British
Junior Championship 2016
27-30 Oct
Manchester, England
British
Juniors Crowned in Manchester
Britain’s best battled for
national glory at the British Junior Championships this weekend in
Manchester.
Top seed Kyle Finch (Hampshire) claimed the Boys Under 19 Don
Sanderson Trophy and his fourth consecutive Championship title in
style with a 3-0 victory over 5/8 seed Stuart MacGregor (Yorkshire).
MacGregor had stormed his way into the final, after dispatching
[5/8] Tom Walsh in a 60 minute five-game thriller, while Finch made
his way through relatively untroubled without dropping a game all
weekend. Finch controlled the pace of the final superbly, not giving
MacGregor a chance to impose his own game, winning 11/4, 11/5, 11/4
in 27 minutes.
The Girls Under 19 event saw top seed and 2015 Under 17 champ Lucy
Turmel (Suffolk) take on 3/4 seed Jasmine Hutton (Sussex) in a topsy
turvy five-setter final. Turmel raced out to a 1-0 lead but Hutton
replied in the second taking a tie-breaker 13-11 and proceeded to
take the third. Determined not to surrender, Turmel snatched the
fourth then the fifth and her second Championship title.
Top seed Nick Wall (Sheffield) justified his seeding in the Boys
Under 17 with a convincing 3-0 victory over 9/16 seed Jared Carter
(Hampshire) 24 minutes, clinching his second British title. Wall was
rarely tested all weekend and didn't drop a game.
In the Girls Under 17, Elise Lazarus clinched her fifth BJC title
following a clinical display against Alice Green (Essex). Taking the
first game, Lazarus closed the door on a comeback at 1-1 to take her
first Under 17 title 3-1.
The top two seeds in the Girls Under 15 category battled it out for
the championship title. Katie Malliff (Buckinghamshire), the 2015
Under 13 champion, was looking to repeat that success and add
another trophy to her collection. Meanwhile, Margot Prow (Middlesex)
was aiming to go one better than the 2014 championships where she
was runner up in the final of the under 13s.
The first game was won by Malliff, 11/3, a game score that didn’t
reflect the intensity of the remainder of the match. Prow put up a
greater fight in the second to save three game balls at 10/7 down
only to go on to lose the game 11/9. At 2-0, the second seed was
faced with an uphill battle to try and claw herself back into the
match, but claw she did. Prow came out in the third game and
maintained the lead throughout to take the game 11/6 and regain a
foothold in the match. The ball was still in Margot’s court with her
needing to claim the fourth and take the match into a deciding fifth
game. At 5/1 down in the fourth, the odds were stacked against her,
however she put in a strong performance taking the game 11/9 and
forced the match into a decider. An intense final game with the
passion from both clear to see, second seed Margot Prow won herself
three match points. However, Malliff’s resilience stayed strong and
she fought back to win five straight points taking the game 12/10,
and the match 3-2.
The Boys Under 15 final was contested by the two 3/4 seeds, Max
Forster (Northumbria) and Cumbria’s Adam Goad. The latter started
off strong, taking the first game 11/6, however Forster was no
stranger to winning from a losing position. The second game went to
Forster (11/3) levelling the match 1-1 with some great rallies
working his opponent around the court. The third game again went to
Forster (11/5) giving him a 2-1 lead taking him just one game away
from the championship. With the momentum swinging in Max’s favour,
he took the fourth game 11/2 winning the match with a powerful
volley and his first British Junior Championship title.
Top seed Sam Osborne-Wylde (Worcs) took on 5/8 seed Jonah Bryant
(Sussex) in the Boys Under 13 final. The first game was rather
one-sided with Osborne-Wylde taking it 11/2 making it look like the
match would be plain-sailing. However, that wasn’t the case with
Bryant coming out strong in the second game winning the first five
points, going on to win the game 11/8, levelling the match. The
third game saw Osborne-Wylde regain his lead with a convincing 11/7
win meaning he was just one game away from going one better than the
2015 championships. The first six points of the fourth game went
unanswered, in Osborne-Wylde’s favour, from which standing he went
on to win the game 11/4 and the match 3-1.
