06-Aug, Finals: 

[1] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt [2] Camille Serme (Fra)             9/2, 9/4, 5/9, 9/3 (41m)

Plate:           Logan Greer (Usa) bt  Milou Van Der Heijden (Ned)  9/6, 9/7, 9/7 (38m)
Classic:        Olivia Blatchford (Usa) bt Victoria Bell (Eng)           9/3, 10/8, 9/5 (28m)
Consolation: Kimberley Bessell (Aus) bt Farah Momen (Egy)       9/7, 9/4, 9/3 (26m)

A second title for Raneem

Egypt's Raneem El Weleily successful defended her title in today's final of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championship in Hong Kong to become only the second woman in history to win the prestigious World Squash Federation title twice.

But the 18-year-old event favourite from Alexandria had the toughest battle of her campaign - and conceded her first game of the tournament - before overcoming France's No2 seed Camille Serme 9-2, 9-4, 5-9, 9-3 in 41 minutes to repeat her maiden title victory in Belgium two years ago.

"I am very, very glad to win this title again - I really hoped I'd be the second one to win it twice," said the new champion, who has followed in the distinguished footsteps of Malaysia's reigning world number Nicol David, who won the title in 1999 and 2001.

"But it was the most difficult match of the whole week - the pressure to win this title is unbelievable, nothing I can say but pressure.

"In the third game, I just lost my concentration and I had to fight really hard to get the fourth," explained the teenager who has already climbed to 23 in the WISPA World Rankings.

It was bitter disappointment for Serme, the 18-year-old two-times European Junior Champion from Creteil who had extended the Egyptian to five games in the British Junior Open final in England in January.

The attention now turns to the World Junior Team Championship, in which Egypt have been named as favourites for the third successive time.

Winners of the title for the first time in 2003, Egypt's hopes of a double were dashed by Hong Kong in the 2005 final in Brussels.

"Now we have to move on to the team event," added El Weleily. "We have a good chance, but we have to really fight for it!"
.

05-Aug,Semi-Finals:

[1] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt [3/4] Joelle King (Nzl)     9/4, 9/7, 9/2 (34m)
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) bt [3/4] Annie Au (Hkg)             9/2, 9/2, 9/4 (29m)

Top Two to contest World Final

Egypt's defending champion Raneem El Weleily and France's Camille Serme, the event's top two seeds, will contest the final of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championships after straight games wins in today's semi-finals of the biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

Both players have reached the climax without dropping games - favourite El Weleily having her toughest test in the event so far to overcome New Zealand's Joelle King 9-4, 9-7, 9-2 in 34 minutes.

The 18-year-old from Alexandria is now only one match away from becoming only the second girl in history - the first being Malaysia's current world number one Nicol David - to win the coveted world junior crown twice.

Second seed Camille Serme disappointed local followers of the game by ending the run of Hong Kong's 3/4 seed Annie Au. The European Junior Champion from France defeated the Asian Junior Champion 9-2, 9-2, 9-4 in 29 minutes to make the final for the first time.

The plate finals will be:

Plate: Logan Greer (Usa) v Milou Van Der Heijden (Ned)
Classic: Victoria Bell (Eng) v Olivia Blatchford (Usa)
Consolation: Farah Momen (Egy) v Kimberley Bessell (Aus)

England Elevated In Women's
World Junior Team Seedings

Today's final confirmation of the seedings for the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Team Squash Championships, which begin in Hong Kong on Tuesday, has elevated former champions England to second place in the list, behind favourites Egypt.

The team event will follow the world individual championships, in which Egypt's defending champion Raneem El Weleily faces France's second seed Camille Serme in Monday's final.

In the provisional seedings, England were named as fifth seeds, with hosts and title-holders Hong Kong second, and New Zealand third, and Malaysia fourth.

However, a place in the last sixteen of the individual event by unseeded English 15-year-old Kimberley Hay (from Newcastle-upon-Tyne), and a quarter-final berth by 17/32 seed Sarah-Jane Perry (aged 17, from Kenilworth in Warwickshire) raised the expectations of the England squad - which also includes quarter-finalist Victoria Lust, the British Junior champion from Bedfordshire.

But Egypt, with four players through to the fourth round, and only one failing to reach the last eight, remain firm favourites - led by Raneem El Weleily, the 18-year-old world No23 from Alexandria, and including 16-year-old Heba El Torky and 17-year-old Alia Balbaa, both also from Alexandria; and 18-year-old Nour Bahgat from Heliopolis.

The revised seedings are as follows:

[1] Egypt, [2] England, [3] New Zealand, [4] Hong Kong, [5] Malaysia, [6] France, [7] Germany, [8] USA, [9] Australia, [10] Canada, [11] India, [12] Netherlands, [13] South Africa, [14] Switzerland, [15] Japan, [16] South Korea, [17] Singapore, [18] Zimbabwe, and [19] China.

