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31/07/2011
WOMEN'S WORLD JUNIOR TEAMS 2011
 

Egypt Retain World Junior Title

WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship, Boston, USA

Egypt Retain World Junior Title

Favourites Egypt successfully retained their title in the WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship in Boston - but hosts USA, celebrating their first appearance in the climax, forced the tie into a decider after former world individual champion Amanda Sobhy defeated the newly-crowned champion Nour El Tayeb on the final day of the World Squash Federation event at the Murr Center at Harvard University.

Defending champions Egypt made a great start to the final as Nouran El Torky beat a nervous Sabrina Sobhy 11-9, 11-3, 11-3.

Then came the match that was expected to bring the earlier individual championship to a conclusion - between 2010 champion Amanda Sobhy and her predicted successor Nour El Tayeb. Sobhy, determined to make amends for her shock semi-final exit in the individual event, edged a tight first, pulling away from eight-all.

El Tayeb drew level - but New Yorker Sobhy ran away with the third to retake the lead.

Holding a slight lead throughout the fourth, Sobhy eventually clinched her third match-ball to win 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 to force the tie into a decider.

"Amanda played so well, she hit the ball very hard and made no mistakes," El Tayeb told the official site www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011 afterwards. "It was in my mind that in 2009 she'd beaten Nour (El Sherbini) in the team event and today she beat me.

"Even though I played my best, I tried my hardest. I had some nerves, it was a different kind of nerves from the individual event, but it didn't help that she played so well!"

But less than half an hour later, Egypt made sure of the title when Nour El Sherbini, winner of the 2009 title and runner-up in the 2011 championship, beat Olivia Blatchford 11-8, 11-3, 11-8.

"When Nour lost I was quite nervous, I knew it was all on me now, but once I managed to take the first game I though everything's alright now," explained El Sherbini.

"Then I hurt my ankle and had to get it strapped," added the 15-year-old. "Everyone was concerned but I told them I would be ok. Once I went back on court my ankle didn't hurt, but I wanted to finish the game quickly and most of my shots came off,

"I was so happy to help the team win, but my ankle does hurt now!"

Egypt coach Amir Wagih added: "It was a great team victory and a very special one. They've been working hard in the camps all summer and this is a great reward for them.

"The team event is always tougher than the individual, all the other countries are determined and trying to push you, and all our players played right to the end of the individuals so there wasn't much time for rest.

"I promised we would try to bring the trophy back home and they did it, I'm so proud of them.

"The boys did so well in Belgium, now the girls have won again. This is the 20th world title since I've been National Coach, and soon the men will go to Paderborn and we will try to retain that title."

In the bronze medal play-off for third place, sixth seeds Hong Kong China beat India, the third seeds, 2/1 - and former champions England improved on their finish two years ago by beating fifth seeds Malaysia 2/0 in the play-off for fifth place.

And although New Zealand beat Wales 2/0 in the seventh place play-off, the eighth place finish was the best by Wales since their appearance in the inaugural championship in 1985.

In the battle for 15th place between championship debutants Guyana and Ecuador, it was Guyana that emerged triumphant 2/0.

Final:
[1] EGYPT bt [2] USA 2/1
Nouran El Torky bt Sabrina Sobhy 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (20m)
Nour El Tayeb lost to Amanda Sobhy 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11 (44m)
Nour El Sherbini bt Olivia Blatchford 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (29m)

3rd place play-off:
[6] HONG KONG CHINA bt [3] INDIA 2/1
Choi Uen Shan bt Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-9, 11-9, 12-14, 11-8 (36m)
Ka-Yi Lee lost to Anaka Alankamony 3-11, 6-11, 7-11 (20m)
Ho Tze-Lok bt Saumya Karki 4-11, 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8 (46m)

5th place play-off:
[4] ENGLAND bt [5] MALAYSIA 2/0
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Vanessa Raj 11-3, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 (33m)
Emily Whitlock bt Tan Yan Xin 11-8, 11-4, 12-10 (26m)
Katie Smith
v Sue Ann Yong (dead rubber - match not played)

