Egypt win 10th WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship title

Egypt secured their tenth WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship title and extended their remarkable winning streak to eight consecutive victories by triumphing 2-0 against Malaysia, the second-seeded team, at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Australia.

Malaysia entered the tie with a burning desire for revenge, having suffered defeat at the hands of Egypt in the finals of the last two editions of the tournament. Adding to the motivation, their top player, Aira Azman, had also lost to Egypt's first-seeded Amina Orfi in the individual championship final earlier in the week.

The odds seemed somewhat in Malaysia's favor when news broke that Egypt would be missing two players due to illness. Consequently, the defending champions were represented by their No.1 player, Amina Orfi, along with No.3 Zeina Zein and No.5 Nadien El Hammamy.

Zeina Zein took the lead on court and rose to the occasion brilliantly, displaying an almost flawless performance that settled any initial nerves within the Egyptian team. Despite losing the third game, Zein responded with an impressive 11-0 victory in the fourth game to secure a crusial the lead Egypt.

In the second match of the much anticipated final, Amina Orfi showcased her clinical prowess by maintaining a comfortable distance from her opponent to cruise to 34 minute 11-7 11-8 11-2 victory.

Follwing the final, Egyptian Coach and former World No.4 Omneya Abdel Kawy expressed her initial apprehension due to the team's health issues. With key players unwell, she had to make a tough decision. However, Zeina's outstanding performance relieved the pressure, and Orfi's mental strength and determination impressed everyone.

Omneya Abdel Kawy praised the tenacity of Amina, pushing herself despite physical discomfort, and highlighted the team's determination to win titles consistently and ensure the legacy of success continues for generations to come.

At the trophy presentation, World Squash Federation President Zena Wooldridge and Squash Australia CEO Rob Donaghue congratulated the athletes and expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to making this year's WSF World Junior Squash Championships a resounding success.

Earlier in the day, playoff ties were played to decide final standings. Among the day’s winners include Hong Kong, China, who beat Canada to finish fifth and Australia, who overcame a weakened India team to finish seventh.

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship Final:
[1] Egypt 2-0 [2] Malaysia
Amina Orfi bt Aira Azman 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (34m)
Zeina Zein bt Sehveetrraa Kumar 11-3, 11-5, 2-11, 11-0 (27m)
Nadien El Hammamy w/d Thanusaa Uthrian

2023 WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship Standings:
1 [1] Egypt
2 [2] Malaysia
3 [3] USA and [5] England
5 [4] Hong Kong, China
6 [7] Canada
7 [8] Australia
8 [6] India
9 [9] New Zealand
10 [10] Scotland
11 [12] Singapore
12 [11] South Africa
13 [13] Ireland
14 [14] Chinese Taipei

Malaysia and Egypt are poised to meet in a third consecutive showdown at the World Squash Federation (WSF) Women's World Team Championship Final in Melbourne, Australia.

In an exhilarating semi-final clash Malaysia and Egypt triumphed over their opponents, USA and England, respectively, to secure their places in the final for the third time in succession.

Malaysia, seeded second, emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline against third-seeded USA. However, the battle was anything but straightforward. The string order of 3-1-2 saw Thanusaa Uthrian lead the Malaysian team against Emma Trauber. After Uthrian had made a strong start, Trauber made an incredible comeback before displaying remarkable resilience Uthrian saved eight game balls, ultimately seizing victory with her first match ball at 15-14 to give Malaysia a crucial lead.

The second match showcased a dramatic clash between the first strings, Aira Azman and Caroline Fouts. Azman fought back from being two games down to clinch a thrilling 3-2 victory to propel Malaysia into the final.

Delighted with his team's performance, Malaysia National Squash Coach Andrew Cross expressed: "That was an edgy match, but we're happy to have come through it, eventually. Thanusaa showed great composure, although she faced some tense moments in the third game. At 2-0 and 6-1 up, I thought the match was sealed, but credit to Emma for her fierce fightback. And when Caroline took the first two games against Azman, we kept motivating Aira, assuring her she could turn it around."

In the second semi-final, Egypt demonstrated their dominance against five-time champions England. The top seeds swiftly took the lead, thanks to Zeina Zein's commanding 11-4 11-0 11-2 victory against Meha Shah in just 15 minutes.

In the second match, England's first string, Asia Harris, put up a spirited fight against Amina Orfi. Despite Harris's promising performance, Orfi, the reigning individual champion, displayed her class to secure a hard-fought 11-7 11-8 11-8 win and ensure Egypt tadvanced to a remarkable tenth consecutive WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship final.

