WSF World Junior Squash Championship: Hamza claims victory

SQUASH - Int News 15 Jul, 2024

WSF World Junior Squash Championship: Hamza claims victory

Sports Bulletin Report

Houston, Texas (USA): A duo of Pakistani squash lads, Defending champion Mohammad Hamza Khan, and Abdullah Nawaz stormed into the quarterfinals of the ongoing WSF World Junior Squash Championship after beating their respective opponents here at Houston Squash Club, Texas United States of America (USA) on July 14, 2024.

Malaysia's Harith Danial upset the odds on day three of the WSF World Junior Squash Championships with a sublime performance as he beat [3/4] seed Juan Torres of Colombia. Torres went into the match heavily favoured, but struggled to break down the [9/16] seed in the opener, with Danial finding his range well and fending off Torres' attacks to take the first game 11-4.

The Colombian fought back impressively in the second game to level with an 11-7 win, only to be blown away 11-2 in game three as Danial regained the lead. There was no let up from the 18-year-old in game four, with Danial covering every inch of court and targeting the back well as he came back from 4-6 down to clinch the match in four games with an 11-7 victory.

Joining Danial and Eissa in upsetting the odds was Pakistan's Abdullah Nawaz, who battled back from a game down to shock Egyptian [5/8] seed Omar Azzam. There was also a moment of history made when Republic of Korea's Joo Young Na overcame compatriot Seojin Oh to become his country's first ever representative in a WSF World Junior Championship quarter-final.

In the women's draw, it was a more comfortable affair for the favourites, with every match going to seedings. In a fiery encounter, [5/8] seed Nour Megahed overcame a spirited challenge from Hong Kong, China's [9/16] seed Ena Kwong to record an 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6 victory. USA's Riya Navani, too, was pushed hard, with the [5/8] seed digging in after falling behind to [9/16 seed] Thanusaa Uthrian, eventually recording a 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 win to earn a match with No.2 seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir, who decimated French [9/16] seed Lauren Baltayan 11-2, 11-3, 11-2.

Joining Navani in the last eight is US compatriot and [3/4] seed Caroline Fouts. The 18-year-old, who has looked dominant so far in Houston, was in excellent form once again as she cruised past Malaysian [9/16] seed Whitney Wilson to maintain her her record of not dropping any games.

Results (Women's Pre-Quarterfinals):

[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) beat Malika Elkaraksy (EGY) 3-1: 11-2, 11-1, 11-5

[5/8] Nour Megahed (EGY) beat [9/16] Kwong Ena (HKG) 3-1: 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6

[5/8] Anahat Singh (IND) beat [9/16] Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-0: 11-6, 13-11, 11-2

[3/4] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY) beat Dixon Hill (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-5

[3/4] Caroline Fouts (USA) beat [9/16] Whitney Isabelle (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-4

[5/8] Jana Swaify (EGY) beat [9/16] Amelie Haworth (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-9

[5/8] Riya Navani (USA) beat [9/16] Thanusaa Uthrian (MAS) 3-1: 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9

[2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) beat [9/16] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-2

Women's Quarterfinals Fixtures:

[1] Amina Orfi (EGY) v [5/8] Nour Megahed (EGY)

[3/4] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY) v [5/8] Anahat Singh (IND)