British Junior Open Recap, Egyptians Dominant
by Howard Harding
January 9, 2012 - Whilst players from 42 nations competed in the Tecnifibre British Junior Open Squash Championships in Sheffield, it was Egyptians who once again dominated the world-renowned England Squash & Racketball event - winning seven of the eight finals.
Over 400 of the world's most talented junior squash players competed in the European Squash Federation Junior Circuit championships taking place in the Yorkshire city for the 17th time. Three clubs - Abbeydale Park Racquets & Fitness Club, Hallamshire Tennis & Squash Club and Fulwood Sports Club - played host to more than 1,000 squash matches over five days.
Egypt's world junior champion Marwan El Shorbagy was clear favourite to win the Men's U19 title and claim the prestigious Drysdale Cup, an honour that his brother Mohamed had previously won on three separate occasions. Making his last British Junior Open appearance, the younger brother had the chance to engrave the El Shorbagy name into the history books, being the first time two brothers have held the Drysdale Cup aloft.
The final, against fellow countryman Mohamed Abouelghar, was a replay of the world final last July in Belgium. El Shorbagy was in no mood to let this historic opportunity out of his grasp, winning 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 in 30 minutes to ensure that his family name will be featured on the Drysdale Cup for the fourth time in five years.
The women's U19 climax was also an all-Egyptian affair, between top seed Nour El Sherbini, a former world junior champion, and 3/4 seed Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy. El Sherbini had been untested throughout the tournament, cruising through to the final without dropping a game - while El Defrawy had a tougher route, including a 61-minute semi-final win over home favourite Emily Whitlock, last year's U17 champion from Cheshire.
El Sherbini maintained her remarkable unbeaten British Junior Open record, beating El Defrawy 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 in 25 minutes to claim her second U19 title and her fifth British Junior Open trophy since making her debut in 2007.
The Men's Under 17 final raised domestic hopes when England's Ashley Davies took on Egypt's Shehab Essam. Davies, a 5/8 seed, had been in fantastic form all week having knocked out the number one seed and survived a semi-final encounter which lasted 109 minutes.
The match went the full distance, but it was fellow 5/8 seed Essam who ultimately prevailed 7-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6 after 71 minutes to deny the hosts a title.
Egypt were also guaranteed success in the Women's Under 17 final as last year's runner-up Yathreb Adel was back make up for her 2011 disappointment. The top seed's final opponent was compatriot Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed, the No2 seed.
Adel, a winner of the U15 title two years ago, duly clinched the U17 title, beating Hany 11-5, 11-3, 11-13, 11-6 in 32 minutes.
It was in the Men's Under 15 final that the Egyptian juggernaut came to a halt when Pakistan's Israr Ahmed justified his top seeding by beating second-seeded Egyptian Youssef Soliman 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 to win his first British Junior Open title.
Having lost out in the U13 final last year, Egypt's top seed Nouran Ahmed Gohar made no mistakes this year in the Women's Under 15 event as she cruised to the final to face compatriot Hana Ramadan, a 3/4 seed. Gohar took just 22 minutes to claim the title, winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.
Pakistan outsider Kashif Asif found himself in the Men's Under 13 final after making his breakthrough in the quarter-finals where he ousted top-seeded Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim. But his opponent Ziad Sakr, a 5/8 seed from Egypt, was too strong in the final - beating the 17/32 seed 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 to collect his first title in Sheffield.
Habiba Mohamed returned to defend her Women's Under 13 crown - and comfortably made her way into the final where she faced fellow Egyptian Amina Yousry. Despite a clear disadvantage in size, Yousry gave a fully committed and determined performance, but the defending champion was too strong and powerful and took her second Under 13 title with an 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 victory in 23 minutes.