Delighted with the team's achievement, Egypt's Coach and former World No.4, Omneya Abdel Kawy, said: "It's truly amazing to reach a tenth consecutive final. This being my first world championship as a coach, it's a great feeling to secure a 2-0 victory and relieve the pressure of a third match. My girls played exceptionally well, and we eagerly await the final."

The stage is now set for an epic battle in the final, as Malaysia and Egypt lock horns once again to determine the ultimate champion of the WSF Women's World Team Championship.

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
Semi-Finals:
[1] Egypt 2-0 [5] England
Amina Orfi bt Asia Harris 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (37m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir w/d Amelie Haworth
Zeina Zein bt Meha Shah 11-4, 11-0, 11-2 (15m)

[2] Malaysia 2-0 [3] USA
Aira Azman bt Caroline Fouts 9-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (48m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar w/d Madison Ho
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Emma Trauber 11-9, 11-8, 16-14 (37m)

In a thrilling upset, No.5 seeds England delivered a spirited performance to defeat 4th seeds Hong Kong, China to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the 2023 WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship.

Led by Asia Harris, England faced a tough challenge from Toby Tse in the first game, but Harris bounced back impressively to secure a crucial 2-11 11-9 11-8 11-5 win. Despite a setback when Ena Kwong defeated Isabel McCullough, Amelie Haworth's exceptional form in the decisive match ensured England defied expectations.

Delighted with her performance, Amelie Haworth acknowledged the support of her team and coaches. England will now face Egypt, the formidable top seeds, in the semi-finals. Egypt continued their dominance in the championship, easily dispatching hosts Australia.

3rd seeds USA made an impressive comeback against 6th seeds India with Caroline Fouts and Riya Navani delivering crucial wins. Madison Ho's determined effort secured USA's first semi-final appearance since 2015. They will now clash with 2nd seeds Malaysia who secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Canada following wins from Aira Azman and Thanusaa Uthrian.

The stage is set for exciting semi-final encounters, promising high-stakes matches and intense competition to determine the ultimate victors in the prestigious championship.

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Egypt 3-0 [8] Australia
Amina Orfi bt Madison Lyon 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (24m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir bt Hannah Slyth 2-0: 11-2, 11-2 (10m)
Zeina Zein bt Amelie Guziak 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (17m)

[5] England 2-1 [4] Hong Kong, China
Asia Harris bt Toby Tse 3-1: 2-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)
Amelie Haworth bt Wai Sze Wing 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
Isabel McCullough lost to Ena Kwong 0-3: 5-11, 8-11, 7-11 (25m)

[3] USA 2-1 [6] India
Caroline Fouts lost to Anahat Singh 1-3: 7-11, 11-6, 3-11, 6-11 (34m)
Madison Ho bt Tiana Parasrampuria 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
Riya Navani bt Yuvna Gupta 3-1: 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)

[2] Malaysia 2-0 [7] Canada
Aira Azman bt Ocean Ma 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-0 (18m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar w/d Spring Ma
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Maria Min 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (24m)

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
Semi-Finals Draw:
[1] Egypt v [5] England
[2] Malaysia v [3] USA

Amelie Haworth bt Wai Sze Wing 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
Isabel McCullough lost to Ena Kwong 0-3: 5-11, 8-11, 7-11 (25m)
[3] USA 2-1 [6] India
Caroline Fouts lost to Anahat Singh 1-3: 7-11, 11-6, 3-11, 6-11 (34m)
Madison Ho bt Tiana Parasrampuria 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (23m)
Riya Navani bt Yuvna Gupta 3-1: 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)
[2] Malaysia 2-0 [7] Canada
Aira Azman bt Ocean Ma 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-0 (18m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar w/d Spring Ma
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Maria Min 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (24m)

Australia delivered an exhilarating comeback to defeat arch-rivals New Zealand to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship in Melbourne. This remarkable achievement marks only the second time since 2005 that Australia has advanced to this stage of the prestigious tournament.

Seeded 8th, Australia faced off against 9th-seeded New Zealand in a crucial match, with both teams desperately needing a victory to progress, having suffered losses against the dominant No.2 seeds, Malaysia, earlier in the championship.

In today's competition, following a 3-2-1 playing order, New Zealand initially gained the upper hand, thanks to a dominant performance from their third-string player, Anne Leakey, who secured an impressive straight-game victory against Australia's Hannah Slyth. This left the Australian team with no room for error if they were to achieve a coveted spot in the quarter-finals.

Fuelled by determination, 18-year-old Erin Classen spearheaded the Australian fightback by defeating Sophie Hodges with a convincing 3-1 scoreline to level the tie.