Last year’s runner up in the Girls Under 13 final, Torrie Malik
(Sussex), was hoping to triumph where she faltered. Her opponent was
Suffolk’s Emma Bartley, the second seed in the competition who was
yet to drop a game. The first game started off with points going
back and forth between the pair, however Malik pulled away to take
the game 11/6. The second game saw some exceptional rallies but the
scoreline didn’t reflect it with Malik extending her lead to 2-0
with an 11/3 win. Malik was now in touching distance of her first
championship and indeed went on to win the final 3-0, winning the
third game 11/5.
Day
Two - Finalists Decided
Day two saw the best of British
battle it out for a place in both the semis and finals of the 2016
British Junior Championships in Manchester today.
The GU19 went according to seed with [1] Lucy Turmel (Suffolk)
booking her place in the final despite a spirited challenge from
second seed Grace Gear (Hertfordshire). Joining Lucy is BJC 2013
Under 15 runner-up, and 3/4 seed Jasmine Hutton (Sussex) who
convincingly dispatched Charlotte Jagger (Yorkshire) in the semi in
24 minutes.
Meanwhile, the BU19 quarter finals witnessed two epic battles.
Curtis Malik (Sussex) mounted a tremendous comeback after being two
nil down to overcome [3/4] seed Adam Corcoran (Lincolnshire) in an
82 minute marathon. Meanwhile, [5/8] Tom Walsh dispatched Harry
Falconer in a topsy turvy 74 minute thriller that could have gone
either way. The battle proved too much for Tom, however, who was
later dispatched by [9/16] Stuart MacGregor (Yorkshire) in the semi.
Joining Stuart in the final is top seed and three-time British
Junior Champ Kyle Finch who convincingly downed Curtis Malik 3-0 in
the semi.
In the BU17, Nick Wall justified his top seeding in the semi by
defeating [5/8] Josh Owen (Warwickshire) 3-0. Joining Nick is
Hampshire’s Jared Carter who saw off stiff competition in the semis
from Lancashire’s Oscar Beach in a 64 minute 3-2 thriller.
In the GU17, top seed Georgia Adderly (Scotland) was toppled by
four-time British Junior Champ, Elise Lazarus 3-0. Meanwhile, second
seed Alice Green (Essex) sailed into the final after downing [5/8]
Eve Coxon (Ox) in just 18 minutes.
Top seed Katie Malliff (Bucks) beat Orla Young (Scot) 3-0 to reach
the semi-finals of the girls under 15 category. However, Orla saved
two game balls in the second game before Malliff came out on top.
Lydia Robinson came from behind to beat Lucinda Cross 3-1 in four
closely contested games. Layna Beattie wasn’t troubled by Darcie
Mounter winning in three straight games, 11/5, 11/5, 11/2, to reach
the semi-finals. Second seed Margot Prow also reached the
semi-finals in three straight games beating Anya Stojanovic 11/4,
11/7, 11/4. In her semi-final, [1] Katie Malliff defeated 5/8 seed
Lydia Robinson (Yorks) in straight games to reach her second final
at the Championships following her victory in the under 13 category
in 2015. Second seed Margot Prow (Mdx) faced 3/4 seed Layna Beattie
(Wales), a repeat of the 2014 under 13 final in which Beattie came
out on top. It wasn’t to be for Beattie this year with Prow winning
3-0 in a closely fought match to reach her second final at the
championships.
In the boys under 15 quarter finals there was only one upset with
5/8 seed Alfie Lawes defeating the second seed Louie Martin 3-1.
[3/4] Max Forster progressed through his match relatively
comfortably with a 3-0 victory over Josh Perkins and [3/4] Adam Goad
progressed through in four after dropping the first game. However,
it wasn’t plain sailing for the number one seed Sam Todd with Panos
Liatis saving three match balls to take the match into a decider.
However, Todd came out on top with a 3-2 victory; 8/11, 11/9, 13/11,
10/12, 11/7 to see him progress into the semi-finals. In the
semi-finals Adam Goad defeated 5/8 seed Alfie Lawes (Hants) 3-1 to
reach his first final. Lawes made a comeback in the third taking it
11/6 to take the game into a fourth however Goad came out on top.
