FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, Courtesy Sportworx
The final day of the Queen & King of the Court Helsinki delivered a fitting conclusion to the season, with unpredictable rounds, shifting momentum and new champions crowned in both finals.
Dutch-led women’s final ends with Van Driel on top
The women’s final had a strong Dutch presence, with three Dutch players reaching the decisive rounds. The opening round was tight, with only a two-point gap at the top. Piersma and Poiesz started strongly, while the Norwegian duo was eliminated after finishing scoreless.
In round two, the Dutch teams took control. Van Driel/Moreno and Piersma/Poiesz claimed first and second place, setting the tone for the remainder of the final. The Queen & King of the Court format, developed in the Netherlands, once again suited the Dutch players well. The Americans stayed close, while Lithuania was eliminated.
An ultimate defensive save by Van Driel during the women’s final of Queen & King of the Court in Helsinki.
The final round quickly shifted in favour of Van Driel and Moreno, who built an early gap. The American team pushed late but could not close it. Piersma and Poiesz recovered in the final minutes to reach seven points. When the clock hit zero, Van Driel and Moreno led with fourteen points, ahead of the Americans on ten.
For Emi van Driel, the victory capped a strong period. Earlier this month she was crowned Queen in London, and with her win in Helsinki she closed the Queen & King of the Court tour of 2025 as champion.
Germany surprises in men’s final
The men’s final produced several unexpected turns. Estonia’s Tiisaar/Korotkov were eliminated in the opening round, a major surprise after a strong group phase on Friday and with a large Estonian crowd in attendance.
The newly formed duo Plavins/Pieper, assembled after Tilo was forced to withdraw due to injury, finished fourth. Their performance highlighted one of the strengths of the Queen & King of the Court format: new and unexpected partnerships can succeed on short notice.
Germany claimed the win through Reinhardt and Sievers. Reinhardt’s serving pressure and Sievers’ high-powered attacking proved decisive. Veteran Kantor finished second alongside his new partner Lejawa. Capogrosso and Tocs completed the podium in third place with an entertaining style of play.
Looking ahead to Utrecht
After the season finale in Helsinki, Queen & King of the Court will return next year with stops in Stockholm, Hamburg and Utrecht, with more locations to be announced.
