A long and eventful BJO Day Two in Birmingham ended with an upset win for Jonah Bryant over B19 3/4 seed Mohamed Zakaria as the quarter-final lineups were decided.
With matches running almost three hours late at the University, there were a series of dramatic wins for some of the seeds – B19 top seed Rowan Damming was taken to five in his first match of the day, second seed Finnlay Withington squandered a two-nil lead to win 12-10 in the fifth, and G19 5/8 seed Asia Harris came from two down saving match balls to win 12-10 in the fifth.
There were upset results in every category apart from the G19 and the B13, the only categories where the top eight seeds will contest the quarters.
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Jonah Bryant gatecrashes Boys U19 Quarter Finals in Birmingham
Sussex’s Jonah Bryant produced a stunning performance on day two of the British Junior Open to come from a game down to beat 3/4 seed Mohamed Hassan Zakaria and secure a place in the quarter finals.
Zakaria reached the quarter final stage at the World Junior Championships and after starting well in the last 16 contest with Bryant, looked determined to reach the next round. Bryant had other ideas however and started to control the middle of the court after the first game to pick off the young Egyptian and move ahead on the scoreboard. Bryant closed out tight second and third games 13-11, 11-9 before setting himself up with four match balls at 106 in game four and converted at the first time of asking. He’ll now face recent U.S. Junior Open winner Juan Jose Torres for a spot in the semi-finals.
Bryant is joined in the quarter finals by compatriot and second seed Finnlay Withington, who survived a scare from Switzerland’s David Bernet to advance to the last eight. Lancashire’s Withington secured a 2-0 lead to place one foot in the next round but was pegged back by the Swiss to 2-2. Withington showed his class however to clinch the fifth 14-12 and continue his run in the event.
There were no upsets in the girls under 19 category as all top eight seeds progressed through to the quarter finals. Yorkshire’s Asia Harris was forced to battle her way back from 2-0 down against Egypt’s Nour Megahed to reach the quarters. Harris showed her fighting spirit to close out games three and four 14-12, 12-10 before winning the final game 11-8 to move into the last eight. She now faces Malaysia’s 3/4 seed Aira Azman in the next round.
There was also a five-game victory for 5/8 seed Zeina Zein, who had to come from behind to beat compatriot Hana Ismail to book her quarter final place. The World No.67 found herself trailing 2-1 in the tie but converted a crucial fourth game 11-9 to equalise before going on and taking victory in the fifth. She now faces another Egyptian, in the form of second seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir, who wasted no time in beating Malaysia’s Yasshmita Jadishkumar.
In the boys under 17s second Adham Roshdy was beaten by USA’s 17/32 seed Alexander Dartnell earlier in the day and scored another victory later on over Marwan Tamer to book his place in the quarter finals. There was only one upset in the girls draw, as Hong Kong’s Ena Kwong defeated 5/8 seed Ayten Elbagoury to move into the quarter finals.
All the top two seeds have progressed in the under 15 and 13 draws with India’s Anahat Singh and Egypt’s Marwan Asal (younger brother to World #2 Mostafa) looking in fine form in the under 15 categories.
The quarter finals take place on Friday, starting at 10.00.