China, South Korea and Zimbabwe will make their debuts in the 2007 Championships.

04-Aug, Quarter-Finals:

[1] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt [9/16] Nour Baghat (Egy)    9/4, 9/2, 9/1 (23m)
[3/4] Joelle King (Nzl) bt [5/8] Heba El Torky (Egy)              6/9, 8/10, 9/2, 9/5, 9/1 (73m)
[3/4] Annie Au (Hkg) bt [5/8] Victoria Lust (Eng)                  9/2, 9/0, 9/6 (32m)
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) bt [9/16] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng)   9/6, 9/0, 10/9 (33m)

Seedings hold true in quarters

For the first time for ten years, players from four different countries will contest the semi-finals of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championships after the top four seeds survived today's quarter-finals of the biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

New Zealand's Joelle King pulled off a sensational come-back - fighting back from two games down to secure her anticipated place in the last four.
The 18-year-old kiwi number one,a 3/4 seed, defeated Egypt's 5/8 seed Heba El Torky 6-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-5, 9-1 in a 73-minute marathon to set up a clash with another Egyptian - event favourite Raneem El Weleily.

The 18-year-old defending champion from Alexandria, who is expected to become only the second girl in history to win the world junior crown twice, comfortably beat compatriot Nour Bahgat 9-4, 9-2, 9-1.

Annie Au continues to single-handedly spearhead local interest in the event after making it to the semi-finals for the first time. The 18-year-old 3/4 seed from Hong Kong defeated England's Victoria Lust 9-2, 9-0, 9-6.

Au's semi-final opponent also ousted an English player to reach the last four. No2 seed Camille Serme, the European Junior Champion from France, ended the giant-killing run of Sarah-Jane Perry, beating the surprise quarter-finalist from Warwickshire who was a 17/32 seed, 9-6, 9-0, 10-9.

03-Aug-07:
Fourth Round:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (Egy) bt Nessrine Ariffin (Mas)         9/0, 9/3, 9/1 (18m)
[9/16] Nour Bahgat (Egy) bt [5/8] Wee Wern Low (Mas)     9/6, 8/10, 9/6, 9/7 (71m)
[5/8] Heba El Torky (Egy) bt Kimberley Hay (Eng)             9/6, 9/3, 10/8 (36m)
[3/4] Joelle King (Nzl) bt [9/16] Laura Gemmell (Can)        9/3, 9/2, 9/6 (39m)
[3/4] Annie Au (Hkg) bt  [17/32] Misaki Kobayashi (Jpn)     9/4, 10/9, 9/0 (33m)
[5/8] Victoria Lust (Eng) bt  [9/16] Alia Balbaa (Egy)          9/3, 9/6, 7/9, 9/5 (39m)
[17/32] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) bt [5/8] Sina Wall (Ger)    9/4, 9/7, 7/9, 9/7 (50m)
[2] Camille Serme (Fra) bt [9/16] Kerry Wickett (Nzl)        9/1, 9/1, 9/6 (23m)

England's Perry Powers Into World Junior
Quarter-Finals In Hong Kong


England's Sarah-Jane Perry, a 17-year-old from Warwickshire who was only expected to reach the last 32, today powered her way into the quarter-finals of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championships after upsetting Germany's Sina Wall in the fourth round of the biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

The Kenilworth teenager made it to the last sixteen after an unexpected victory over Hong Kong's Shin Nga Leung, a 9/16 seed. Perry, a 17/32 seed, then despatched Wall 9-4, 9-7, 7-9, 9-7 in 50 minutes.

Perry now faces second seed Camille Serme for a place in the semi-finals. Serme, the two-times European Junior Champion, defeated New Zealand's Kerry Wickett 9-1, 9-1, 9-6.

The last match of the day saw Perry joined in the last eight by England team-mate Victoria Lust after the British Junior Champion from Bedfordshire - a 5/8 seed - beat Egypt's Alia Balbaa 9-3, 9-6, 7-9, 9-5.

Another fourth round upset in Hong Kong means that Egypt will be represented by three players on the fourth day of the competition. Nour Bahgat, a 9/16 seed, beat Malaysia's 5/8 seed Low Wee Wern 9-6, 8-10, 9-6, 9-7 to claim a shock quarter-final slot after 71 minutes.

Bahgat will be joined by Egyptian team-mates Heba El Torky, a 5/8 seed, and event favourite Raneem El Weleily - the 18-year-old from Alexandria who is expected to become only the second girl in history to win the world junior crown twice.



