Doha WSF Men's World Junior Team Championships, Quarterfinal Report
from Steve Cubbins
photos courtesy Steve Cubbins
July 16, 2012
Top four seeds through to semi-finals in Doha
After a rest day the top four seeds were back in action for the quarter-finals of the Doha WSF Men’s World Junior Team Championships at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, all of them taking on teams who had won their matches yesterday to put themselves into the top eight.
Defending champions Egypt were first up on the glass court, and the top seeds wasted no time in seeing off Canada, the 10th seeds who beat Brazil yesterday, with 3-0 wins from Mazen Hesham and double individual champion Marwan El Shorbagy.
For Canada Zac Leman and Tyler Olsen both improved as their match progressed, but neither were quite able to snatch a game despite coming close in the third.
“Egypt are so strong,” admitted Canadian coach Jonathan Hill. “We knew going into the match that we would find it difficult against the top seeds. Marwan can sometimes hit a few errors and Tyler upped his game in the third but couldn’t quite sneak a game.
“We’re proud of our guys for getting into the top eight and hope they can take some lessons from today’s matches and come out stronger next time they come up against the Egyptians - they play such a strong, attacking short game, second to none and it’s really exciting to watch.”
“They were ready for today’s match, you have to be ready for everyone,” said Egyptian manager Amir Wagih.
“It will be tough, we’ll have to work hard, but hopefully we can keep the trophy, I have it in my hotel room but I don’t want to give it back,” he added.
On the inside courts fourth seeds India took on Asian neighbours Hong Kong, seeded five. If the seedings promised a close match they duly delivered, with Hong Kong taking the lead and India levelling with two three-game wins, leaving it to Kush Kumar to put India through to their second-ever semi-final as he won 12/10 in the fourth to the noisy delight of the Indian contingent.
“We were certainly taken to the wire,” said Indian coach Cyrus Poncha.. “We knew Hong Kong were a very strong team, and we were ready for it. “Our first match, Vrishab was not able to match his opponent’s consistency. In the second one, Mahesh showed his class, with his great volleying and aggressive drives.
“Kush has played something like 10 matches in a month including winning the Asian Junior U17 title, so he’s got great experience and confidence that comes with it.
“He sometimes doesn’t play enough volleys and drop shots, but he surely did a lot of them today !!!!”
“I told my players that India was a strong team, and to really try and do they best, and I think they did,” said Hong Kong coach Wai Hang Wong. “Our number two put us in a good position, but we knew that their number one was too strong, and that it would come down to a tie. India were a better team and deserved to win the match.”
The second quarter-final on the glass court was as comprehensive as the first as second seeds Pakistan brushed aside surprise package Japan in well under ah hour.
Pakistan have been playing the team event without their top player Danish Atlas Khan, who reached the semi-finals of the individual event but has now departed, injured, and a replacement brought in at the bottom of their order.
They were still far too strong for Japan though, who will nevertheless be pleased with a best-ever finish in the 9-12 range.
Japan’s opponents in those playoffs will be sixth seeds USA, who found England, who were resting their number one Ollie Holland, too strong. Richie Fallows and Tom Ford both won 3/0 for England to put them through to their 17th consecutive semi-final appearance.
“On paper, it might have looked like an easy match,” said England manager David Campion, “but it was not. USA showed they were a dangerous team. We were very happy with the start Richie gave us, while later on, Tom really dismantled Dylan, he knew it was going to take some time, but he did it perfectly.”
“I thought we had a chance in the first match,” admitted the USA’s Adam Hamill, “but Edward was a bit nervous in the first game. Tom was in a different league today. Although Dylan felt well rested he still had some pretty hard matches in the Teams, but Tom was just too strong, too accurate.”
Semi-finals are at 14.30 and 18.00 on Tuesday, both streamed live from the Glass Court.
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Egypt 3-0 [10] Canada
Mazen Hisham 3-0 Zac Leman 11/2, 11/3, 11/8 (21m)
Marwan El Shorbagy 3-0 Tyler Olsen 11/3, 11/6, 11/9 (26m)
Fares Dessouki 2-0 Tyler Lee 11/8, 11/8
[4] India 2-1 [5] Hong Kong
Vrishab Koitan 0-3 Yip Tsz Fung 8/11, 4/11, 9/11 (38m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar 3-0 Cheuk Yan Tank 11/4, 11/4, 11/2 (28m)
Kush Kumar 3-1 Yeung Ho Wai 11/9, 11/7, 3/11, 12/10 (61m)
[2] Pakistan 2-0 Japan
Syed Bukhari 3-0 Tomotaka Endo 11/5, 11/6, 11/4 (28m)
Nasir Iqbal 3-0 Taiki Kaido 11/3, 11/5, 11/1 (18m)
[3] England 3-0 [6] Usa
Richie Fallows 3-1 Edward Columbia 11/2, 7/11, 11/7, 11/5 (46m)
Tom Ford 3-0 Dylan Murray 11/1, 11/7, 11/4 (30m)
Matt Sidaway 2-0 Devin McLaughlin 11/9, 11/5 (18m)
13-20 Quarter-finals:
Argentina 3-0 Zimbabwe
Rodrigo Obregon 3-0 Alex Roscoe 11/6, 11/5, 11/4 (26m)
Federico Cioffi 3-0 Faisal Hassan 11/9, 11/4, 11/6 (23m)
Francisco Obregon 2-1 Blessing Muhwati 11/3, 2/11, 11/5
France 2-0 Australia
Alexandre Cogno 3-0 TJ Rarere 11/5, 11/9, 11/4 (26m)
Damien Volland 3-1 Rhys Dowling 7/11, 11/2, 11/9, 11/6 (27m)
South Africa 2-1 Qatar
Luke Willemse 3-0 Sadam Mehawesh 11/5, 11/5, 11/4
Nell Van Der Merwe 0-3 Abdulla Al Tamimi 8/11, 3/11, 6/11
Simpiwe Gquibane 3-0Faisal Al-Marri 11/3, 11/6, 11/4
Colombia 2-1 Belgium
Andres de Frutos 3-0 Jordy Camps 1/1, 11/4, 11/7
Juan Vargas 0-3 Jan vd Herrewegen 6/11, 7/11, 3/11
Nicolas Valderrama 3-2 Vincent Hutchins 8/11, 11/8, 9/11, 11/2, 11/6
21-23 Round-Robin:
Switzerland 2-0 Guatemala
Manual Wanner 3-0 Jose Rodriguez 11/2, 11/5, 11/4
Robin Gadola 3-0 Josue Enriquez 11/5, 11/6, 11/6
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