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WSF World Junior Championships 2023 |
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World Junior Championship 2023, Melbourne Sports Centres, Melbourne,
Australia |
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World Junior Championships 2023
Men's Draw
18-29 Jul
Melbourne, Australia |
Final:
[3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK) bt [3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) 10-12, 14-12,
11-3, 11-6 (70m)
Semi-finals:
[3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt [5/8] Salman Khalil (EGY) 11-7, 11-6,
11-6 (44m)
[3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK) bt [9/16] Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) 11-8, 11-4,
10-12, 9-11, 13-11 (83m)
Quarter-finals:
[5/8] Salman Khalil (EGY) bt [1] Jonah Bryant (ENG) 15-13, 11-4,
11-8 (52m)
[3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt [5/8] Juan Jose Torres (COL) 11-8, 11-8,
11-7 (49m)
[3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK) bt [5/8] Joachim Chuah (MAS) 11-8, 9-11, 11-2,
12-10 (64m)
[9/16] Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) bt [9/16] Hollis Robertson (USA) 11-9,
6-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 (64m)
Last sixteen round:
[1] Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt [9/16] Yassein Shohdy (EGY) 11-7, 9-11,
11-9, 10-12, 11-5 (59m)
[5/8] Salman Khalil (EGY) bt [9/16] Rishi Srivastava (USA) 11-3, 11-7,
11-3 (30m)
[5/8] Juan Jose Torres (COL) bt [9/16] Omar Said Sobhy (EGY) 11-8, 11-8,
11-7 (39m)
[3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt Varun Chitturi (USA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8
(37m)
[3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK) bt José Santamaria (COL) 9-11, 11-2, 11-9, 8-11,
11-7 (60m)
[5/8] Joachim Chuah (MAS) bt [9/16] Kareem El Torkey (EGY) 3-11, 11-8,
11-7, 11-4 (43m)
[9/16] Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) bt [5/8] David Bernet (SUI) 8-11, 11-9,
11-6, 11-8 (68m)
[9/16] Hollis Robertson (USA) bt [2] Rowan Damming (NED) 7-11, 5-11,
11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (66m)
Click here for the
full results in the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships. |
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World Junior Championships 2023
Women's Draw
18-29 Jul
Melbourne, Australia |
Final:
[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [3/4] Aira Azman (MAS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-1
(31m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [3/4] Malak Khafagy (EGY) 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3
(55m)
[3/4] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
(28m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [5/8] Zeina Zein (EGY) 11-5, 11-5, 12-10
(42m)
[3/4] Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [5/8] Anahat Singh (IND) 10-12, 11-8, 11-7,
11-2 (36m)
[3/4] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [9/16] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) 11-4, 11-9, 11-6
(21m)
[2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt [5/8] Caroline Fouts (USA) 11-5, 14-12,
11-5 (34m)
Last sixteen round:
[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) bt [9/16] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) 12-10, 11-4,
11-2 (28m)
[5/8] Zeina Zein (EGY) bt [9/16] Madison Ho (USA) 11-5, 11-4, 13-15,
11-4 (41m)
[5/8] Anahat Singh (IND) bt [9/16] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY) 8-11, 11-2,
11-8, 9-11, 11-8 (52m)
[3/4] Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [9/16] Riya Navani (USA) 11-2, 11-7, 13-15,
11-1 (40m)
[3/4] Aira Azman (MAS) bt Leung Ka Huen (HKG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 (21m)
[9/16] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) bt Wai Sze Wing (HKG) 11-7, 11-2, 11-9
(24m)
[5/8] Caroline Fouts (USA) bt [9/16] Savannah Ingledew (RSA) 13-11,
8-11, 11-1, 11-6 (62m)
[2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt [9/16] Nour Megahed (EGY) 11-3, 11-6,
11-5 (27m)
Click here for the
full results in the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships. |
|
World Junior Team Championships 2023
Women's Draw
18-29 Jul
Melbourne, Australia |
Result: WSF Women’s World Junior Team
Championship – Final (29 July)
Final:
[1] EGYPT bt [2] MALAYSIA 2/0
Zeina Zein bt Sehveetrraa Kumar 11-3, 11-5, 2-11, 11-0 (27m)
Amina Orfi bt Aira Azman 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (34m)
Nadien Elhammamy v Thanusaa Uthrian (match withdrawn)
3rd place:
[5] ENGLAND & [3] USA
5th place play-off:
[4] HONG KONG bt [7] CANADA 2/0
Wai Sze Wing bt Spring Ma 11-3, 11-4, 11-9 (20m)
Toby Tse bt Ocean Ma 11-7, 11-5, 5-11, 5-11, 11-7 (39m)
Leung Ka Huen v Maria Min (match withdrawn)
7th place play-off:
[8] AUSTRALIA bt [6] INDIA 2/1
Erin Classen bt Tiana Parasrampuria 11-1, 11-8, 11-6 (19m)
Madison Lyon lost to Pooja Arthi Raghu 13-11, 3-11, 4-11, 4-11 (25m)
Hannah Slyth bye
9th place play-off:
[9] NEW ZEALAND bt [10] SCOTLAND 2/0
Sophie Hodges bt Rowan Niven 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (20m)
Ella Lash bt Robyn McAlpine 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 18-16 (46m)
Anne Leakey v Louisa Kaven (match withdrawn)
11th place play-off:
[12] SINGAPORE bt [11] SOUTH AFRICA 2/1
Gracia Chua Rui En bt Elske Garbers 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 (22m)
Paige Hill lost to Savannah Ingledew 5-11, 5-11, 7-11 (31m)