7th place play-off:
[9] NEW ZEALAND bt [10] WALES 2/0
Danielle Fourie bt Fiona Murphy 18-16, 11-8, 11-6 (29m)
Megan Craig bt Tesni Evans 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 9-5 ret. (39m)
Rebecca Barnett
v Hannah Davies (dead rubber - match not played)

9th place play-off:
[8] CANADA bt [7] AUSTRALIA 2/1
Hollie Naughton bt Bethany Brazier 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (22m)
Danielle Letourneau lost to Tamika Saxby 8-11, 10-12, 8-11 (25m)
Michelle Gemmell bt Selena Shaikh 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 (22m)

11th place play-off:
[11] FRANCE bt [12] GERMANY 2/0
Elvira Bedjai bt Laura Kutsch 13-15, 10-12, 17-15, 12-10, 12-10 (59m)
Julia Lecoq bt Caroline Sayegh 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4 (34m)
Marie Stephan
v Annika Wiese (dead rubber - match not played)

13th place play-off:
[13/16] SOUTH AFRICA bt [13/16] NETHERLANDS 2/0
Julie Lee bt Nikki van der Heijden 11-7, 11-9, 12-10 (27m)
Alexandra Fuller bt Ilona Lagerweij 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 7-11, 11-8 (43m)
Elani Landman
v Tessa ter Sluis (dead rubber - match not played)

15th place play-off:
[13/16] GUYANA bt [13/16] ECUADOR 2/0
Kayla Jeffrey bt Mikaela Albuja Sanchez 11-5, 11-4, 8-6 ret. (24m)
Ashley Khalil bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 16-14, 11-5, 11-5 (24m)
Keisha Jeffrey
v Nicole Gordillo Bravo (dead rubber - match not played)

Hosts USA To Face Egypt In Dream World Final

Hosts USA survived a tense semi-final battle against India in the WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship in Boston to set up a dream final with defending champions Egypt in the World Squash Federation event at the Murr Center at Harvard University.

Amanda Sobhy, the world No20 and second highest-ranked player in the event, put the hosts into the lead with an 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 victory over Indian top string Anaka Alankamony, the reigning Asian Junior Champion.

The tie was turned on its head when India's second string Saumya Karki, a 16-year-old making her debut in the championship, played the game of her life to beat experienced Olivia Blatchford, a New Yorker ranked 37 in the world who has already represented her country at senior level, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 in 28 minutes.

The decider pitched US No4 Haley Mendez, a 17-year-old from New York, against India's third string Aparajitha Balamurukan, also 17, from Chennai.

Mendez squeezed home in the first, but Balamurukan upped the pace in the second to draw level. It was nip and tuck in the third and fourth games - but it was Mendez who held her nerve to take the final three points of the fourth to score a dramatic 11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9 victory which delighted the packed crowd.

"Haley is so fit, she just kept on going, kept on running and worked so hard to pull that victory out for us," team spokesman Jack Wyant told www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011 after the USA celebrated its first appearance in the final.

"Amanda was solid again. She's saving her best squash for the final - she was gutted by the result in the individuals and tomorrow's an opportunity to show that she's at the same level as the World Champion.

"Making the final was everything for us - it means we've medalled for sure, which is a first, certainly in my lifetime, and there's still a title to play for. The pressure was all on us tonight, but tomorrow it's on Egypt as the defending champions, we'll just give it all we've got."

By comparison, favourites Egypt strolled into the final - for the fifth time in a row - after beating sixth seeds Hong Kong China 2/0. Egypt's two world individual championships finalists Nour El Tayeb and Nour El Sherbini produced convincing displays - world champion El Tayeb beating Ho Ka Po 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 and former champion El Sherbini overcoming Ka-Yi Lee 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-2.