The deciding match showcased a standout performance from Australia's first-string player, 18-year-old Madison Lyon. With an assured display on the court, Lyon triumphed over her opponent, Ella Lash, in a gripping encounter, with the final scoreline reading 11-7 10-12 11-6 11-5. This hard-fought victory set up an intriguing quarter-final clash against the top seeds and reigning champions Egypt.

Post-match, Erin Classen expressed her elation, acknowledging the immense pressure riding on the match and expressing joy at emerging victorious. She humbly praised her teammates, acknowledging their phenomenal contributions that were pivotal in carrying the team to success.

Joining Australia in the quarter-finals are formidable teams such as USA, Hong Kong - China, England, India, and Canada, each securing their places in the last eight with commanding wins in their respective matches.

No.2 seeds Malaysia, along with top seeds Egypt, advanced to the knockout round by claiming victory in both matches of their three-team pool.

Looking ahead, the stage is set for enthralling quarter-final encounters as these top squash nations vie for supremacy and a chance to advance further in this prestigious international tournament.

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
Pool A:
[7] Canada 2-1 [10] Scotland
Ocean Ma lost to Robyn McAlpine 2-3: 11-5, 12-10, 5-11, 7-11, 3-11 (35m)
Spring Ma bt Anna Halliday 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (29m)
Maria Min bt Rowan Niven 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (22m)

Pool B:
[8] Australia 2-1 [9] New Zealand
Madison Lyon bt Ella Lash 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5 (32m)
Erin Classen bt Sophie Hodges 3-1: 11-3, 11-7, 14-16, 11-3 (34m)
Hannah Slyth lost to Anne Leakey 0-3: 6-11, 7-11, 5-11 (22m)

Pool C:
[3] USA 3-0 [14] Chinese Taipei
Caroline Fouts bt Yu-Chen Cheng 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (14m)
Riya Navani bt Jen-Ju Shaw 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-0 (14m)
Emma Trauber bt Mei Mei Chan 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-0 (12m)

[5] England 2-1 [11] South Africa
Amelie Haworth lost to Savannah Margot Ingledew 1-3: 9-11, 7-11, 12-10, 7-11 (48m)
Isabel McCullough bt Dené Van Zyl 3-0: 11-4 11-4 11-5 (17m)
Meha Shah bt Jordin Phillips 3-1: 5-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (26m)

Pool D:
[4] Hong Kong, China 3-0 [13] Ireland
Tse Yee Lam Toby bt Sophie Thomas 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 (14m)
Ka Huen Leung bt Maria Protsepova 3-0: 11-5 11-3 11-3 (15m)
Ena Kwon bt Lydia Mcquillan 3-0: 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 (16m)

[6] India 3-0 [12] Singapore
Anahat Singh bt Paige Teresa Hill 3-0: 11-3 11-2 11-3 (19m)
Pooja Arthi Raghu bt Gracia Chua Rui En 3-1: 4-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 (30m)
Tiana Parasrampuria bt Zhe Sim Ong 3-2: 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (41m)

WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship
Quarter-Finals Draw:
[1] Egypt v [8] Australia
[4] Hong Kong, China v [5] England
[3] USA v [6] India
[2] Malaysia v [7] Canada

Exciting turnarounds marked day two of the 2023 WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship in Melbourne, as USA and Hong Kong, China staged impressive comebacks during the pools stage.

In a gripping match, No.3 seeds USA faced No.5 seeds England. Caroline Fouts initially dominated, but Asia Harris fought back brilliantly to close-out an 11-2 11-7 6-11 6-11 6-11 victory 51 minutes. Riya Navani's hard-fought victory over Isabel McCullough brought parity for USA and the decider saw Madison Ho claim a crucial win after an intense battle against Amelie Haworth.

Hong Kong, China also made a strong comeback in their match against India with Ena Kwong and Sze Wing Wai securing victories.

Singapore and No.2 seeds Malaysia both enjoyed comfortable wins, while top seeds Egypt secured a 3-0 victory against 7th seeds Canada in Pool A.

WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship
Pool A:
[1] Egypt 3-0 [7] Canada
Amina Orfi bt Ocean Ma 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-1 (21m)
Zeina Zein bt Maria Min 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
Nour Megahed bt Iman Shaheen 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-1 (19m)

Pool B:
[2] Malaysia 3-0 [8] Australia
Aira Azman bt Madison Lyon 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (19m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar bt Erin Classen 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (21m)
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Hannah Slyth 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (18m)

Pool C:
[3] USA 2-1 [5] England
Caroline Fouts lost to Asia Harris 2-3: 11-2, 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 6-11 (51m)
Madison Ho bt Amelie Haworth 3-0: 12-10, 11-2, 11-4 (27m)
Riya Navani bt Isabel McCullough 3-0: 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (30m)

