The Alpha Bravo Construction British Junior Open continued today with twenty semi-final matches at the University and playoff matches across the venues.
It was close to a clean sweep for Egypt as they claimed 17 of the 20 available final places, with Hong Kong, India and France taking one each.
Roundup and photos below today’s results …
G11
[5/8] Malika Ghonim (Egy) 3-2 [1] Talia Eslam (Egy) 6-11, 11-9, 4-11, 14-12, 13-11 (40m)
[2] Alia Elnazer (Egy) 3-2 [3/4] Karma Elnazer (Egy) 11-9, 8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 13-11 (42m)
B11
[5/8] Ngo San Leung (Hkg) 3-0 [1] Azlan Khan (Usa) 11-3, 11-9, 11-7 (17m)
[2] Hazen Mahmoud El Fadly (Egy) 3-0 [5/8] Selim Elnahas (Egy) 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (21m)
G13
[1] Serein Mohamed (Egy) 3-0 [5/8] Laila Mohamed Mohsen (Egy) 11-8, 13-11, 11-4 (27m)
[2] Nabila Elnahas (Egy) 3-2 [3/4] Fayrouz Elsayad (Egy) 10-12, 11-3, 11-1, 9-11, 11-7 (40m)
B13
[1] Yahia Waleed Rayan (Egy) 3-0 [3/4] Tameem Mostafa Fahmy (Egy) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (23m)
[2] Adam Ragab (Egy) 3-1 [3/4] Hussein Ghoneim (Egy) 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7 (29m)
G15
[1] Layla Moustafa (Egy) 3-0 [5/8] Sandy Hassan (Egy) 11-6, 11-9, 15-13 (36m)
[3/4] Reem Elmaghraby (Egy) 3-1 [2] Vivienne Sze (Usa) 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7 (39m)
B15
[1] Hassan Abdelgalil (Egy) 3-0 [3/4] Baraa Abdelkarim (Egy) 11-2, 14-12, 16-14 (40m)
[2] Aly Abdel-Fattah (Egy) 3-2 [5/8] Aly Teleb (Egy) 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 4-11, 13-11 (50m)
G17
[1] Habiba Rizk (Egy) 3-1 [5/8] Mariam Eissa (Eng) 11-7, 4-11, 13-11, 11-4 (34m)
[3/4] Mariam El Mattet (Egy) 3-0 [2] Isabella Tang (Usa) 17-15, 11-7, 11-7 (30m)
B17
[1] Farouk Mohamed (Egy) 3-1 [3/4] Brendan Tagliarini (Usa) 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5 (56m)
[3/4] Philopater Saleh (Egy) 3-0 [2] Aryaveer Dewan (Ind) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (37m)
G19
[1] Anahat Singh (Ind) 3-0 [3/4] Malika El Karasky (Egy) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (28m)
[2] Lauren Baltayan (Fra) 3-0 [3/4] Sohaya Hazem Farouk (Egy) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (33m)
B19
[1] Adam Hawal (Egy) 3-0 [3/4] Christian Capella (Usa) 11-7, 12-10, 11-7 (43m)
[2] Seifeldin Refaay (Egy) 3-0 [3/4] Amir Khaled-Jousselin (Fra) 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (41m)
Day Four Roundup : Egyptians dominate semi-finals day
Egypt will have 17 of the 20 finalists after the Land of the Pharaohs dominated semi-finals day in Birmingham.
The only final not to feature an Egyptian will be in the GU19 event, which will see a meeting of the top two seeds, India’s Anahat Singh and Lauren Baltayan of France. Singh took care of Egypt’s Malika El Karaksy 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 while European junior champion Baltayan reached her first BJO final at the seventh attempt by defeating [3/4] Sohayla Hazem Farouk of Egypt 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.
The Frenchwoman said: “It would be a dream to win tomorrow, but I’m not going to focus on the outcome, just play my best squash and let the result take care of itself.”
Singh, who won the U17 event last year, will be competing in her sixth BJO final, aiming for a fourth title.
BU19 top seed Adam Hawal got through in straight games against USA’s [3/4] Christian Capella and next plays close friend [2] Seif Refaay, who was an exemplary straight-games winner over France’s 3/4 seed Amir Khaled-Jousselin. It will be a repeat of last year’s BU17 final between the Egyptian pair.
Having lost two finals in a row at the BJO, Hawal said: “I have unfinished business here. For me, the British Junior Open is so prestigious, the same level as the World Juniors, so it would mean the world to me to win tomorrow.”
In the GU17, England’s sole semi-finalist [5/8] Mariam Eissa was well positioned at 8-4 up in the third against top seed Habiba Rizk, with the first two games shared. However, the Egyptian clawed her way back, helped in part by a crucial overturned stroke decision.
Rizk, who is only 15 and has BJO titles under her belt already at U13 and U15 level, completed 11-7, 4-11, 13-11, 11-4 victory to set up a final against compatriot [3/4] Mariam El Mattet, who overcame USA’s second seed Isabella Tang in three.
“I’m really happy I won that third game because it was really intense,” said Rizk. “She had a really big lead and I caught up. The referee gave a stroke and I asked for a review. They gave a no let and I was really thankful.”
BU17 top seed Farouk Mohamed was extended to four games by USA’s [3/4] Brendan Tagliarini while his Egyptian compatriot [3/4] Philopater Saleh came through in three against Indian second seed Aryaveer Dewan.
Top seed Hassan Abdelgalil cruised into a BU15 final against second-seeded compatriot Aly Abdel-Fattah by virtue of an 11-2, 14-12, 16-14 triumph over [3/4] Baraa Abdelkarim. Abdel-Fattah’s win in the other semi was a classic – 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 4-11, 14-12 against [5/8] Aly Teleb.
Title favourite Layan Moustafa and 3/4 seed Reem Elmaghraby will contest the GU15 final after the Egyptian pair defeated [5/8] Sandy Hassan and USA’s [2] Vivienne Sze.
The all-Egyptian BU13 semis saw the top two seeds Yahia Waleed Rayan and Adam Ragab win through; Rayan in three over [3/4] Tameem Mostafa Fahmy and Ragab in four tight games against [3/4] Hussein Ghoneim.
The GU13 semis were also an Egyptian lockout in which both top seeds made the final; Serein Mohamed breezing past [5/8] Laila Mohamed Mohsen and [2] Nabila Elnahas battling back to seize a 10-12, 3-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-7 victory over [3/4] Fayrouz Elsayad.
Egyptian twin sisters Alia and Karma Elnazer met in the semi-finals of the GU11 with second-seeded Alia coming out on top by a marathon 11-9, 8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 13-11 scoreline. The other semi, also an all-Egyptian affair, also went the distance with [5/8] Malika Ghonim toppling top seed Talia Eslam 6-11, 11-9, 4-11, 14-12, 13-11.
Hong Kong will have the chance to win only their second ever title at the BJO (the last by Annie Au in the U15 in 2004) after [5/8] Ngo San Peung stunned top seed Azlan Khan of the USA in the opening BU11 semi 11-3, 11-9, 11-7. Ngo will play [2] Hazem Mahmoud El Fadly of Egypt in the final.
Some of our favourite shots from Day Four – lots more in the Galleries