Au Yeong Wai Iynn bt Jordin Phillips 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (18m)
13th place play-off:
[13] IRELAND bt [14] CHINESE TAIPEI 3/0
Lydia McQuillan bt Yen-Chi Chen 11-3, 11-6, 11-3 (16m)
Sarah Sabry bt Yu-Chen Cheng 11-1, 11-0, 11-5 (15m)
Maria Protsepova bt Shaw Jen-Ju 11-4, 11-5 (9m)
Semi-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [5] ENGLAND 2/0
Zeina Zein bt Meha Shah 11-4, 11-0, 11-2 (15m)
Amina Orfi bt Asia Harris 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (37m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir v Amelie Haworth (match withdrawn)
[2] MALAYSIA bt [3] USA 2/0
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Emma Trauber 11-9, 11-8, 16-14 (37m)
Aira Azman bt Caroline Fouts 9-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
Sehveetrraa Kumar v Madison Ho (match withdrawn)
5th - 8th place play-offs:
[4] HONG KONG bt [8] AUSTRALIA 2/0
Kwong Ena bt Hannah Slyth 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (17m)
Wai Sze Wing bt Madison Lyon 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4 (30m)
Leung Ka Huen v Erin Classen (match withdrawn)
[7] CANADA bt [6] INDIA 2/0
Iman Shaheen bye
Ocean Ma bt Pooja Arthi Raghu 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (32m)
Spring Ma v Tiana Parasrampuria (match withdrawn)
9th - 12th place play-offs:
[10] SCOTLAND bt [12] SINGAPORE 2/1
Louisa Kaven bt Ong Zhe Sim 5-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9 (33m)
Robyn McAlpine bt Paige Hill 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (21m)
Rowan Niven lost to Gracia Chua Rui En 5-11, 3-11 (13m)
[9] NEW ZEALAND bt [11] SOUTH AFRICA 2/1
Anabel Romero Gemmell bt Elske Garbers 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (24m)
Ella Lash lost to Savannah Ingledew 5-11, 8-11, 9-11 (35m)
Sophie Hodges bt Dené Van Zyl 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (16m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [8] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Amina Orfi bt Madison Lyon 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)
Zeina Zein bt Amelie Guziak 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (17m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir bt Hannah Slyth 11-2, 11-2 (10m)
[5] ENGLAND bt [4] HONG KONG 2/1
Asia Harris bt Toby Tse 2-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)
Isabel McCullough lost to Kwong Ena 5-11, 8-11, 7-11 (25m)
Amelie Haworth bt Wai Sze Wing 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
[3] USA bt [6] INDIA 2/1
Caroline Fouts lost to Anahat Singh 7-11, 11-6, 3-11, 6-11 (34m)
Riya Navani bt Yuvna Gupta 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)
Madison Ho bt Tiana Parasrampuria 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
[2] MALAYSIA bt [7] CANADA 2/0
Aira Azman bt Ocean Ma 11-7, 11-8, 11-0 (18m)
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Maria Min 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (24m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar v Spring Ma (match withdrawn)
Standings, 2023 WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
1 – [1] Egypt
2 – [2] Malaysia
3 – [3] USA and [5] England
5 – [4] Hong Kong, China
6 – [7] Canada
7 – [8] Australia
8 – [6] India
9 – [9] New Zealand
10 – [10] Scotland
11 – [12] Singapore
12 – [11] South Africa
13 – [13] Ireland
14 – [14] Chinese Taipei
Results: WSF Women's
World Junior Team Championship - Pools Stage
(26 July)
Pool A
[7] Canada 2-1 [10] Scotland
Ocean Ma lost to Robyn McAlpine 2-3: 11-5, 12-10, 5-11, 7-11, 3-11 (35m)
Spring Ma bt Anna Halliday 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (29m)
Maria Min bt Rowan Niven 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (22m)
Pool B
[8] Australia 2-1 [9] New Zealand
Madison Lyon bt Ella Lash 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5 (32m)
Erin Classen bt Sophie Hodges 3-1: 11-3, 11-7, 14-16, 11-3 (34m)
Hannah Slyth lost to Anne Leakey 0-3: 6-11, 7-11, 5-11 (22m)
Pool C
[3] USA 3-0 [14] Chinese Taipei
Caroline Fouts bt Yu-Chen Cheng 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (14m)
Riya Navani bt Jen-Ju Shaw 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-0 (14m)
Emma Trauber bt Mei Mei Chan 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-0 (12m)
[5] England 2-1 [11] South Africa
Amelie Haworth lost to Savannah Margot Ingledew 1-3: 9-11, 7-11, 12-10,
7-11 (48m)
Isabel McCullough bt Dené Van Zyl 3-0: 11-4 11-4 11-5 (17m)
Meha Shah bt Jordin Phillips 3-1: 5-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (26m)
Pool D
[4] Hong Kong, China 3-0 [13] Ireland
Tse Yee Lam Toby bt Sophie Thomas 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 (14m)
Ka Huen Leung bt Maria Protsepova 3-0: 11-5 11-3 11-3 (15m)
Ena Kwon bt Lydia Mcquillan 3-0: 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 (16m)
[6] India 3-0 [12] Singapore
Anahat Singh bt Paige Teresa Hill 3-0: 11-3 11-2 11-3 (19m)
Pooja Arthi Raghu bt Gracia Chua Rui En 3-1: 4-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-9
(30m)
Tiana Parasrampuria bt Zhe Sim Ong 3-2: 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5
(41m)
Draw: WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship – Quarter-Finals (27
July)
[1] Egypt v [8] Australia
[4] Hong Kong, China v [5] England
[3] USA v [6] India
[2] Malaysia v [7] Canada
Click here for the draws for the 2023
WSF World Junior Squash Championships.