The number one seed Sam Todd faced Max Forster (Northumb) in his
semi-final as he attempted to reach his fourth successive final at
the British Junior Championships. After dropping the first game Todd
looked set to do so, winning the second and third game to take a 2-1
lead. In the fourth, Todd had two match balls only to see them saved
and Forster proceed to win the game 14/12 and take the match into a
decider. The fifth game was level pegged throughout, however Forster
had the edge taking the game 11/9 to win the match 3-2 in an
exciting encounter.
In the quarter finals of the girls under 13 category, the top four
seeds all progressed through to the semi-finals. Top seed Torrie
Malik beat Aliza Sheikh in straight games, however had to save game
ball in the second to do so. Asia Harris also won 3-0 in a close
match against fellow Pontefract club mate Amy Royle. Emma Bartley
reached the semi-finals with relative ease, defeating Olivia Besant
11/5, 11/3, 11/2. 3/4 seed Saran Nghaim was taken to four games by
Amelie Haworth after being pegged back at 2-0 however took the
fourth game to line up a semi-final encounter with Emma Bartley. The
semi-finals saw second seed Emma Bartley face [3/4] Saran Nghaim,
the closely fought match saw Bartley progress to her first final at
the championships with a 3-0 victory. The second semi-final saw
number one seed Torrie Malik attempting to overcome [3/4] Asia
Harris to reach a second final at the Championships. Malik took a
2-0 lead, however Harris claimed the third 11/6 to force the match
into a fourth game. Harris had a game ball at 10/9 in the fourth,
however Malik prevented the decider taking the game 12/10 to win the
match 3-1.
The quarter finals of the boys under 13 event went according to seed
bar one upset which saw the 3/4 seed Joel Braddock (Essex) defeated
by 5/8 seed Jonah Bryant (Sussex) in straight games. Number one seed
Sam-Osborne Wylde progressed to the semis relatively untroubled
winning 11/5, 11/3, 11/2 over Welshman Rhys Evans. The second seed
Ben Beachill also reached the semi-finals with a 3-0 victory over
Scotsman Huzaifah Ali. The last quarter final saw 3/4 seed Finnlay
Withington come from behind to defeat 5/8 seed Daniel Lewis (Wales)
3-1. The semi-finals saw top seed Sam Osborne-Wylde (Worcs) face 3/4
seed Finnlay Withington (Lancs). Osborne-Wylde won the match in
three straight games to make the BU13 final for the second year in a
row. 5/8 seed Jonah Bryant played above his seeding to defeat 2nd
seed Ben Beachill (Yorks) to make his first final. Beachill made a
comeback in the third to take the match into a fourth game however
Bryant came out on top winning 3-1.
Day one of the British Junior
Championships 2016 saw the best of British battling it out for a
spot in the quarter finals.
Hampshire’s Kyle Finch justified his top seeding in the BU19,
despite a slow start, beating 9/16 seed Yusef Forster (Yorkshire)
11/8, 11/0 and 11/5. Meanwhile, Oliver Harris, the 5/8 seed from
Cheshire, was forced to retire during his match with 9/16 seed
Curtis Malik (Sussex) due to injury.
The GU19s went according to seed with impressive displays from
Yorkshire duo Charlotte Jagger (5/8) and Gabrielle Mawson (5/8) that
could leave top seed Lucy Turmell with some stern competition in the
quarter finals.
The biggest upset in the BU17’s came when Jared Carter (9/16)
defeated the No.2 Alasdair Prott (Scotland) in a topsy turvy five
game thriller (11/6, 9/11, 11/6, 11/7, 11/5) that could have gone
either way. Top seed Nick Wall (Yorkshire) wasn’t to suffer the same
fate, when he provided an impressive 3-0 victory over fellow
Yorkshireman, 9/16 seed Ben Merchant.
The GU17’s went according to seed with No.1 Georgia Adderley
(Scotland) being the only player to drop a game in the second round.