 

02-Aug-07:
Egyptians Surge Into Last Sixteen In Hong Kong

While 3/4 seed Annie Au leads a sole local challenge into the last sixteen of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championships, four Egyptians survived today's third round of the biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

Annie Au, the 18-year-old Asian Junior Champion from Hong Kong, beat South Korea's Sun-Mi Song 9-2, 9-3, 9-6 and will now face Japan's 17/32 seed Misaki Kobayashi for a place in the quarter-finals.

Egypt's top seed Raneem El Weleily successfully began her defence of the title with two wins today, the second of which saw her beat Hong Kong's 17/32 seed Tsz Ling Liu 9-0, 9-0, 9-6 in 17 minutes.

The 18-year-old from Alexandria - who is expected to become only the second girl in history to win the world junior crown twice - now faces unseeded Malaysian Nessrine Ariffin.

El Weleily will be joined by three Egyptian team-mates in the last sixteen - 9/16 seeds Nour Bahgat and Alia Balbaa, together with 5/8 seed Heba El Torky.

England's Kimberley Hay became the second unseeded player to reach the last sixteen when she beat France's Faustine Gilles 9-5, 8-10, 9-3, 9-0. The 15-year-old from Newcastle-upon-Tyne will be joined by compatriots Victoria Lust and Sarah-Jane Perry after a good day for England on the second day of the championships.

4th round line-up:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) v Nessrine Ariffin (MAS)
[5/8] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [9/16] Nour Bahgat (EGY)
[5/8] Heba El Torky (EGY) v Kimberley Hay (ENG)
[3/4] Joelle King (NZL) v [9/16] Laura Gemmell (CAN)
[3/4] Annie Au (HKG) v [17/32] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN)
[5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG) v [9/16] Alia Balbaa (EGY)
[5/8] Sina Wall (GER) v [17/32] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) v [9/16] Kerry Wickett (NZL)

3rd round:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [17/32] Tsz Ling Liu (HKG) 9-0, 9-0, 9-6 (17m)
Nessrine Ariffin (MAS) bt [9/16] Melody Francis (AUS) 10-8, 5-9, 4-9, 9-5, 9-3 (41m)
[9/16] Nour Bahgat (EGY) bt [17/32] Victoria Bell (ENG) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 (39m)
[5/8] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [17/32] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 9-4, 9-0, 9-6 (36m)
[5/8] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt Lisa Marie Sedlmeier (GER) 9-7, 9-5, 9-1 (28m)
Kimberley Hay (ENG) bt Faustine Gilles (FRA) 9-5, 8-10, 9-3, 9-0 (29m)
[9/16] Laura Gemmell (CAN) bt Tong Tsz Wing (HKG) 9-4, 8-10, 3-9, 9-4, 9-0 (80m)
[3/4] Joelle King (NZL) bt [17/32] Milnay Louw (RSA) 9-2, 9-2, 9-1 (20m)
[3/4] Annie Au (HKG) bt [17/32] Sun-Mi Song (KOR) 9-2, 9-3, 9-6 (32m)
[17/32] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [9/16] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 3-9, 9-7, 9-4, 3-9, 9-7 (46m)
[9/16] Alia Balbaa (EGY) bt [17/32] Astrid Kern (GER) 9-1, 9-7, 5-9, 9-7 (48m)
[5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG) bt [17/32] Low Wee Nee (MAS) 7-9, 9-1, 9-1, 9-3 (26m)
[5/8] Sina Wall (GER) bt Alana Sincock (NZL) 9-1, 9-4, 9-6 (18m)
[17/32] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [9/16] Shin Nga Leung (HKG) 9-3, 6-9, 10-8, 9-10, 9-6 (68m)
[9/16] Kerry Wickett (NZL) bt [17/32] Melissa Meulenbelt (NED) 9-4, 9-5, 9-0 (25m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Maggy Marshall (AUS) 9-1, 9-4, 9-1 (21m)