You can view teams, schedules, pools and results on Tournament Software. |
WOMEN'S JUNIOR TEAM
EVENT
Day 4 Teams
Egypt win 10th WSF Women’s World Junior Team
Championship title
Egypt have won their tenth WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
title and their eighth in succession after a 2-0 win against No.2 seeds
Malaysia at Melbourne Sports Centres.
Malaysia came into today’s tie with revenge on their minds, having lost
to Egypt in the final of the last two editions of the tournament, with
their first string Aira Azman also losing to Egyptian first string Amina
Orfi in the final of the individual championship earlier this week.
The No.2 seeds chances were boosted by news ahead of the tie that Egypt
were without two players due to illness, meaning the defending champions
were represented by their No.1 Amina Orfi, No.3 Zeina Zein and No.5
Nadien El Hammamy.
Zein, up first due to the 2-1-3 string order today, picked up the
gauntlet almost flawlessly from original second string Fayrouz
Aboelkheir as she put in a brilliant performance to settle any Egyptian
nerves.
After taking a 2-0 lead against Sehveetrraa Kumar, the Egyptian was
pegged back in game three 11-2.
The 18-year-old soon found the perfect response, however, delivering a
stunning 11-0 win in game four to give her side the lead.
In the second match, Orfi was at her clinical best as she kept Azman at
arm’s length throughout.
The 16-year-old kept her cool and took advantage of Azman’s errors in
the first two games to take a 2-0 lead, before putting the Malaysian to
the sword with an 11-2 win in game three.
Afterwards, Egypt’s coach, former World No.4 Omneya Abdel Kawy, said:
“To be honest I was really nervous because we had some issues before the
tie. The whole team wasn’t 100 percent well. With Nour [Megahed] having
a fever yesterday we had to remove her and Fayrouz wasn’t well today. So
we had to take a technical and a safety decision.
“Amina wasn’t too well, either, she was really stiff and we were so
worried that she couldn’t play her best.
“Thank goodness Zeina played really, really well. She played amazing
squash and she took the pressure away.
“Amina had to push and kept going. She’s so strong [mentally]. I can’t
say anything else! She kept pushing herself day in, day out and wanted
to play every match even when her back was so stiff and that gave me the
confidence that even if she can’t play her best, she will play, do her
best and win it!
“It’s so special [to win a tenth title]. It’s our aim to keep winning
titles through every generation and keep the factory going!”
Teams on Podium
At the trophy presentation, World Squash Federation President Zena
Wooldridge and Squash Australia CEO Rob Donaghue congratulated the
athletes and thanked everyone who had made this year’s WSF World Junior
Squash Championships possible.
A replay from the final will be shortly be available for free on
www.worldsquash.tv.
Earlier in the day, playoff ties were played to decide final standings.
Among the day’s winners include Hong Kong, China, who beat Canada to
finish fifth and Australia, who overcame a weakened India team to finish
seventh.
Teams, draws and results can be viewed on Tournament Software.
|
Day 3 Teams
Hosts Australia come back to down rivals New Zealand
and reach quarter-finals
Hosts Australia produced an entertaining comeback to defeat rivals New
Zealand and progress through to the quarter-finals of the WSF Women’s
World Junior Team Championship for just the second time since 2005.
The No.8 seeds went into today’s tie with the No.9 seeds with both teams
needing a win to progress after each lost to No.2 seeds Malaysia earlier
in the week.
With teams playing a 3-2-1 string order today, it was New Zealand who
made the stronger start, with third string Anne Leakey getting the
better of Hannah Slyth 3-0.