Semi-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [6] HONG KONG CHINA 2/0
Nour El Tayeb bt Ho Ka Po 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 (19m)
Nour El Sherbini bt Ka-Yi Lee 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-2 (30m)

[2] USA bt [3] INDIA 2/1
Amanda Sobhy bt Anaka Alankamony 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (21m)
Olivia Blatchford lost to Saumya Karki 7-11, 9-11, 9-11 (28m)
Haley Mendez bt Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9 (42m)

5th - 8th place play-offs:
[5] MALAYSIA bt [10] WALES 2/1
Tan Yan Xin lost to Tesni Evans 4-11, 11-3, 6-11, 10-12 (36m)
Vanessa Raj bt Hannah Davies 11-2, 11-7, 11-7 (19m)
Celine Yeap bt Fiona Murphy 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (24m)

[4] ENGLAND bt [9] NEW ZEALAND 2/1
Emily Whitlock bt Megan Craig 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 (42m)
Sophie Lemom lost to Rebecca Barnett 3-11, 8-11, 5-11 (23m)
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Danielle Fourie 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5 (51m)

9th - 12th place play-offs:
[8] CANADA bt [11] FRANCE 2/1
Danielle Letourneau lost to Julia Lecoq 5-11, 12-10, 6-11, 7-11 (31m)
Michelle Gemmell bt Marie Stephan 8-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7 (42m)
Hollie Naughton bt Elvira Bedjai 11-2, 7-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6 (39m)

[7] AUSTRALIA bt [12] GERMANY 2/1
Tamika Saxby bt Caroline Sayegh 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 (29m)
Selena Shaikh lost to Annika Wiese 8-11, 3-11, 6-11 (19m)
Bethany Brazier bt Steffi Rosner 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 (16m)

13th - 16th place play-offs:
[13/16] NETHERLANDS bt [13/16] GUYANA 3/0
Ilona Lagerweij bt Ashley Khalil 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (19m)
Tessa ter Sluis bt Keisha Jeffrey 11-4, 12-10, 11-9 (26m)
Nikki van der Heijden bt Mary Fung-A-Fat 11-6, 7-11, 11-1 (21m)

[13/16] SOUTH AFRICA bt [13/16] ECUADOR 3/0
Alexandra Fuller bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (16m)
Elani Landman bt Nicole Gordillo Bravo 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (19m)
Lume Landman bt Maria Jose Guarderas 11-5, 11-1 (10m)

Hong Kong Battle Into World Semis

Two years after claiming a surprise place in the final of the WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship, sixth seeds Hong Kong China again upset the seedings in the 2011 World Squash Federation event in Boston, USA, to earn a semi-final berth at the Murr Center at Harvard University.

In the all-Asian tie against Malaysia, it was the fourth seeds who took the opening honours as Tan Yan Xin beat Hong Kong's Ka-Yi Lee in four games, before Choi Uen Shan levelled matters after beating Vanessa Raj.

In the dramatic decider, Hong Kong's Ho Tze-Lok took a 2/0 and 9-4 lead - but Sue Ann Yong recovered to win the third after saving two match balls before the Hong Kong third string regained the upper hand in the fourth to win 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 11-4.

"We had a team meeting last night and the two younger players, who had lost to their number two and three, really wanted to play to have a chance of revenge," Hong Kong coach Dick Leung told the official website www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011 later. "We knew that it would be tough at number one, so we rested our number one to give the youngsters a chance and they played so well.

"I'm really proud of them - it's amazing that such a young team (17, 14 and 15) should get to the semi-finals, and with the two youngsters winning the crunch matches it's great for the future too."

Hong Kong will now face firm favourites Egypt who, led by the new world individual champion Nour El Tayeb, cruised to a 3/0 win over tenth seeds Wales.

In a triumph described by national coach Cyrus Poncha as "very sweet", India justified their status as third seeds by beating former champions England, the No4 seeds, 2/0.

India took the lead when Anaka Alankamony, the Asian Junior Champion, beat European Junior Champion Emily Whitlock. The Indian seemed to have the answer to everything Whitlock could throw at her, and essentially outplayed her for two and a half games to lead 6-2 in the third.

Whitlock then took control for the first time with a run of four points to level before winning the game to reduce the deficit. Alankamony built up a 9-4 lead in the fourth - and again Whitlock fought back. The Indian number one held her nerve, however, to close out the match 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9.

