French Double For Gouti & Serme In Marseille

Hosts France celebrated an unexpected double in the U19 finals of the French Junior Open when 5/8 seed Thibault Gouti won the men's title and top seed Camille Serme clinched the women's crown in Marseille.

Gouti made his breakthrough in the semi-finals, where he beat Switzerland's top seed Nicolas Mueller 9-3 9-4 9-4. In the final, the 18-year-old from Toulouse faced second seed Tom Hoevenaars, and soon found himself 1/2 down against the Dutchman.

But Gouti, in his first European Squash Federation Junior Circuit event final - and, a week before his 19th birthday, also his last - celebrated his maiden Open junior title in style by beating his opponent 9-8 3-9 0-9 9-3 9-3.

Camille Serme was keen to improve on her runner-up finish in last year's event - but was severely tested in the semi-finals where she twice had to come from behind before beating Slovakia's Linda Hruzikova 3-9 9-1 8-9 9-1 9-0.

The 16-year-old from Creteil, winner of the British U17 Junior Open title in January, faced compatriot Soraya Renai in the final, where she beat the second seed 9-5 6-9 10-8 9-7.

Men's U19 final:
[5/8] Thibault Gouti (FRA) bt [2] Tom Hoevenaars (NED) 9-8, 3-9, 0-9, 9-3, 9-3

Women's U19 final:
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [2] Soraya Renai (FRA) 9-5, 6-9, 10-8, 9-7