 40 odd) at 14pm. See ya.

16.29: Fahey and Virgona ruthlessly efficient, although I suspect Sayers and Smith will be disappointed with both the score and how they played. Not that they played badly, but when you're up against Fahey and Virgona it has to be the best.......and it wasn't today.

16.26: Yet another Virgona forehand volley into the grille corner, and Sayers' retrieval goes high high high, and it's all over.

16.22: They're wriggling in the noose. SS fend off one match point on their way to pulling one back. And that's another saved in the next. Fahey, of all people, popping a simple forehand volley at the receiver end into the net.

16.17: Champagne stuff from Fahey! He swats a Smith mainwall-force straight back down the line. Sayers digs it out, but Virgona puts away the forehand. The world champ enjoyed that one.

16.13: That's great defence from SS, but FV are just pounding away into the corners. Two more deuce games. SS get the first, FV the next. That's four games in a row FV have had the service and they don't look as if they fancy the effort of walking down the other end either.

16.12: It's ok, Matthews has been informed of the Villa score. The is slipping away a bit quickly now. FV are dominating the service end and it's looking rather ominous for the under 30s.

15.59: What was I just saying about opportunities? Two more deuces come and go. On the twelfth, SS receiving, a close call on the hasard line is called a stroke. SS aren't happy with that one. And they'll be even less happy now. Virgona slam dunks a forehand volley into the grille corner to wrap up the set.  If it wasn't a mountain SS had to climb at the start, someone's just gone and stuck a hill on top to make it one now!

15.58: The Smith family are following online...Come on boys you can do it....Can't bare the tension!!!! Julia Hall. That's deuce number 10. Five game points apiece. And they're still not done!

15.48: FV get the better of another deuce game. SS definitely getting more into this and the rallies are getting longer, but they're going to have to take every single opportunity they get if they're to mount some sustained pressure. And they're just not doing it at the moment.

15.43: In answer's to Temple's question about doubles pairings......Nick Wood teamed up with Peter Wright this year but had to default because of a back spasm before their scheduled SF against Fahey and Virgona. Riviere lost with Matthews (his new long-term doubles partner) to SS in the semi's. Handy that, otherwise Matthews wouldn't have been able to flex his fine marking muscles this afternoon.

15.40. SS are at it again. They have a point to draw level in this set but Smith doubles faults. The world champions don't let them off this time. They can't get back a couple of stinging forces and the gap's two again.

15.36: They're off the mark! But not without making a bit of a meal of it. Smith slaps a half-paced forehand volley into the bottom of the net on their first game point (armchair critics, don't you love 'em), but they take it on next at deuce.

15.30: SS being overpowered right now. Are these errors forced or unforced? A bit of both. Sayers woods another forehand volley to give FV a two love lead.

15.25: Now that's pressure. SS go 40-15 up and then Sayers goes and dumps an easy forehand into the net at the service end. FV power through the next three points. A couple of errors from Sayers at the service end and that's the opening set.

15.21: SS get to deuce in the next but can't fashion a game point. FV targetting the Smith volley which is a bit erratic at the moment.

15.18: FV have a strangehold on the service and make it pay with a couple of quick games.

15.14: A long opener goes the the world champions, Virgona nailing a string of forehands at Smith's backhand defending the grille, getting harder and harder each one.

15.07: Players on court warming up. Steve looking a little tired after yesterday's exertions, so it should be fascinating to see if Smith and Sayers can exploit this over best of five sets. SS and FV we'll call them for short I think. SS to serve.

14.02: Surely not. A blistering Adam backhand into the forehand corner forces the error from Hird and takes the title. A comprehensive victory.

14.00: RTC pull one back, but it's only delayed the inevitable......surely??

13.53: Team Harrow nick the next from deuce. Unless Hird and Cavill can come up with something different, this one's all over.

13.48: Adam fails to put away a forehand at first gallery on game point RTC and is punished by a Hird force which Vigrass can't deal with. That's one back, but before you can say three-one, it's three one.

13.45: This is all going rather too quickly for Hird and Cavill. They've got no answer to the pace of the Vigrass forehand right now.

13.38: The RTC pairing finally get hold of the service end, but they're already 40-0 down. A Vigrass mainwall-dedans (at mach ten......at least) seals the game. And four points later that's the set. Didn't expect that after the first game. 

13.33: Hird/Cavill take the opening game but Vigrass and Adam slip into the groove after levelling it. Vigrass controlling the back of the court and Adam at the net. That's four games in a row now, and they're not letting go of the service at all.

13.21: Marathon knock up. That's almost as long as a Benkemoun/Smith first rounder. We're under way now though. Vigrass and Adam serving.

13.16: Here we are again. Rather too much daylight about for some of us after last night. Anyway, before we get to the boys, it's the ladies first. Straight final this.