RESULTS: Tecnifibre British Junior Open Squash Championships, Sheffield, England
Men's Under 19 quarter-finals:
[1] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [5/8] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (34m)
[3/4] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt [5/8] Oliver Holland (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (31m)
[5/8] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) bt [3/4] Declan James (ENG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-7
[2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [5/8] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 11-7, 12-10, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[1] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [3/4] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7 (47m)
[2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [5/8] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 (49m)
Final:
[1] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 (30m)
Men's Under 17 quarter-finals:
[5/8] Ashley Davies (ENG) bt [1] Osama Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11 (68m)
[5/8] Karim Ayman Elhammamy (EGY) bt [3/4] Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 14-12 (70m)
[3/4] Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) bt [9/16] Ammad Fareed (PAK) 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (59m)
[5/8] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [9/16] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (42m)
Semi-finals:
[5/8] Ashley Davies (ENG) bt [5/8] Karim Ayman Elhammamy (EGY) 11-7, 13-15, 11-3, 3-11, 14-12 (109m)
[5/8] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [3/4] Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 9-11, 11-0, 17-15, 7-11, 11-4 (106m)
Final:
[5/8] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [5/8] Ashley Davies (ENG) 7-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6 (71m)
Men's Under 15 quarter-finals:
[1] Israr Ahmed (PAK) bt [9/16] Mohammad Alsaraj (JOR) 12-10, 11-4, 11-4 (20m)
[3/4] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [5/8] Miko Aijanen (FIN) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (32m)
[9/16] Moustafa Taha (EGY) bt [5/8] Mohd Mukhtar (MAS) 12-10, 11-7, 11-9 (23m)
[2] Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt [5/8] Lucas Wirths (GER) 14-12, 11-3, 11-8 (30m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Israr Ahmed (PAK) bt [3/4] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5 (41m)
[2] Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt [9/16] Moustafa Taha (EGY) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (22m)
Final:
[1] Israr Ahmed (PAK) bt [2] Youssef Soliman (EGY) 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8
Men's Under 13 quarter-finals:
[17/32] Kashif Asif (PAK) bt [1] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (40m)
[17/32] Abdalah El Masry (EGY) bt [5/8] Kumar Mivesh (MAS) 11-9, 11-3, 11-6 (18m)
[5/8] Ziad Sakr (EGY) bt [17/32] Marwan Tarek (EGY) 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9 (34m)
[2] Andrew Fahmy (EGY) bt [5/8] Hammas Tarrar (PAK) 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 (52m)
Semi-finals:
[17/32] Kashif Asif (PAK) bt [17/32] Abdalah El Masry (EGY) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (30m)
[5/8] Ziad Sakr (EGY) bt [2] Andrew Fahmy (EGY) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (27m)
Final:
[5/8] Ziad Sakr (EGY) bt [17/32] Kashif Asif (PAK) 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8
Women's Under 19 quarter-finals:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Nouran Badr (EGY) 11-1, 11-2, 11-8 (12m)
[5/8] Salma Hatem Youssef (EGY) bt [3/4] Anaka Alankamony (IND) 11-9, 11-6, 11-9
[3/4] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt [9/16] Julia Lecoq (FRA) 11-2, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5 (36m)
[2] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [5/8] Mennat Nasser (EGY) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (30m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [5/8] Salma Hatem Youssef (EGY) 11-6, 11-2, 12-10 (24m)
[3/4] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) bt [2] Emily Whitlock (ENG) 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7 (61m)
Final:
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [3/4] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (25m)
Women's Under 17 quarter-finals:
[1] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [5/8] Choi Uen Shan (HKG) 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 (29m)
[3/4] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) bt [5/8] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (27m)
[5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7 (54m)
[2] Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) bt [9/16] Eleanor Lake (ENG) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (19m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [3/4] Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (41m)
[2] Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) bt [5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (21m)
Final:
[1] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [2] Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 11-13, 11-6 (32m)
Women's Under 15 quarter-finals:
[1] Nouran Ahmed Gohar (EGY) bt [5/8] Aika Azman (MAS) 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 (20m)
[3/4] Mayar Hany (EGY) bt [17/32] Nadine Ayman Mohamed Shahin (EGY) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (16m)
[3/4] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt [5/8] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 10-12, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10 (39m)
[5/8] Nazihah Abdul Razak (MAS) bt [2] Eleanor Epke (NZL) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 3-1 ret. (28m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Nouran Ahmed Gohar (EGY) bt [3/4] Mayar Hany (EGY) 13-11, 11-4, 11-9 (25m)
[3/4] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt [5/8] Nazihah Abdul Razak (MAS) 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (25m)
Final:
[1] Nouran Ahmed Gohar (EGY) bt [3/4] Hana Ramadan (EGY) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (22m)
Women's Under 13 quarter-finals:
[1] Habiba Mohamed (EGY) bt [5/8] Saskia Beinhard (GER) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (17m)
[5/8] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [9/16] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 12-10, 5-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8 (45m)
[3/4] Amina Yousry (EGY) bt [9/16] Nour Hendawi (EGY) 13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8 (47m)
[2] Siv Subramaniam (MAS) bt [9/16] Zena Tamer (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 15-13 (31m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Habiba Mohamed (EGY) bt [5/8] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (23m)
[3/4] Amina Yousry (EGY) bt [2] Siv Subramaniam (MAS) 11-9, 2-11, 11-6, 11-7 (33m)
Final:
[1] Habiba Mohamed (EGY) bt [3/4] Amina Yousry (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 (23m)
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