The biggest upset came when two of the top eight seeds were
eliminated by two 9/16 seeds from Warwickshire. The Warwickshire duo
of Rosie Kirsch and Lucy Green convincingly dispatched 5/8 seeds
Laura Neill (Northamptonshire) and Poppie Jaram (Yorkshire).
In the BU15, there was just one upset in Round 1 when qualifier Sion
Evans defeated 9/16 seed Franklyn Smith. In the second round, all
top eight seeds eased through to the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the
2016 Boys Under 13 champion and BU15 top seed Sam Todd sailed
through to the quarter’s following two convincing 3-0 victories.
The GU15 first round saw two upsets with two 9/16 seeds, Ellis
Miller and Ellie Hewes being knocked out by Amy Pullen and Amelia
Leslie respectively. The second round results all went to seed bar
Darcie Mounter (9/16) who defeated 5/8 seed Amber Copley.
In the BU13, all seeds progressed through to the second round except
9/16 seeds Abd-Allah Eissa and Usman Alli, who were knocked out by
qualifier Tom Walsh and unseeded Jack Whitfield respectively. The
second round went according to seed except for Daniel Neill (5/8)
who was knocked out by 9/16 seed Huzaifan Ali.
In the GU13, there was one upset with 9/16 seed Aliza Sheikh
dispatching 5/8 seed Jasmine Tranter.
128 players will now compete in Saturday’s quarter finals. Visit the
official website at
www.englandsquash.com/bjc to view the order of play.
Best of British descend on Manchester for 2016 Junior Champs
The British Junior Championships, one of the most prestigious junior
squash events in England returns to Manchester from 27th-30th
October 2016. The four-day event, now established as one of the
biggest domestic junior tournaments on the British circuit, will see
nearly 300 players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland
battling to be crowned British junior champion.
Hot favourite to clinch the Don Sanderson Trophy in the Boys Under
19s is Hampshire’s Kyle Finch following top seed Charlie’s Lee’s
withdrawal. Challenging Kyle will be second seed Harry Falconer from
Lincolnshire who will be fighting for his first British title.
The Girls Under 19s looks set to be fiercely contested between last
year’s Under 17 winner, Lucy Turmel (Suffolk) and second seed Grace
Gear (Herefordshire) following top seed Elin Harlow’s (Wales)
withdrawal.
In the Boys Under 17s, top seed Nick Wall (Yorkshire) is set to face
stiff competition from Scotland’s Alasdair Prott, Lancashire’s Oscar
Beach and Wales’ Lewis Poole.
Top seed Georgia Adderly from Scotland will be looking to clinch her
first Under 17 title. Ready to challenge Georgia for the crown are
Essex duo, Alice Green (last year’s Under 15 winner) and Ellie
Lazarus (last year’s Under 15 runner-up).
British Junior Championship 2015 Under 13 winner Sam Todd
(Yorkshire) moves up to the Under 15 event. Lying in wait for a shot
at the title are second seed Louis Martin (Sussex) and 3/4 seed Max
Forster (Northumbria).
Top seed Katie Malliff (Buckinghamshire) will be looking to clinch
her first U15 title after stepping up from the Under 13s. Ready to
challenge Katie is Scotland’s Layna Beattie and 5/8 seed Orla Young
from Wales. Dorset’s Maia Pannell seeded 9/16 will be the one to
watch, who at only 13, recently won the Under 15 and 19 County
Closed titles.
The Boys Under 13s championship heats up this year as 2015 runner-up
Sam Osbourne-Wylde from Worcestershire hopes to go one step further
and clinch the title. In the Girls Under 13 category, last year’s
runner up and top seed, Torrie Malik, is in prime position to take
the title but will face competition from Suffolk’s Emma Bartley and
Yorkshire compatriots Asia Harris and Amy Royle.
The National Squash Centre and The Northern Squash Club will see
competitive play over four days. Main draw action starts at 9am on
Friday 28th October with the Boys and Girls Under 13 and Under 15
being played in full at The Northern in Didsbury while the Boys and
Girls Under 17 and 19s are played at the National Squash Centre.
Finals are scheduled for Sunday. All spectators wishing to see the
best the best of British are welcome free of charge.
British
Junior Championship 2016