British Junior Champs 2019

Dunlop British Junior Squash Championships 2019, Nottingham

The annual British Junior Champs took place across four clubs in Nottingham, with the finals on the Glass Court at the University of Nottingham’s David Ross Sports Centre.

Dunlop British Junior Champs 2019 Nottingham : FINALS

GU11: [1] Reka Kemecsei (Surrey) 3-0 [3/4] Harriet Broadbridge (Hants)   11-6, 13-11, 11-4
BU11: [1] Jake Johnston (Surrey) 3-1 [2] George Griffiths ()                 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5
BU13: [1] Alexander Broadbridge (Hants) 3-0 [3/4] Dylan Roberts (Kent)    11-1, 11-9, 11-6
GU13: [5/8] Tala Abaza (Middx) 3-0 [1] Charlie McCrone (Lancs)                           11-8, 11-9, 11-3
GU15: [1] Asia Harris (Yorks) 3-1 [2] Amelia Haworth (Hants)              9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8
BU15: [1] Jonah Bryant (Sussex) 3-0 [2] Abd-Allah Eissa (Warks)               11-6, 11-8, 12-10
GU17: [1] Torrie Malik (Sussex) 3-1 [2] Saran Nghiem (Lancs)        12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10
BU17: [1] Denis Gilevskiy (Irl) 3-2 [3/4] Khalil Hassan (Warks)  7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9
GU19: [1] Georgia Adderley (Scot) 3-1 [3/4] Alice Green (Essex)          11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8
BU19: [2] Sam Todd (Yorks) 3-1 [3/4] Lewis Anderson (Warks)              11-4, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3

Finals REPLAYS

FULL DRAWS & RESULTSFull Coverage on England Squash

British Junior top seeds prevail on thrilling finals day

Elizabeth Botcherby reports

The Dunlop British Junior Championships 2019 reached a dramatic conclusion as eight of the top seeds triumphed, with Ireland’s Denis Gilevskiy making history by becoming the first Irishman to lift the Boys Under 17 title.

Champions were crowned from five English counties, with Ireland (Denis Gilevskiy) and Scotland (Georgia Adderley, GU19) landing podium finishes for the second consecutive year at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the junior circuit.

In the BU19, second seed Sam Todd (Yorks) defeated [3/4] Lewis Anderson (Warks) 11-4, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3 to capture the Don Sanderson Trophy aged just 16. Todd, who had previously claimed the BU13 twice, BU15 and BU17 titles completed the set at the first time of asking.

After Todd took the first two games, Anderson fought back resiliently to claim the third. Todd quickly responded, breezing into a 7-love lead before closing out the match 11-3 to earn his fifth BJC title.

Describing his victory, Todd said: “It feels great to have won all of the age groups and the under 19s feels the best of them all! Playing Lewis is always tricky because we’re both quite explosive and play short a lot. I just had to be patient and not attack too much.”

There was a case of déjà vu in the GU19s as [1] Georgia Adderley (Scot) defeated [3/4] Alice Green (Essex) in a repeat of last year’s final. Adderley, the World No.100, started the better of the two and was quickly up 2-0. Green quickly replied to snatch the third 11-7 before Adderley wrapped up the victory in a physical fourth game. The match finished 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, marking a third consecutive BJC title for the Scot.

“I’m over the moon,” said a delighted Adderley. “Coming in with the pressure of number one seed is always really hard. Alice gave a really good fight today, so it was a tough one.”

In the BU17, [1] Denis Gilevskiy had to go the distance to earn his second consecutive BJC title following an epic battle against [3/4] Hassan Khalil (Warks). After losing the first game, Gilevskiy regained control to win the next two. Khalil forced a decider but Gilevskiy came from 9-7 down to prevail 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, becoming the first Irish champion of the BU17.

“It feels great to win a second British title,” said the Irish no.1. “The final was tough, and it came down to last ditch efforts, but I pulled through and I’m overjoyed. It’s great to put Ireland on the map.”

The GU17 was an equally close encounter. Top seed Torrie Malik (Sussex) had to fight tooth and nail against [2] Saran Nghiem (Lancs) to capture her third BJC title.

Playing in her fifth consecutive BJC final, Malik clinched a tight first game 12-10 before Nghiem replied and took the second 11-8. Malik bounced back to claim the third 11-9 before saving game point in the fourth to triumph 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10.

“It feels amazing to be British champion again,” said a tired Malik. “It was a tough game against Saran, she’s playing really well at the moment. It was a physical game, but it feels amazing to have won and hopefully there’s more to come.”

In the biggest upset of the day [5/8] Tala Abaza (Middx) overpowered GU13 top seed Charlie McCrone (Lancs) to claim her maiden British title. Abaza’s power and athleticism proved to be the difference as she triumphed in straight games 11-8, 11-9, 11-3.

Elsewhere, in the BU15 top seed Jonah Bryant (Sussex) secured his second BJC crown following a straight games victory over [2] Abd-Allah Eissa (Warks) 11-6, 11-8, 12-10. Bryant cruised through the first two games but had to fend off a resurgent Eissa who held game point in the third game.

Describing the moment he won, Bryant said: “It feels great to be champion again. I was just thinking don’t hit a stupid shot, just get it in!”