This left the hosts with no margin for error in their bid for a second
consecutive last-eight finish.
Erin Classen began the fightback, with the Cape Town-born 18-year-old
beating Sophie Hodges 3-1 to level the tie.
Madison Lyon
In the deciding match, first string Madison Lyon got the hosts over the
line, with the 18-year-old looking assured on court as she downed Ella
Lash 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5 to set up a last eight tie with top seeds
and defending champions Egypt.
Afterwards, Classen said: “I feel good about that, there was a lot of
pressure on that match because Australia really needed that so I’m
really happy to have won it.
“[My teammates] were phenomenal as always. They really carried the team
– more so than me probably!”
Also through to the last eight are USA, Hong Kong – China, England,
India, and Canada, with each side picking up comfortable wins to seal
their places in the last eight.
No.2 seeds Malaysia, like Egypt, secured their place in the knockout
round yesterday after topping their three-team pool with two wins out of
two.
The quarter-finals will be played tomorrow, 27 July, with ties being
played on the glass court and Court Nine at 14:00 and 17:00 (Melbourne,
GMT+10).
All the action will be shown live and free on
www.worldsquash.tv, alongside Olympic
Channel coverage of the glass court ties.
The 9-14 playoffs will take place on Court Six from 14:00 and will also
be streamed for free on
www.worldsquash.tv.
Teams, schedules, pools and results can be viewed on Tournament
Software.
|
Day 2 Teams
USA and Hong Kong, China fight back on day two of
Women’s World Junior Team Championship
USA and Hong Kong, China mounted entertaining comebacks on day two of
the pools stage at the 2023 WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship.
With teams playing a 1-3-2 string order, it was up to each team’s top
player to set the tone.
On the first match on the glass court, No.3 seeds USA looked comfortable
early on in their tie with No.5 seeds England, with first string
Caroline Fouts racing into a 2-0 lead against Asia Harris.
Harris, however, battled back brilliantly, giving the five-time
champions the lead with a hattrick of 11-6 wins before Riya Navani found
parity for USA following a hard-fought win over Isabel McCullough.
_small.jpg)
Madison Ho
In the decider against Amelie Haworth, Madison Ho edged a tense opening
game 12-10, which she followed up with convincing 11-2, 11-4 wins to
earn a crucial win for USA
Afterwards, tie winner Ho said: “I just came in thinking ‘try not to
think about the scoreline and just focus on what’s happening on court.’
I was going to do whatever it takes.
“I thought of the win as being like A-Z, I had to get through each
letter first.
“I’m very happy, and grateful to my teammates for supporting me. It was
a great battle!”
In the evening session, on Court Nine, Hong Kong, China launched a
fightback of their own as Ena Kwong and Sze Wing Wai got the team out of
trouble after Anahat Singh had beaten their first string Toby Tse to
give India the lead.
Elsewhere, the higher seeded teams secured more comfortable wins: No.12
seeds Singapore impressed in a dominant win over No.13 seeds Ireland,
No.2 seeds Malaysia cruised past hosts and No.8 seeds Australia to
ensure they will top Pool B, and top seeds Egypt took maximum points
from Pool A with a 3-0 win against No.7 seeds Canada.
Today's defeat for Australia means that they will face rivals New
Zealand for the second spot in Pool B tomorrow, with the top two teams
in each pool going through to the knockout stage.
The pools stage concludes tomorrow, 26 July, with ties being played on
the glass court, Court Six and Court Nine at 14:00 and 17:00 (Melbourne,
GMT+10).
All the action will be shown live and free on www.worldsquash.tv,
alongside Olympic Channel coverage of the glass court ties.
Teams, schedules, pools and results can be viewed on Tournament
Software.
|
Day 1 Teams
Seeds dominate opening day of Women's World
Junior Team Championship
The higher seeded teams made a comfortable start to the 2023 WSF Women's
World Junior Team Championship, with the crowd in Melbourne Sports
Centres witnessing a slew of dominant results on day one of the pools
stage.
Fayrouz Aboelkheir
With a number of seeding mismatches scheduled today, the action on
all three courts in Melbourne was largely one-sided as teams played in a
2-3-1 string order.
The day began ominously for the lower seeded teams, with whitewashes on
all three courts in the afternoon session.
On Court Nine, Malaysia’s first string Aira Azman bounced back from her
defeat in the final of the individual event last night by sealing
maximum points for her side against New Zealand with a 3-0 win over Ella
Lash, following wins by the same scoreline for Sehveetrraa Kumar and
Thanusaa Uthrian.
On Court Six, India rapidly dismantled Ireland, with Tiana Parasrampuria,
Yuvna Gupta and Anahat Singh needing just 46 minutes between them to
dispatch the No.13 seeds.
On the glass court, Hong Kong, China impressed as Sze Wing Wai, Ka Huen
Leung and Toby Tse breezed past Singapore.
