By JANE BALL (Squash Mad Reporter)
Warwickshire’s Hassan Khalil scored a big upset on quarter-finals day at the British Junior Open in Nottingham as he downed No.2 seed, Rowan Damming (Netherlands), to join four other English players in the semi-finals.
Khalil started the better of the two and took a commanding 2-0 lead to place one foot in the last four. Damming came back strongly and took the third and fourth games 11-3, 11-1 to force a deciding game.
Khalil regrouped and managed to take the game 13-11 to reach the final four. Khalil will now play another surprise semi-finalist, Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran, who beat 3/4 seed Sam Osborne-Wylde.
The other men’s semi-final will feature two Englishmen, No.1 seed Sam Todd and 3/4 seed Jonah Bryant. Yorkshire’s heavy favourite Todd again wasted no time in booking his semi-final place, beating USA’s Hollis Robertson 3-0 in just 25 minutes.
Bryant overcame compatriot Franklyn Smith in his quarter-final. The Sussex player lost the first game but recovered confidently to win the next three games and set up the last four encounter.
In the women’s event, both 3/4 seeds Torrie Malik and Asia Harris secured their semi-final places in contrasting styles. World No.92 Malik was up first on court 10 at The Park Club and comfortably beat India’s surprise quarter-finalist Tanisha Jain 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 in 23 minutes. Malik’s semi-final opponent will be USA’s No.2 seed Lucie Stefanoni.
Yorkshire’s Asia Harris came through a tough five-game battle with Spain’s Noa Romero to reach the final four. Harris took a crucial third game 12-10 to lead 2-1 and earned herself a match ball in the fourth game. Romero stayed strong during the big points and turned the game around to set up a decider.
Harris started confidently in the fifth game and never surrendered her dominance to take the game 11-4. Harris will now play No.1 seed Caroline Fouts from the USA for a place in the final.
Semi-final action starts from 16:45 on day four and will be shown on the England Squash Facebook and YouTube channels.
British Junior Under-19 Open 2022, Nottingham Squash Club, Nottingham, England.
Men’s Quarter-finals:
[1] Sam Todd (ENG) bt [9/12] Hollis Robertson (USA) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)
[3/4] Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt [5/8] Franklyn Smith (ENG) 5-11, 11-4, 11-1, 11-6 (42m)
[5/8] Ameeshenraj Chandaran (MAS) bt [3/4] Sam Osborne-Wylde (ENG) 11-3, 11-7, 12-10 (36m)
[5/8] Hassan Khalil (ENG) bt [2] Rowan Damming (NED) 11-8, 13-11, 3-11, 1-11, 13-11 (51m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Sam Todd (ENG) v [3/4] Jonah Bryant (ENG)
[5/8] Hassan Khalil (ENG) v [5/8] Ameeshenraj Chandaran (MAS)
Women’s Quarter-finals:
[1] Caroline Fouts (USA) bt [9/12] Madison Ho (USA) 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (30m)
[3/4] Asia Harris (ENG) bt [5/8] Noa Romero (ESP) 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-4 (50m)
[3/4] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Tanishka Jain (IND) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (23m)
[2] Lucie Stefanoni (USA) bt [5/8] Naomi Nohar (NED) 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 (25m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Caroline Fouts (USA) v [3/4] Asia Harris (ENG)
[2] Lucie Stefanoni (USA) v [3/4] Torrie Malik (ENG)
Pictures courtesy of England SquashÂ