[11] South Africa 3-0 [14] Chinese Taipei
Savannah Ingledew bt Yu-Chen Cheng 3-0: 11-2, 11-0, 11-5 (17m)
Dené Van Zyl bt Mei Mei Chan 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-8 (16m)
Elske Garbers bt Yen-Chi Chen 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 (15m)

Pool D:
[4] Hong Kong, China 2-1 [6] India
Toby Tse lost to Anahat Singh 0-3: 11-13, 8-11, 7-11 (25m)
Sze Wing Wai bt Pooja Arthi Raghu 3-0: 15-13, 11-3, 11-7 (27m)
Ena Kwong bt Tiana Parasrampuria 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (19m)

[12] Singapore 3-0 [13] Ireland
Paige Teresa Hill bt Sarah Sabry 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (23m)
Gracia Chua Rui Én bt Sophie Thomas 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-6 (17m)
Zhe Sim Ong bt Lydia Mcquillan 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-3 (16m)

The 2023 World Squash Federation (WSF) Women's World Junior Team Championship started today at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre with all of the higher seeded teams delivering dominant performances on day one of the pools stage and spectators witnessing a series of mismatches, as teams followed the 2-3-1 playing order.

The afternoon session proved ominous for the lower seeded teams, with whitewashes occurring on all three courts. Notably, Malaysia's Aira Azman, the first string player, bounced back from her recent individual event final defeat with an impressive 3-0 win over Ella Lash from New Zealand. This victory, combined with similar scoreline wins by Sehveetrraa Kumar and Thanusaa Uthrian, secured maximum points for Malaysia.

Court Six saw India in formidable form, rapidly dismantling Ireland with Tiana Parasrampuria, Yuvna Gupta, and Anahat Singh showcasing their prowess, needing only 46 minutes to dispatch the No.13 seeds.

On the all-glass showcourt, Hong Kong, China made a strong impression, with Sze Wing Wai, Ka Huen Leung, and Toby Tse effortlessly overcoming Singapore.

The evening session featured the defending champions and top seeds Egypt, who opted to rest their No.1 player, Amina Orfi, after her recent victory in the individual event final. Despite her absence, Egypt proved to be a formidable force against the No.10 seeds, Scotland. Having won the last seven women's team events, Egypt displayed dominance once again. Zeina Zein and Nour Megahed secured convincing 3-0 wins over Anna Halliday and Louisa Kaven, respectively, while Fayrouz Aboelkheir overcame stubborn resistance from the talented 16-year-old Robyn McAlpine to seal the victory.

Scotland, making their return to the championship after 18 years, will take valuable lessons from the experience into their next fixture against No.7 seeds Canada.

In other matches, 5th seeds England crushed No.14 seeds Chinese Taipei, while 3rd seeds USA secured a comfortable victory over No.11 seeds South Africa.

As the WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship unfolds, Egypt's top-seeded team seems poised to make another strong title challenge, and the competition promises more exciting action as it progresses.

WSF Women's World Junior Team Championship
Pool A:
[1] Egypt 3-0 [10] Scotland
Fayrouz Aboelkheir bt Robyn McAlpine 3-1: 11-3, 11-1, 12-14, 11-4 (31m)
Zeina Zein bt Anna Halliday 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-2 (16m)
Nour Megahed bt  Louisa Kaven 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-1 (15m)

Pool B:
[2] Malaysia 3-0 [9] New Zealand
Aira Azman bt Ella Lash 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (18m)
Sehveetrraa Kumar bt Sophie Hodges 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-3 (20m)
Thanusaa Uthrian bt Anne Leakey 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-1 (17m)

Pool C:
[3] USA 3-0 [11] South Africa
Madison Ho bt Savannah Ingledew 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (32m)
Riya Navani bt Dené Van Zyl 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-1 (14m)
Emma Trauber bt Elske Garbers 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-0 (14m)

[5] England 3-0 [14] Chinese Taipei
Asia Harris bt Yu-Chen Cheng 11-1, 11-0, 11-2 (14m)
Amelie Haworth bt Jen-Ju Shaw Pearl 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (16m)
Meha Shah bt Mei Mei Chan 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (15m)

Pool D:
[4] Hong Kong, China 3-0 [12] Singapore
Toby Tse bt Paige Teresa Hill 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 (20m)
Sze Wing Wai bt Gracia Chua Rui Én 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (21m)
Ka Huen Leung bt Wai Iynn Au Yeong 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (23m)

[6] India 3-0 [13] Ireland
Anahat Singh bt Sarah Sabry 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-2 (18m)
Tiana Parasrampuria bt Sophie Thomas 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 (14m)
Yuvna Gupta bt Maria Protsepova 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 (14m)