In the evening session, defending champions and top seeds Egypt - who
opted to rest their No.1 Amina Orfi following her victory in the final
of the individual event last night - were rampant against No.10 seeds
Scotland.
The North African nation has won the last seven women’s team events in a
run going all the way back to 2007, and on today’s evidence the top
seeds look well set for another title challenge.
Zeina Zein and Nour Megahed delivered the win for Egypt with 3-0 wins
over Anna Halliday and Louisa Kaven, before Fayrouz Aboelkheir made sure
of the result after overcoming stubborn resistance from 16-year-old
Robyn McAlpine.
Despite the defeat, Scotland - who are playing in the championship for
the first time since 2005 - will take positives from the experience into
their next fixture, which comes against No.7 seeds Canada on Wednesday
26 July.
Elsewhere, on Court Six, No.5 seeds England crushed No.14 seeds Chinese
Taipei, while on Court Nine No.3 seeds USA secured a comfortable victory
over No.11 seeds South Africa.
Day two of the 2023 WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship resumes
tomorrow at 14:00 (Melbourne, GMT+10), with action from all three courts
being shown live and free on www.worldsquash.tv, alongside Olympic
Channel coverage of the glass court ties.
You can view teams, schedules, pools and results on Tournament Software.
|
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Day 4
Pakistan's Khan and Egypt's Orfi win
WSF World Junior
Squash Championships
%20and%20Hamza%20Khan%20(right)_small.jpg)
Hamza Khan fought back to become Pakistan’s first WSF World Junior
Squash champion since Jansher Khan in 1986 and Egyptian 16-year-old
Amina Orfi defended her 2022 title on a thrilling finals day at the 2023
WSF World Junior Squash Championships.
In an incredible men’s final at Melbourne Sports Centres, 15-year-old
Mohamed Zakaria – who would have become the youngest ever winner of the
men’s event with a victory – made the better start, with his precise
play helping him clinch the opening game 12-10
The Egyptian made a flying start to the second game, racing into a 5-0
lead as Khan struggled.
The 17-year-old, however, then mounted a brilliant fightback, with his
devastating attacking weaponry at its deadly best as he thrilled the
crowd with winner after winner, coming back from game ball down to level
the match with a 14-12 victory in game two before storming into the lead
with an 11-3 win in game three.
Khan kept up this momentum in game four, finding his attacks with
increasing confidence as he ended Pakistan’s 37-year wait for a WSF
World Junior Squash Championship with an 11-6 win before collapsing to
the floor with emotion.
“First of all, I would like to thank Allah, and my thanks to my coaches,
my managers, thanks to everybody. And thanks to my parents, who support
me every single time. Thank you,” a still emotional Khan said
afterwards.
In the women’s final, Egyptian 16-year-old Amina Orfi defended her 2022
title with a convincing win over Aira Azman, the first Malaysian woman
to reach the final since Nicol David in 2001.
Top seed Orfi, who stunned last year in France to win the title aged
just 15, looked in top form throughout, with her tight hitting causing
the [3/4] seed no end of problems.
The opening stages of the match were initially even, with Azman edging
into an 8-7 lead in game one, only for Orfi to come firing back with
four straight points.
After taking the first game 11-8, Orfi began to dominate and rapidly
wrapped up the title in just 31 minutes with comprehensive 11-5, 11-1
wins in games two and three.
Afterwards, Orfi said: “I feel so happy to have won this title for the
second time. This one’s more important because it’s more difficult to
retain your title and I’m so happy I managed to do that.”
On the potential to win two more titles before the end of her junior
career, she said: “This is something I think about because no one has
ever won four times in a row. But for now, I’m not going to think about
it. I’m going to keep training and focus on the professional tour and
school!
“I look up to several players. There’s Raneem El Welily and I also look
up to Nicol David because she’s a legend and no one has ever broken her
records!”
Full Podium 2023
Both Orfi's and Azman's attention now turns to the WSF
Women's World Junior Team Championship, which begins tomorrow at
Melbourne Sports Centres and will be streamed live and free at
www.worldsquash.tv.
|
Day 3
History made as World Junior Squash Championships
finalists confirmed
History was made at the WSF World Junior Squash Championships as
Malaysia’s Aira Azman, Egypt’s Amina Orfi, Pakistan’s Hamza Khan and
Egypt’s Mohamed Zakaria reached the final in Melbourne.
Aira Azman
In the opening match of the day at the Melbourne Sports Centres, [3/4]
seed Aira Azman became the first Malaysian woman to reach the final
since the great Nicol David in 2001 and the first non-Egyptian since
2010 thanks to a dominant upset win over Egyptian No.2 seed Fayrouz
Aboelkheir.
With both players enjoying going on the attack, rallies were short and
sharp.
The key moments in the match, which resembled a shoot-out at times, were
decided by who dealt better with the pressure of the occasion.
Throughout the match, this was Azman, with the 18-year-old finding her
targets more consistently than Aboelkheir as she wrapped up the victory
over her higher-seeded opponent in straight games and just 28 minutes.
