Canadian Junior Open Recap
by Danny Da Costa

December 12, 2013 OTTAWA (ON) – 270 junior squash players from 15 countries competed in the 2013 Dunlop Canadian Junior Open at White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. 

The event was dedicated to the memory of Mark Sachvie, who hosted virtually every edition of the Canadian Junior Open.  Players assembled on court on Saturday December 7, 2013 to remember his life by observing a moment of silence prior to the first match.  Sachvie, died of a heart-attack on November 30, 2013 while attending the memorial for Adrian Dudzicki, a Canadian Professional Squash Player who was hit by a car while on his way to train at the National Squash Academy.

Canada won three titles in this international junior squash event on the World Squash Federation World Jr. Tour.  Nicole Kendell (Toronto, ON) Girls U13, Akasham Rajagopaul (St. Catharines, ON) Boys U15 and Alyssa Mehta (Toronto, ON) Girls U19 won titles for Canada.

Akasham Rajagopaul, a member of the White Oaks Junior Squash Program dedicated his Boys U15 title to Mark Sachvie his long-time coach.  Akasham played exceptionally well throughout the tournament and dominated his opponent England’s James Wyatt in the final winning the title convincingly 3-0 (11-3, 11-6, 11-2). 

Canadian National Team member Alyssa Mehta captured the Girls U19 title, defeating fellow Canadian team member Alison Richmond of Toronto in 3 games, while, Nicole Kendell of Toronto defeated Amy Commisso of Toronto in a very deep and talented U15 division. 

The most exciting match was the final match of the tournament which featured Mexico #1 Edgar Zayas against England’s #3 ranked player Lyell Fuller.  The match was a hotly contested final featuring excellent shot making and tremendous athleticism.  In the end, it was Fuller who edged his Mexican opponent 12-10 in the fifth and final game. 

Squash Canada would like to thank this year’s title sponsor Dunlop Sports, Squash Ontario, White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa for hosting this year’s event.  The 2014 edition will take place at White Oaks in conjunction with the Women’s World Team Squash Championships beginning December 1st, 2014. 

Full Placing Recap:

Boys U13 Final:  #8 Nathan Mead (ENG) def. #3 Leonardo Daniel Vargas Inuretta (MEX) 3 – 1
3rd/4th Place:  Matthew Ferris (Toronto, ON) def.  John Dempsey (Vancouver, BC)

Girls U13 Final:  #1 Dina Anguiano (MEX) def. #2 Marlow Benson (Toronto, ON) 3 – 0
3rd / 4th place:  Charlotte Orcutt (Toronto, ON) def. Patricia Nandi Ndebele (Guelph, ON)

Boys U15 Final:  #3 Akasham Rajagopaul (St. Catharines, ON) def. #4 James Wyatt (ENG) 3 – 0
3rd / 4th Place:  Carlos Alejandro Ayala Jauregui (MEX) def. #5 Noel Heaton (Calgary, AB)

Girls U15 Final:  #2 Nicole Kendall (Toronto, ON) def. #1 Amy Commisso (Toronto, ON) 3 – 1
3rd / 4th Place:  Hannah Blatt (Winnipeg, MB) def. Mariam Mansoor (Toronto, ON)

Boys U17 Final:  #3 Mohammad Al Saraj (JOR) def. #4 Guillermo Cortes (MEX) 3 – 1  
3rd / 4th Place:  #1 Carter Robitaille (Toronto, ON) def. #12 Matthew Toth (Vancouver, BC)

Girls U17 Final:  #3 Diana Gasca (MEX) def. #1 Chloe Chemtob (Montreal, QC) 3 – 2
3rd / 4th Place:  #2 Sophie Mehta (Toronto, ON) def. Grace Thomas (Victoria, BC)

Boys U19 Final:  #3 Lyell Fuller (ENG) def. #1 Edgar Zayas (MEX) 3 – 2
3rd / 4th Place:  David Baillargeon (Montreal, QC) def. Jarryd Osborne (Kingston, ON)

Girls U19 Final:  #1 Alyssa Mehta (Toronto, ON) def. #4 Alison Richmond (Toronto, ON) 3 – 0
3rd / 4th Place: #3 Anneliza Rangel – Delgadillo (MEX) def. Luz Sarahi Lopez Dominguez (MEX)