2nd round:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Dorothy Ko (HKG) 9-0, 9-1, 9-1 (16m)
[17/32] Tsz Ling Liu (HKG) bt Surbhi Misra (IND) 10-9, 6-9, 9-5, 10-9 (43m)
Nessrine Ariffin (MAS) bt Robyn Baptiste (RSA) 9-5, 9-2, 9-6 (24m)
[9/16] Melody Francis (AUS) bt Stacey Plenderleith (ZIM) 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (9m)
[9/16] Nour Bahgat (EGY) bt Anne Madeira (USA) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0 (15m)
[17/32] Victoria Bell (ENG) bt Siu Ka Man (HKG) 9-1, 9-3, 9-0 (17m)
[17/32] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt Jackie Moss (CAN) 10-8, 10-8, 9-7 (35m)
[5/8] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Emma Miller (NZL) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (18m)
[5/8] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 9-1, 9-1, 9-3 (18m)
Lisa Marie Sedlmeier (GER) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 2-9, 9-1, 9-2, 9-7 (34m)
Kimberley Hay (ENG) bt [17/32] Kimberley Bessell (AUS) 9-3, 9-2, 7-9, 6-9, 10-9 (37m)
Faustine Gilles (FRA) bt [9/16] Logan Greer (USA) 10-8, 9-0, 9-10, 7-9, 9-6 (55m)
[9/16] Laura Gemmell (CAN) bt Nicole Chua (SIN) 9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (16m)
Tong Tsz Wing (HKG) bt Catherine McTaggart (ZIM) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (16m)
[17/32] Milnay Louw (RSA) bt Sarah Toomey (USA) 10-8, 9-1, 9-6 (23m)
[3/4] Joelle King (NZL) bt Salma Hany (EGY) 9-3, 9-1, 9-6 (24m)
[3/4] Annie Au (HKG) bt Farah Momen (EGY) 6-9, 9-4, 9-2, 9-4 (40m)
[17/32] Sun-Mi Song (KOR) bt Chan Wing Hei (HKG) 9-2, 9-1, 9-6 (27m)
[17/32] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 (16m)
[9/16] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Lana Harrison (NZL) 9-4, 9-5, 10-9 (31m)
[9/16] Alia Balbaa (EGY) bt Coline Aumard (FRA) 9-3, 9-2, 7-9, 9-7 (41m)
[17/32] Astrid Kern (GER) bt Natasha Kingshott (USA) 9-3, 9-5, 9-2 (26m)
[17/32] Low Wee Nee (MAS) bt Amanda Cranston (NZL) 9-5, 9-10, 5-9, 9-6, 9-3 (51m)
[5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Carmen Lee (HKG) 9-4, 9-7, 9-2 (27m)
[5/8] Sina Wall (GER) bt Pushppa Devi (MAS) 9-1, 9-2, 9-5 (24m)
Alana Sincock (NZL) bt [17/32] Jasmin Ballman (SUI) 1-9, 1-9, 9-7, 9-7, 9-5 (48m)
[17/32] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 4-9, 6-9, 9-6, 9-1, 9-5 (55m)
[9/16] Shin Nga Leung (HKG) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 3-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-6 (36m)
[9/16] Kerry Wickett (NZL) bt Cheri-Ann Parris (BAR) 9-1, 9-0, 9-6 (17m)
[17/32] Melissa Meulenbelt (NED) bt Alushca Botha (RSA) 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 (31m)
Maggy Marshall (AUS) bt [17/32] Emily Park (USA) 9-6, 4-9, 5-9, 9-4, 9-4 (61m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Salma Nassar (EGY) 9-2, 9-1, 9-3 (23m)
 

01-Aug-07:
Seeds Suffer In Early World Exchanges

Today's first round action in the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment World Junior Women's Squash Championships produced some early upsets and a number of hasty exits in Hong Kong.

The crowd had barely settled into their seats before USA's Natasha Kingshott claimed her second round slot after beating Zimbabwe's Michelle Williams 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 in just 7 minutes.

The 16-year-old from Greenwich may need to spend longer on court in her second round encounter with Astrid Kern, a 17/32 seed from Germany who needed 34 minutes to end local girl Szeto Ka Hei's hopes in a 9-3, 3-9, 9-7, 9-1 defeat.

Barbados's sole entry Cheri-Ann Parris will be flying her country's flag for another round after crushing China's Xiu Chen 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 in just 9 minutes.  She will now face New Zealand's 9/16 seed Kerry Wickett for a place in the third round.

South Africa's Robyn Baptiste battled for five games to upset France's 17/32 seed Gabrielle de Lavison 2-9, 10-8, 9-5, 3-9, 9-5 in 43 minutes.  The 15-year-old will now meet fellow non-seed Nessrine Ariffin after the Malaysian defeated Canada's Jennifer Gemmell 9-0, 5-9, 9-1, 9-2.

Canadian Sarah Parsons was another seed to fall, beaten 9-7, 9-7, 9-3 by Scotland's Lisa Aitken - who will now play namesake Lisa Marie Sedlmeier, from Germany, in the second round.

Almost 24 years after her famous mother Vicki Cardwell won the senior World title for the only time in her illustrious career, Sarah Cardwell began her pursuit of the world junior crown with a 9-4, 9-1, 9-3 win over Dutch opponent Ilona Lagerweij.  The unseeded Australian teenager will now take on Japan's 17/32 seed Misaki Kobayashi for a place in the last 32.