That win for Azman meant that there will be a women’s final contested by
a player from outside of Egypt for the first time since in Cologne in
2010, when USA’s Amanda Sobhy beat Egypt’s Nour El Tayeb.
“I played really well today and I’m so proud of myself. It means so much
[to reach the final] because this is my last year playing [as a junior].
This is my fourth World Juniors and to make it to my first final at the
last one is something I’m very grateful for,” Azman said afterwards.
Amina Orfi
Azman will take on women’s defending champion and top seed
Amina Orfi in the final tomorrow after the 16-year-old saw off
compatriot Malak Khafagy in a physical encounter.
In the men’s draw, there was more history made as Hamza Khan became the
first man from Pakistan to reach the final since Aamir Atlas Khan 15
years ago, after he survived a match ball in a gripping encounter with
French [9/16] seed Melvil Scianimanico.
Hamza Khan
Khan looked to be cantering into the final when he took a 2-0
lead thanks to neat footwork and a swashbuckling style.
Scianimanico, however, has proven his metal during a number of tough
matches this tournament, and dug in fantastically as he saved match ball
in game three before eventually levelling the tie with a 12-10 win in
game three and a 11-9 win in game four.
In a pulsating fifth game, Khan looked to have done enough when he
earned three match balls at 10-7, but could not convert as he rushed his
attacks.
Things went from bad to worse for Khan as he was brought to the brink of
a shock defeat when Scianimanico earned a match ball of his own at
11-10.
Khan, however, clung on and, this time, was more patient with his
attacks, timing them perfectly to finally get over the line with a 13-11
victory.
Khan will take on Egyptian [3/4] seed Mohamed Zakaria in the men’s
final, with the Cairo native becoming the men’s competition’s youngest
ever finalist after a 3-0 win against compatriot and [5/8] seed Salman
Khalil.
Mohamed Zakaria
Zakaria, aged just 15, put in a dominant display as he sent
out Khalil, who the day before had shocked top seed Jonah Bryant.
While Zakaria lacked the pace and power of the 18-year-old, he possesses
a deft touch and great tactical understanding, which proved the
difference as he took down Khalil in straight games.
The semi-finals of the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships take
place tomorrow (23 July).
Play begins at 11:00 (GMT+10) with action from the glass court being
streamed for free on
worldsquash.tv.
For viewers in Australia, highlights of the day’s action will be
available shortly on 7plus
|
Day 2
Wai stuns [5/8] seed Harris to reach last 16
On day two of the WSF World Junior Squash Championships, Wai Sze Wing
provided the shock of the tournament, while the top seeds continued
their progress and the last home hopes bowed out.
The Hong Kong, China native looked in trouble on Court Six at the
Melbourne Sports Centres when English [5/8] seed Asia Harris took the
opening game 11-6, but hit back to move into the lead with a tense pair
of 11-9 wins.
Harris forced the match into a fifth game with an 11-7 victory in game
four, but, in a nail-biting tie-break, it was Wai who held her nerve as
she edged the gripping contest 12-10 to set up a last-16 clash with
French [9/16] seed Lauren Baltayan, who beat Germany’s Maya Weishar 3-1.
After her match, Wai said: “I feel excited about that. This is my first
time going into the top 16 and I didn’t think I could make it. I won
from deuce in my last match, too, and I'm just so excited now!
“I just told myself to play and don’t think about winning.”
While Wai’s win was the day’s biggest surprise, she was far from the
only player to upset a seeded opponent, with three [9/16] seeds crashing
out to unseeded players, all on the traditional courts.
First, Wai’s compatriot Ka Huen Leung downed England’s Amelie Haworth,
then USA’s Varun Chitturi upset Ireland’s Dylan Moran, before Colombia’s
Jose Santamaria got the better of India’s Krishna Mishra.
Ecuador's Javier Emilio Romo Lopez came close to adding one more upset
when he had match ball against USA's [9/16] seed Hollis Robertson, but
he was eventually pipped in a tense tie-break in the fifth game.
To the disappointment of the home crowd, there were no upsets on the
glass court, with unseeded duo Oscar Curtis and Madison Lyon losing out
to Malaysian [5/8] seed Joachim Chuah and Egyptian [9/16] seed Nadien
Elhammamy to end home hopes.
Joining Chuah and Elhammamy in the next round are all of the top seeds,
with defending women's champion and No.1 seed Amina Orfi of Egypt
beating Canada’s Ocean Ma, her compatriot and women’s No.2 seed Fayrouz
Aboelkheir beating Malaysia’s Whitney Wilson, men's No.1 seed Jonah
Bryant of England beating USA’s Zane Patel and men’s No.2 seed and
defending champion Rowan Damming of the Netherlands beating Malaysia’s
Harith Danial.
The 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships resume tomorrow (20
July). Play begins at 11:00 (GMT+10) with action from the glass court
being streamed for free on
worldsquash.tv.
