Victor Crouin & Tinne Gilis Retain European Championships Titles

Victor Crouin and Tinne Gilis both secured their third ESF European Individual Championships titles in Chartres, France.

Frenchman Crouin, who won the last two European Individuals finals in Wroclaw, Poland and Cuenca, Spain, in 2023 and 2024, sealed his hat-trick courtesy of a 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, 11-5 victory over compatriot Baptiste Masotti.

For Belgium's Gilis, she faced her sister Nele Gilis-Coll for the 20th time in their senior careers and began her season on a high note with a 11-4, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5 triumph.

World no.11 Crouin came into the men's final with momentum and history on his side. Just two weeks ago, he sealed his second World Games gold medal in Chengdu, China, and boasted a 5-0 career record against his French team-mate.

Crouin also has a proud record at the C'Chartres Squash et Badminton venue, having won the last three French National Championships at the club.

Masotti had endured a marathon five-game semi-final victory over Iker Pajares lasting 91 minutes, while Crouin had barely broken sweat when his semi-final opponent Nicolas Mueller retired injured in the first game.

It was a surprise, therefore, when Masotti took a tight first game on a tiebreak in the final. But when top-seeded Crouin levelled the scores by winning the second 11-3, the momentum had swung.

Masotti put up a bigger fight in the third, but the fourth slipped away pretty rapidly and Crouin lifted his arms aloft to celebrate a four-game triumph and a third European Individuals title.

"The goal was to win both the World Games and the European Championships - I got the job done but it wasn't easy!" said Crouin.

"Baptiste showed some mental strength in the last couple of days. It was a fierce battle but played in good spirit. It's a definitely a positive thing when all the French players are performing. As I often say, I wouldn't mind being French no.3 if I was no.5 in the world in the meantime!

"No doubt it's great to start the season but now it needs to translate in the bigger stages. My goal is to get back to the top eight as soon as possible."

Somewhat inevitably, the women's final was a battle between the top-seeded Gilis sisters Tinne and Nele, the current world no.7 and former world no.4 respectively.

Nele came into the match with a 17-2 advantage in the senior head-to-head records between the pair, but one of Tinne's two past victories was in their previous clash in a European Individuals final, in Hamburg in 2022.

It was the top seed who started stronger by taking the opener 11-4, then doubling her lead by winning a tiebreak in the second. Although Nele clawed her way back in the third, Tinne sealed the title in the fourth, 11-4, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5.

Afterwards, the champion said: "The atmosphere was great today, I think the crowd was appreciative of our efforts. Obviously we know each other's games inside out, and Nele knows how to test me physically. For me, it's all in the head. I must be careful not to rush and play the right shot when it's on. She's definitely one of the hardest players to face for me.

"Luckily the Europeans are early in the season, so I am still fresh mentally for the challenge! We are all very competitive, so it's great to win another title to start the season. My highest ranking is five so I'd like to make the top four this season, as well as winning a PSA Gold event."

France's 3/4 seed Melissa Alves earned the women's bronze medals courtesy of a 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 victory over Spain's Marta Dominguez. Pajares won the men's third-place play-off by default due to Mueller's injury.