It looked as though Victoria Temple-Murray would pull one back for England when she established a two-game lead against Aparajitha Balamurukan - but the Indian number three fought back superbly, saving a solitary match-ball at 9-10 in the fourth before racing away with the fifth to delight the Indian bench and supporters with her 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 victory in 44 minutes.

"England has always been a powerhouse in squash, this victory is very sweet," exclaimed Poncha. "Anaka was extraordinary today, this is a warning sign to the rest of the world!

"Aparajitha showed great fighting spirit to claw back from two games down."

Hosts USA secured their place in the semi-finals against India - but the second seeds had to work hard for their 2/1 win over New Zealand, the ninth seeds.

2010 world champion Amanda Sobhy put the home side ahead with an 11-6, 11-2, 11-7 win over Kiwi Megan Craig - but her younger sister Sabrina Sobhy was unable to close out the tie as Danielle Fourie drew matters level after a four-game win.

Order was restored when New Yorker Olivia Blatchford beat Rebecca Barnett 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 to clinch the US win.

"Amanda was impressive, but then their number three played very well," explained US national coach Natalie Grainger. ""We never had any concerns that Olivia could do it, and she went about her job the way it was needed, a good performance."

Quarter-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [10] WALES 3/0
Nour El Tayeb bt Tesni Evans 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (24m)
Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy bt Fiona Murphy 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (17m)
Nouran El Torky bt Hannah Davies 8-11, 11-7, 11-6 (15m)

[6] HONG KONG CHINA bt [5] MALAYSIA 2/1
Ka-Yi Lee lost to Tan Yan Xin 5-11, 11-3, 6-11, 9-11 (33m)
Choi Uen Shan bt Vanessa Raj 11-8, 13-11, 11-9 (27m)
Ho Tze-Lok bt Sue Ann Yong 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 11-4 (34m)

[3] INDIA bt [4] ENGLAND 2/0
Anaka Alankamony bt Emily Whitlock 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9 (39m)
Aparajitha Balamurukan bt Victoria Temple-Murray 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 (44m)

[2] USA bt [9] NEW ZEALAND 2/1
Amanda Sobhy bt Megan Craig 11-6, 11-2, 11-7 (20m)
Sabrina Sobhy lost to Danielle Fourie 11-6, 11-13, 7-11, 12-14 (36m)
Olivia Blatchford bt Rebecca Barnett 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 (22m)

9th - 16th place play-offs:
[8] CANADA bt [13/16] GUYANA 3/0
Michelle Gemmell bt Ashley Khalil 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 (16m)
Abbey Foster bt Kayla Jeffrey 11-8, 11-4, 11-3
Hollie Naughton bt Keisha Jeffrey 11-7, 11-7 (12m)

[11] FRANCE bt [13/16] NETHERLANDS 3/0
Julia Lecoq bt Ilona Lagerweij 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7 (33m)
Elvira Bedjai bt Nikki van der Heijden 6-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4 (44m)
Marie Stephan bt Tessa ter Sluis 11-3, 11-3 (9m)

[12] GERMANY bt [13/16] ECUADOR 3/0
Caroline Sayegh bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 11-1, 11-5, 11-6 (19m)
Laura Kutsch bt Mikaela Albuja Sanchez 11-7, 11-2, 11-4 (14m)
Annika Wiese bt Nicole Gordillo Bravo 11-2, 11-3 (10m)

[7] AUSTRALIA bt [13/16] SOUTH AFRICA 2/0
Tamika Saxby bt Alexandra Fuller 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 (19m)
Bethany Brazier bt Lume Landman 6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 (42m)

New Zealand & Wales Make World Quarter-Finals

After a dramatic final day of qualifying action in the WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship in Boston, USA, ninth seeds New Zealand and tenth seeds Wales claimed unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the World Squash Federation event at the Murr Center at Harvard University.

New Zealand faced eighth seeds Canada for second place in Pool A - and a berth in the quarter-finals. Megan Craig put the Kiwis ahead with a 41-minute win over Danielle Letourneau, but the match was anyone's all the way up to a nail-biting nine-all in the fifth!

Canada then battled back from the brink of early defeat when Hollie Naughton came from 2/0 down and eight-all in the third to beat Danielle Fourie 12-14, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 to level the tie.