For viewers in Australia, highlights of the day’s action will be
available shortly on 7plus
|
Day 1
Seeds through and history made as World Junior
Championships get underway
The 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships got off to an
entertaining start in Melbourne, as the seeded players navigated tough
challenges, hosts Australia saw two players progress to round three, and
history was made for Lithuania.
On a hectic day of action, in which 135 matches and two rounds took
place across ten courts inside the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,
the seeded players knew they could ill afford a lapse in concentration.
With the seeded players receiving a first-round bye they went into their
second round matches fresher, but perhaps less sharp than their round
two opponents, who came through first round clashes in the day’s first
session.
Amina Orfi
While the majority appeared to show no signs of rust, with
women’s defending champion and top seed Amina Orfi of Egypt and men’s
top seed Jonah Bryant of England cruising through, there were some
scares for the seeds, most notably for No.2 seed and men's defending
champion Rowan Damming.
Rowan Damming
In a hotly-contested encounter, the Dutchman threatened to be a
high-profile opening day casualty when he went 0-1 down to France’s
Antonin Romieu, but the Dutchman was able to settle, eventual going
through 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.
Madison Lyon
Joining Damming and the other seeds in the next round are home hopefuls
Madison Lyon and Oscar Curtis, who have set up third round clashes with
Egyptian [9/16] seed Nadien Elhammamy and Malaysian [5/8] seed Joachim
Chuah, respectively.
In a thrilling back-and-forth encounter, Lyon came from behind to beat
Malaysia’s Anrie Goh 9-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, while Curtis stormed
past Macau’s Keng In Leong 11-1, 11-0, 11-0 in round one before beating
Ireland’s Jack O’Flynn 11-8, 11-1, 11-6 in round two.
Lukas Kazemekaitis
Earlier in the day, Lukas Kazemekaitis made history when he secured
Lithuania's first ever win at a World Junior Championship, with the
16-year-old, coached by Mazen Gamal, coming from behind to beat South
Africa’s Devon Osborne before eventually losing out to India’s Shaurya
Bawa in the second round.
The 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships resume tomorrow (19
July). Play begins at 11:00 (GMT+10) with action from the glass court,
Court Six and Court Nine being streamed live and free around the world
on
worldsquash.tv.
For viewers in Australia, highlights of the day’s action will be
available on 7plus.
|
|
Preview Bryant and Orfi
favourites as draws and seedings announced for WSF World Junior Championships
Rowan Damming & Amina Orfi Defending champions
The draws and seedings for the individual events at the 2023 WSF World
Junior Squash Championships have been confirmed, following ratification
by the championship seeding panel.
This year’s World Junior Championship, which will be played in Melbourne
Sports Centres (MSAC) between 18-29 July, will feature 245 entries
across the men’s individual championship, the women’s individual
championship and the women’s team championship.
Jonah Bryant
In the men’s draw, England’s Jonah Bryant and the Netherlands’ Rowan
Damming are seeded to renew their rivalry in the final, with the English
17-year-old and the Dutch 18-year-old going in as number one and two
seed, respectively.
The pair have met already met five times in their junior careers,
including three matches this year. Although Damming has a 2-3 losing
record against Bryant, the Dutchman – who shocked the squash world when
he won last year’s championship as the 5/8 seed to become the
Netherlands’ first World Junior Champion – will take confidence from his
impressive recent form on the professional circuit and his win over
Bryant in their most recent meeting, a 3-1 victory at April’s European
Junior U19 Team Championship.
Also tipped to go deep in the competition are Egyptian 15-year-old
Mohamed Zakaria, who impressed last year as he gatecrashed the semi
finals as a 9/16 seed, and Pakistan’s Hamza Khan, who returns after
reaching the semi finals as the top seed last time out.
For the home fans, six men enter in the first round, with Kenneth Lamb,
Dylan Classen, Harvey Allan, Connor Hayes, Oscar Curtis and Thomas Scott
in day one action.
In the women’s draw, Egypt’s defending champion Amina Orfi returns to
defend her crown. The No.1 seed, who won the title last year after a
number of stunning comebacks, made headlines this season on the PSA
World Tour, reaching the final of the Squash On Fire Open in Washington
DC and the last 16 at the senior World Championships.
Amina Orfi
Seeded to face the 16-year-old in the final is compatriot Fayrouz
Aboelkheir, who will be aiming to avenge her semi final defeat to Orfi
last year in Nancy.
Malak Khafagy is the third Egyptian in the top four seeds, with the
Alexandrian joined at 3/4 seed by Asian Junior Champion Aira Azman, who
is looking to be Malaysia’s first female winner since Nicol David beat
Omneya Abdel Kawy in 2001.
As in the men’s draw, six women are representing Australia in the
individual event. In round one, Shona Coxsedge faces Chinese Taipei’s
Yen-Chi Chen, Courtney Scholtz takes on Ireland’s Sarah Sabry and Hannah
Slyth plays Scotland’s Louisa Kaven. Meanwhile, Erin Classen, Madison
Lyon and Amelie Guziak receive byes through to round two.
