The country's brightest young prospects battled for national glory
at the Dunlop English Junior Championships (EJC) on an extraordinary
finals day which saw four top seeds overpowered.
Yorkshire’s
Nick Wall [2] overcame Boys Under 19 top seed Top Walsh (Sussex) in
a scintillating final which saw the two-time British National junior
champion secure his maiden EJC title.
Wall raced out to a one-nil lead, only for Walsh, the 2017 British
National Under 19 champion, to reply and take the second.
But a determined Wall regained his composure and upped the ante to
take the third and a tight fourth winning 3-1: 11-8, 6-11, 11-6,
12-10 (53m).
Meanwhile, Girls Under 19 top seed, Elise Lazarus (Essex) saw off a
spirited challenge from Lincolnshire’s Katie Wells to claim a record
fifth national title.
Lazarus, the World No. 89 burst out winning the first game at a
furious pace 11-3. But the 17-year-old was made to work hard to
claim the second and the third, and edge her opponent: 11-3, 12-10,
11-9 (21m).
"I’m so happy to win my fifth English Junior title!” said Lazarus.
“It felt like I lost my focus during the middle of the match, but
I’m so happy to have pulled through and won in three.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire’s Ben Smith claimed the Boys Under 17 title
after his opponent, Max Forster (Nbria) was forced to retire due to
injury in the third: 11-6, 11-3 rtd (16m).
Both Forster and Smith had sensationally knocked out top seeds [1]
Lewis Anderson and [2] Benjamin Sockett respectively on their way to
the finals.
In
perhaps the most thrilling final of the day, 14-year-old Katie
Malliff (Bucks) overpowered top seed Alice Green to clinch the Girls
Under 17 crown.
Two-time EJC champion, Green started off the brighter of the two,
claiming the first two before [2] Malliff, who was playing up an age
group, soon found her rhythm to level.
In a nail-biting decider, it was Malliff who kept her cool at 9-9 to
power to a two-point victory: 5-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (45m).
“It isn’t great going two games down but I’ve won from there a few
times so I wasn’t too worried,” said Malliff, the British Junior
Open 2018 semi-finalist.
“I’ve played Alice a few times now and we always have great battles.
I always seem to play an age group up, I’m 14 now and I think I’ll
go for the U19s next year.”
Meanwhile, Boys Under 15 top seed, Oliver Green (Essex) capitalised
on his German Junior Open victory last weekend to edge [2] Hassan
Khalil (Warks) and claim his maiden EJC title: 3-11, 11-6, 7-11,
11-3, 11-9 (61m).
Commenting on the thrilling five-setter, 14-year-old Green said, “I
like long matches, it makes it tough watching for my parents! It
feels great to win a first English Junior title, I came fourth last
year and I’ve been third before, so to win in my first final is
good.”
Sussex’s Torrie Malik claimed a fourth championship title after
overpowering second seed Asia Harris (Yorks) in the Girls Under 15
competition, despite a slow start: 3-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 (32m).
“I just wasn’t there at the start, it was quite bad,” said the
Sussex sensation.
“Once I got going it was ok and I was pleased with how I played in
the end. I’ve won the U11 and U13 titles before, so to add the U15
is great.”
Meanwhile, British Junior Open 2018 champion, Jonah Bryant (Sussex)
justified his seeding in the Boys Under 13s with a comprehensive 3-0
victory over [¾] Abd-Allah Eissa (Warks): 11-1, 11-8, 11-8 (21m).
Similarly, top seed Amelie Haworth (Hants) put on a clinical display
to defeat [2] Amy Campbell-Wynter (Dorset) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-5
(20m).
It was an all-Kent affair in the Boys Under 11s which saw [2] Jude
Gibbins topple top seed Dyan Roberts 3-1: 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9
(31m).
And nine-year-old Mariam Eissa, the number two seed from
Warwickshire, sensationally overpowered top seed Charlie McCrone (Lancs)
in the Girls Under 11s with a convincing 3-0 victory: 11-2, 11-4,
11-9 (17m).
Dunlop English Junior Championships 2018 - Final results G11:
[2] Mariam Eissa (Warks) 3-0 [1] Charlie McCrone (Lancs) 11-2, 11-4,
11-9 (17m) B11: [2] Jude Gibbins (Kent) 3-1 [1] Dylan Roberts (Kent)
11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 (31m)
Hull has won the right to host the Dunlop English Junior
Championships (EJC) in 2018, 2019 and 2020 following a rigorous
bidding process.
Now in its ninth year, the EJC attracts the very best of English
talent with former title holders including World No.26 Declan James
and World No.17 Emily Whitlock.
Josh Taylor, National Performance Coach at England Squash said: "The
University of Hull has a strong track record of delivering
world-class squash tournaments including the iconic Allam British
Open. The university’s great facilities coupled with the city’s
diverse culture will help ensure a successful tournament. We look
forward to working closely with our partners to deliver a fantastic
event."
Steve Curtis, Partnership and Project Manager (Sport) at the
University of Hull said: “The University of Hull is pleased to be
working with England Squash to bring the Dunlop England Junior
Championships to Hull. It’s a good opportunity for the top young
players in the country to visit Hull and the university. It promises
to be a great event and we are thankful to our delivery partners
Hull and East Riding Squash Club and Haltemprice Leisure Centre for
their support in planning and delivering the championships and local
sponsor, Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel.”
This year’s championships take place between 9th and 11th March, and
will be played out in a full monrad format for the first time, and
the Under 11s, which before now has been a standalone event, will be
permanently incorporated.
