Huge win over Eain Yow Ng for American outsider Andrew Douglas
By DONNA HELMER in Sheffield
Day two of the British Junior Open sprung a huge shock as last year’s world junior champion was knocked out in the third round.
Spectators were treated to a five-game thriller in Sheffield as American Andrew Douglas [9/16] defeated the favourite for the Boys’ Under 19 trophy, Eain Yow Ng of Malaysia, the reigning World Junior Champion.
Douglas took a 2-0 lead before the Malaysian battled back to level the match at 2-2. The American eventually emerged victorious with a 11/8, 11/9, 9/11, 8/11, 11/4 win after 67 minutes and now faces Adhitya Raghavan (India) [9/16] in the quarter finals at Abbeydale on Wednesday.
Douglas commented: “I never thought it could happen but I worked hard and it paid off, I can’t believe it. I’ve always had to play the top seeds in the early rounds here, but this time I did it, unbelievable!”
“I thought someone had something against me here as I’ve always had to play the No. 1 or No. 2 seed early, but this time I’ve got through. Thanks for all of the support, to my coach Laurent Elriani, Rich Wade, US Squash…unbelievable!”
That was one of three Boys Under 19 upsets as India’s Adhitya Raghavan and Abhay Singh both beat seeded Egyptians, leaving India with more representation in the last eight than Egypt. Meanwhile, second seed Youssef Ibrahim from Egypt won in three, and now faces the only other remaining Egyptian, Abdallah El Masry, while Douglas and Raghavan meet, guaranteeing a semi-finalist outside the top eight seeds. England’s Kyle Finch [5/8] who defeated J G Dominiguez (Mexico) [9/16] in four games, 11/9, 5/11, 11/4, 11/7 now meets unseeded Abhay Singh of India.
The Girls’ Uunder 19s draw by contrast went entirely to seeding, with all five Egyptians winning, and at least one Egyptian semi-finalist guaranteed in both halves of the draw. English hopefuls Grace Gear and Lucy Turmel were both eliminated in three games.
Sheffield’s own British National Junior Boys Under 17 champion Nick Wall [5/8] will play 3/4 seed Mostafa Assal (Egypt) in the quarter finals of the Boys’ Under 17s competition after beating unseeded Gautam Nagpal (India) 11/3, 11/2, 11/0 in just 18 minutes. Top seed Marwan Tarek (Egypt) also advanced to the quarter final stage with a comfortable 12/10 11/7 11/5 victory over Malaysian Danial Nurhaqiem [9/16].
Ingy Sherif Hammouda of Egypt, who was seeded at the top of the Girls’ Under 17s draw, faces Habbiba H Saadallah in the next round. Hammouda needed four games to eliminate England’s Alice Green [9/16] 12/10 12/10 6/11 11/8. Meanwhile, England’s Elise Lazarus [5/8] defeated Karina Tyma of Poland to set-up a quarter final tie against 3/4 seed Aifa Azman of Malaysia.
There were more upsets in the Boys Under 15s draw as USA’s Thomas Rosini and Canada’s Abdelrahman Dweek took out seeded opponents, while Dana Santry followed up Monday’s upset to boost American interest. While the top two seeds Egyptians are still favourites for the title, England’s Sam Todd, the reigning Under 13 champion, looked in good form as he set up a quarter-final with USA’s Thomas Rosini [9/16].
Marina Stefanino (USA) [1] took her place in the last eight of the Girls’ Under 15s competition after a 3-1 win against 9/16 seed Megan Best of Barbados. Stefanino will now face Sin Yuk Chan of Hong Kong after claiming the 11/4, 11/4, 9/11, 11/3 victory. English girl Katie Malliff’s 11/3, 11/5, 11/4 win against Priya Verma (USA) earned her a quarter final meeting with the number two seed Farida Ahmed (Egypt).
England’s Sam Osborne-Wylde [3/4] and Jonah Bryant [5/8] will both have their eyes on the semi-finals after advancing through to the last eight of the Boys’ Under 13s, while Torrie Malik, also of England, faces top seed Aira Azman in the girls’ draw.
Picture courtesy of England Squash