Seeded entries, WSF World Junior Squash Championship, Men’s
Individuals Draw
[1] Jonah Bryant (ENG)
[2] Rowan Damming (NED)
[3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK)
[3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY)
[5/8] David Bernet (SUI)
[5/8] Joachim Chuah (MAS)
[5/8] Salman Khalil (EGY)
[5/8] Juan Jose Torres Lara (COL)
[9/16] Kareem El Torkey (EGY)
[9/16] Krishna Mishra (IND)
[9/16] Dylan Moran (IRL)
[9/16] Hollis Robertson (USA)
[9/16] Melvil Scianimanico (FRA)
[9/16] Yassin Shohdy (EGY)
[9/16] Omar Said Sobhy (EGY)
[9/16] Rishi Srivastava (USA)
Seeded entries, WSF World Junior Squash Championship, Women’s
Individuals Draw
[1] Amina Orfi (EGY)
[2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY)
[3/4] Aira Azman (MAS)
[3/4] Malak Khafagy (EGY)
[5/8] Caroline Fouts (USA)
[5/8] Asia Harris (ENG)
[5/8] Zeina Zein (EGY)
[5/8] Anahat Singh (IND)
[9/16] Lauren Baltayan (FRA)
[9/16] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY)
[9/16] Amelie Haworth (ENG)
[9/16] Madison Ho (USA)
[9/16] Savannah Margot Ingledew (RSA)
[9/16] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS)
[9/16] Nour Megahed (EGY)
[9/16] Riya Navani (USA)
Click here for the men’s event draw.
Click here for the women’s event draw.
Click here for the women’s event draw.
For more information on the WSF World
Junior Individual and Women’s Team Championships, visit the tournament
website or follow the WSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Click here for
ticketing information.
Keep up to date with the latest in World Squash news with the WSF
Newsletter.
|
Teams announced for 2023 WSF World Junior Squash
Championships
%20and%20Amina%20Orfi%20(right)_small.jpeg)
Rowan Damming (left) and Amina Orfi (right)
Young squash stars from 33 national federations will descend on
Melbourne, Australia, for next month's WSF World Junior Championships,
following the confirmation of squads.
Between 18-29 July, athletes from all over the world will compete in the
WSF World Junior Championships, which will take place at Melbourne
Sports Centres (MSAC) and include junior men’s and women’s individual
championships, as well as the junior women’s team championship.
Across the two individual events and the women's team event, there have
been 245 entries.
Hosts Australia, winners of three women's world junior team
championships, as well as boasting five individual winners (three women
and two men) will be hoping for a repeat of the last time they hosted
the event, in Sydney 1995, when Rachael Grinham, Emma Major, Kate Major
and Narelle Tippett lifted the women's team trophy.
Standing in their way will be formidable opponents, though, with likely
top seeds Egypt winners of the last seven women's junior team
championships, which have not been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
In the individuals, the North African nation will be hoping to reclaim
the men's title, with Netherlands' Rowan Damming ending a run of three
consecutive wins for Egypt last year in France, while Amina Orfi will
look to secure an 11th consecutive championship for her country by
defending her women's individual title.
Elsewhere, Scotland return to the team event for the first time since
2005.
More information on the WSF World Junior Championships, including draws,
schedule, broadcast information and squad lists, will be announced in
due course.
For more information on the WSF World Junior Individual and Men’s Team
Championships, visit the tournament website or follow the WSF on Twitter
(@WorldSquash) Facebook and Instagram.
For more information on the WSF World
Junior Individual and Women’s Team Championships, visit the tournament
website or follow the WSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Click here for
ticketing information.
Keep up to date with the latest in World Squash news with the WSF
Newsletter.
Competing National Federations, 2023
WSF World Junior Squash
Championships |
|
Men’s Individual
Championship |
Women’s Individual
Championship |
Women’s Team
Championship |
Australia Australia Australia
Canada Canada Canada
Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei
Colombia Egypt Egypt
Ecuador England England
Egypt France Hong Kong, China
England Germany India
France Hong Kong, China Ireland
Germany India Malaysia
Hong Kong, China Ireland New Zealand
India Japan Scotland
Ireland Korea Singapore
Japan Macau, China South Africa
Kuwait Malaysia USA
Lithuania Malta
Macau, China New Zealand
Malaysia Scotland
Netherlands Singapore
New Zealand South Africa
Pakistan Spain
Papua New Guinea USA
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Switzerland
USA
Zimbabwe |
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Egypt
England
France
Germany
Hong Kong, China
India
Ireland
Japan
Korea
Macau, China
Malaysia
Malta
New Zealand
Scotland
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
USA |
Australia
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Egypt
England
Hong Kong, China
India
Ireland
Malaysia
New Zealand
Scotland
Singapore
South Africa
USA |
|
%20and%20Amina%20Orfi%20(right).jpeg)