England On Course For European Junior Double
from ESF Media
April 3, 2012 - A straight games semi-final win by 3/4 seed Tom Ford ensures England success in the men's European Junior U19 Squash Championships - and another confident win by defending champion Emily Whitlock in the women's semi-finals leads to the prospect of an English double in the leading European Squash Federation Junior Circuit event which is taking place for the first time in Portugal, in the city of Oporto.
Ford, an 18-year-old from Gloucestershire, defeated France's 5/8 seed Damien Volland 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 - and will now face fellow countryman Declan James, the event favourite.
James overcame Belgian Jan van den Herrewegen, also a 5/8 seed - but the 18-year-old from Oodenaarde was accidentally struck by James's racket during the encounter, resulting in the match being suspended while the Belgian received treatment.
On resumption, James went on to win 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.
"Very happy to grind through a tough 3-1 today 12-10 in 4th against Jan," said the Nottingham 18-year-old later via Twitter. "Unfortunately I hit him early on in the 4th and he needed to go to hospital for some treatment, but we resumed after a 2hour break and had a tough 4th, hard situation to handle but good experience."
Whitlock maintained her unbeaten game record in Oporto by dismissing France's 3/4 seed Melissa Alves 11-5, 11-5, 11-5.
Hoping to become the third English girl to win the title twice (after Cassie Jackman in 1991 and Tania Bailey in 1998), the 18-year-old world No31 from Colwyn Bay meets another French opponent in the final.
Second seed Julia Lecoq, from Paris, ended German interest in the event when she beat 5/8 seed Caroline Sayegh 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.
RESULTS: European Junior U19 Championship, Oporto, Portugal
Men's semi-finals:
[1] Declan James (ENG) bt [5/8] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10
[3/4] Tom Ford (ENG) bt [5/8] Damien Volland (FRA) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
Women's semi-finals:
[1] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [3/4] Melissa Alves (FRA) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5
[2] Julia Lecoq (FRA) bt [5/8] Caroline Sayegh (GER) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6
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