The decider reached one game all before New Zealander Rebecca Barnett beat the Canadian number two Michelle Gemmell 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 to put the ninth seeds into the last eight.

"We knew that this would be the crucial one, and in matches like this anything can happen," Kiwi coach Joanne Williams told the official website www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011 later. "The pressure was really on both sets of girls, but I think we were a little more nervous than they were, for some reason.

"Megan played so well, she did what needed to be done, and Danielle was so close to finishing it off. But Rebecca played really well in the last match. We're all just delighted to be through!"

Wales made their Pool B breakthrough on day one by beating seventh seeds Australia. But after going down to hosts USA, the No2 seeds, in the morning, the tenth seeds brushed aside championship newcomers Guyana 3/0 to ensure a second place finish in the pool - and a place in the quarter-finals.

The slip by Australia will leave the three times former champions outside the top eight for the third time in a row since 2005.

England, winners of the title five times, slipped up in their final tie in Pool D. After Emily Whitlock put the fourth seeds ahead against Malaysia, Vanessa Raj levelled the tie for the No5 seeds with an 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 victory over Sophie Lemom.

Malaysian second string Sue Ann Yong then clinched victory for the underdogs after fighting back from 2/0 down to beat Katie Smith 12-14, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 in 62 minutes.

The result puts both sides into the quarter-finals - but whilst Malaysia will line up against sixth seeds Hong Kong China, England must face third seeds India.

"That's a really good win for us - to beat England is a great achievement," said Malaysian coach Allan Pete Soyza. "The decider was an up and down match, but Sue Ann did really well to come back from two games down.

"It's a young team we have, and one of the best I've been involved with for team spirit and camaraderie.

"Tomorrow's another day, and it's wonderful that we're now guaranteed at least one Asian semi-finalist, but for now we'll just enjoy this win."

Final qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] EGYPT bt [8] CANADA 3/0
Nour El Sherbini bt Michelle Gemmell 11-2, 8-11, 11-2, 11-1 (19m)
Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy bt Abbey Foster 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (17m)
Nouran El Torky bt Hollie Naughton 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 (22m)

[9] NEW ZEALAND bt [13/16] SOUTH AFRICA 3/0
Megan Craig bt Alexandra Fuller 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9 (32m)
Danielle Fourie bt Lume Landman 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (23m)
Rebecca Barnett bt Elani Landman 11-8, 11-4, 11-8

[1] EGYPT bt [13/16] SOUTH AFRICA 3/0
Nour El Sherbini bt Elani Landman 11-0, 11-4, 11-6 (15m)
Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy bt Julie Lee 11-2, 11-6, 11-2 (16m)
Nouran El Torky bt Lume Landman 11-2, 11-6, 11-2 (16m)

[9] NEW ZEALAND bt [8] CANADA 2/1
Megan Craig bt Danielle Letourneau 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (41m)
Danielle Fourie lost to Hollie Naughton 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 6-11 (47m)
Rebecca Barnett bt Michelle Gemmell 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 (36m)

Final positions: 1 Egypt, 2 New Zealand, 3 Canada, 4 South Africa

Pool B:
[2] USA bt [10] WALES 3/0
Amanda Sobhy bt Tesni Evans 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 (23m)
Haley Mendez bt Jennifer Haley 11-4, 11-7, 11-1 (16m)
Olivia Blatchford bt Hannah Davies 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (23m)

[7] AUSTRALIA bt [13/16] GUYANA 2/1
Tamika Saxby bt Ashley Khalil 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 (14m)
Jennifer Brown bt Kayla Jeffrey 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7
Selena Shaikh lost to Keisha Jeffrey 5-11, 12-10, 4-11, 5-11 (25m)

[2] USA bt [7] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Amanda Sobhy bt Tamika Saxby 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (18m)
Sabrina Sobhy bt Jennifer Brown 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (20m)
Olivia Blatchford bt Bethany Brazier 11-8, 11-8, 11-2 (23m)

[10] WALES bt [13/16] GUYANA 3/0
Tesni Evans bt Ashley Khalil 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (13m)
Fiona Murphy bt Kayla Jeffrey 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (16m)
Hannah Davies bt Keisha Jeffrey 11-7, 11-6, 11-3

Final positions: 1 USA, 2 Wales, 3 Australia, 4 Guyana

Pool C:
[3] INDIA bt [13/16] ECUADOR 3/0
Anaka Alankamony bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 11-0, 11-2, 11-0
Ankita Sharma bt Maria Jose Guarderas 11-2, 11-5, 11-2
Aparajitha Balamurukan bt Nicole Gordillo Bravo 11-5, 11-2, 11-5

[6] HONG KONG CHINA bt [11] FRANCE 2/1
Ho Ka Po lost to Melissa Alves 6-11, 8-11, 3-11 (33m)
Choi Uen Shan bt Marie Stephan 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 (22m)
Ho Tze-Lok bt Julia Lecoq 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4 (38m)

Final positions: 1 India, 2 Hong Kong China, 3 France, 4 Ecuador

Pool D:
[5] MALAYSIA bt [4] ENGLAND 2/1
Tan Yan Xin lost to Emily Whitlock 7-11, 6-11, 5-11 (26m)
Vanessa Raj bt Sophie Lemom 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 (34m)
Sue Ann Yong bt Katie Smith 12-14, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (62m)

[12] GERMANY bt [13/16] NETHERLANDS 2/1
Caroline Sayegh bt Ilona Lagerweij 12-10, 13-11, 11-9
Steffi Rosner lost to Nikki van der Heijden 7-11, 5-11, 8-11
Annika Wiese bt Tessa ter Sluis 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4

Final positions: 1 Malaysia, 2 England, 3 Germany, 4 Netherlands

Wales Crush Australia In World Team Opener

In the biggest upset on the opening day of qualifying action in the WSF Women's World Junior Team Squash Championship in Boston, USA, underdogs Wales crushed three-time former champions Australia 3/0 in the World Squash Federation event at the Murr Center at Harvard University.

"We don't beat Australia at many sports," said a jubilant Wales coach Andrew Evans after his team's stunning win over the seventh seeds who have reached the finals in seven of their 13 appearances since the inaugural event in 1985.

"When I saw the draw I knew it could be a good one for us, but I still expected it to be a really close match and go down to the wire," Evans explained to the official website www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011

Squad number three Fiona Murphy began the rout with an 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 11-8 victory over Jennifer Brown before Cardiff-born top string Tesni Evans sealed victory after a 23-minute 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 win against Tamika Saxby.

Second string Hannah Davies made it a clean sweep after beating Bethany Brazier 11-7, 11-1, 12-10.

"Fiona played very well," added Evans. "Then Tesni finished it off against Tamika. She didn't start too well but played very well and Tamika, who we know has injury problems, got tired in the second, otherwise that could have been close too.

"Hannah found some form after what was, in her own words, a disappointing individual competition and finished it off really well.

"It's a fantastic win, I'm really proud of them, and everyone back in Wales will be too."

Firm favourites Egypt, led by the new world individual champion Nour El Tayeb, cruised to a 3/0 win over ninth seeds New Zealand in just 47 minutes of playing time.

Hosts USA, seeded to reach the final in what would be their best ever finish after competing in all the championships since 1985, also made a positive start in Pool B, beating event debutants Guyana 3/0.

After morning wins for India (over France) and Hong Kong China (against championship newcomers Ecuador), the scene was set for what was essentially the decisive match in Pool C.

It was the day's most dramatic encounter in which third seeds India battled back from losing the opening match to beat sixth seeds Hong Kong 2/1.

"I want chocolate," demanded Indian number one Anaka Alankamony of coach Cyrus Poncha as she came off court after beating Ho Ka Po to level the tie. "I worked so hard," said the 17-year-old Asian junior champion from Chennai.

Saumya Karki completed the comeback, beating Hong Kong's Ka-Yi Lee 12-10, 11-8, 11-6, much to the relief of the Indian bench.

"Cyrus just told me to go on and play my game, not to consider any pressure and to be confident in myself," said 16-year-old Karki after the decider. "In the first two games we were going point for point, but I managed to make some good plays at the end of the games to take them.

"The third was the hardest game of all, but I was determined to close it out, I know how good she is and I really didn't want to play another two games!"

Official website: www.worldsquash.org/worldjuniors2011

1st qualifying rounds - Pool A:
[1] EGYPT bt [9] NEW ZEALAND 3/0
Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy bt Abbie Palmer 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (12m)
Nour El Tayeb bt Megan Craig 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 (16m)
Nouran El Torky bt Rebecca Barnett 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (19m)

[8] CANADA bt [13/16] SOUTH AFRICA 2/1
Abbey Foster bt Lume Landman 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (23m)
Danielle Letourneau lost to Alexandra Fuller 13-15, 4-11, 11-8, 11-13 (37m)
Michelle Gemmell bt Elani Landman 11-5, 11-8, 11-1 (21m)

Pool B:
[2] USA bt [13/16] GUYANA 3/0
Haley Mendez bt Mary Fung-A-Fat 11-3, 11-7, 11-3 (16m)
Olivia Blatchford bt Keisha Jeffrey 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (17m)
Sabrina Sobhy bt Kayla Jeffrey 11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (35m)

[10] WALES bt [7] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Fiona Murphy bt Jennifer Brown 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 11-8 (38m)
Tesni Evans bt Tamika Saxby 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (23m)
Hannah Davies bt Bethany Brazier 11-7, 11-1, 12-10 (18m)

Pool C:
[3] INDIA bt [11] FRANCE 3/0
Aparajitha Balamurukan bt Marie Stephan 9-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
Anaka Alankamony bt Melissa Alves 12-10, 12-10, 11-6 (29m)
Saumya Karki bt Julia Lecoq 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7 (33m)

[6] HONG KONG CHINA bt [13/16] ECUADOR 3/0
Choi Uen Shan bt Mikaela Albuja Sanchez 11-2, 11-4, 11-4 (16m)
Ho Ka Po bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 11-0, 7-11, 11-4, 11-3 (22m)
Ho Tze-Lok bt Nicole Gordillo Bravo 11-9, 11-4, 11-2 (15m)

[3] INDIA bt [6] HONG KONG CHINA 2/1
Aparajitha Balamurukan lost to Ho Tze-Lok 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 15-17
Anaka Alankamony bt Ho Ka Po 11-0, 11-5, 11-3 (23m)
Saumya Karki bt Ka-Yi Lee 12-10, 11-8, 11-6 (26m)

[11] FRANCE bt [13/16] ECUADOR 3/0
Elvira Bedjai bt Mikaela Albuja Sanchez 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (19m)
Melissa Alves bt Mireya Lucia Espinosa Proano 11-2, 11-6, 11-6 (18m)
Julia Lecoq bt Nicole Gordillo Bravo 11-1, 11-3, 11-6 (15m)

Pool D:
[4] ENGLAND bt [13/16] NETHERLANDS 3/0
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Laura Lagerweij 12-10, 11-6, 11-3
Emily Whitlock bt Tessa ter Sluis 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (21m)
Sophie Lemom bt Nikki van der Heijden 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4 (35m)

[5] MALAYSIA bt [12] GERMANY 3/0
Vanessa Raj bt Laura Kutsch 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (20m)
Tan Yan Xin bt Caroline Sayegh 11-3, 11-9, 11-4 (20m)
Sue Ann Yong bt Annika Wiese 11-4, 11-3, 12-10 (23m)

[4] ENGLAND bt [12] GERMANY 2/1
Victoria Temple-Murray bt Steffi Rosner 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (18m)
Emily Whitlock bt Caroline Sayegh 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (20m)
Katie Smith lost to Annika Wiese 7-11, 9-11, 3-11 (20m)

[5] MALAYSIA bt [13/16] NETHERLANDS 2/1
Celine Yeap bt Laura Lagerweij 11-7, 11-2, 11-4 (17m)
Tan Yan Xin lost to Tessa ter Sluis 8-11, 14-16, 7-11 (27m)
Vanessa Raj bt Nikki van der Heijden 11-5, 11-3, 11-0 (18m)