The GU15 final was a repeat of 2017’s GU13 final with [1] Asia Harris (Yorks) overcoming [2] Amelie Haworth (Hants) to lift her second BJC title. Harris lost a close first game 9-11 but, fired up by a decision that went against her, fought back to win 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8.

“It feels absolutely amazing to be British champion again,” said Harris. “Amelie is an amazing player. When she saved championship point I was thinking, I can’t last another couple of points. My legs were going, I was shaking. But as soon as I hit the drop shot [to win] I was so relieved.”

In the BU13, [1] Alexander Broadbridge (Hants) defeated [3/4] Dylan Roberts (Kent) 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 to claim his first BJC title. Broadbridge made the most of his height advantage and dominated the court to secure a convincing victory.

In a high-quality encounter, [1] Reka Kemescei (Sussex) produced a skilful performance to defeat [3/4] Harriet Broadbridge (Hants) and claim the GU11 title. Broadbridge clawed her way back from 7-1 down to 10-6 in the first game and holding game point in the second, but the first seed held on to win 11-6, 13-11, 11-4.

In the BU11, [1] Jake Johnston (Surrey) beat [2] George Griffiths (Hants) 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5 to win his maiden British title.

Semi-Finals

BU19
[3/4] Lewis Anderson (Warks) 3-1 [1] Max Forster (Nbria)   13-11, 11-5, 4-11, 11-6
[2] Sam Todd (Yorks) 3-0 [5/8] Simon Herbert (Leics)   11-2, 11-6, 13-11
GU19
[3/4] Alice Green (Ess) 3-2 [2] Katie Malliff (Bucks)   8-11, 15-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9
[1] Georgia Adderley (Scot) 3-0 [3/4] Kiera Marshall (Worcs)   11-3, 11-3, 11-4
BU17
[1] Denis Gilevskiy (Irl) 3-0 [3/4] Oliver Green (Essex)     11-8, 11-8, 11-6
[3/4] Khalil Hassan (Warks) 3-0 [5/8] Alex Smith (Irl) 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
GU17
[1] Torrie Malik (Sussex) 3-0 [3/4] Aliza Sheikh (Essex)   11-5, 11-4, 11-2
[2] Saran Nghiem (Lancs) 3-1 [5/8] Emma Bartley (Sus)   11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8
BU15
[1] Jonah Bryant (Sussex) 3-0 James Carman (Middx)   11-5, 11-4, 11-3
[2] Abd-Allah Eissa (Warks) 3-1 [3/4] Yusuf Sheikh (Essex)   11-4, 11-5, 4-11, 11-7
GU15
[1] Asia Harris (Yorks) 3-0 [3/4] Amy Campbell-Wynter (Dorset)   11-8, 11-2, 11-3
[2] Amelia Haworth (Hants) 3-0 [3/4] Alyx Kelleher (Wales)   11-4, 11-8, 11-7
BU13
[1] Alexander Broadbridge (Hants) 3-1 [3/4] Archie Turnbull (Wal)   14-12, 11-1, 7-11, 11-3
[3/4] Dylan Roberts (Kent) 3-1[2] Harry Bloomfield (Glos)   11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5
GU13
[5/8] Tala Abaza (Middx) 3-0 [2] Megan Light (Hamps)   11-9, 11-1, 11-3
[1] Charlie McCrone (Lancs) 3-1 [3/4] Emily Coulcher-Porter (Bucks)   11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8
GU11
[1] Reka Kemecsei (Surrey) 3-0 [3/4] Ameerah Ismail (Warks)   11-4, 11-1, 11-0
[3/4] Harriet Broadbridge (Hants) 3-0 [2] Fearne Copley (Yorks)   11-9, 11-8, 11-8
BU11 (Sunday)
[1] Jake Johnston (Surrey) 3-0 Ali Khalil (Warks)   11-8, 11-4, 11-7
[2] George Griffiths () 3-2 Mohamed Abaza (Middx)   9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7

Semi-Finals Report:

Anderson topples Forster to set up British Junior final showdown with Todd

By Elizabeth Botcherby

Warwickshire’s Lewis Anderson overcame top seed Max Forster (Nbria) in a thrilling four-setter to reach his second consecutive Dunlop British Junior Championships (BJC) BU19 final on the all-glass showcourt at the University of Nottingham.

3/4 seed Anderson, the World Junior bronze medallist, came through a tight first game 13-11 and looked to be cruising towards the final after taking the second 11-5. Forster, who was still recovering after his quarter-final clash against Jack Mitterer which went to the wire, fought back and capitalised on Anderson’s lapse in concentration to force a fourth. But it was Anderson who prevailed 13-11, 11-5, 4-11, 11-6 to set up a final showdown with second seed Sam Todd (Yorks), the four-time BJC champion.

Commenting on his performance, an ecstatic Anderson said: “Last year I got to the final on this very court and I loved every second. It’s good to get back on here and I’ll try and win it in my last year as a junior.”

Meanwhile, Sam Todd saw off a spirited [5/8] Simon Herbert (Leics) 11-2, 11-6, 13-11 to reach his sixth final.

Todd, 16, was keen to play down his position as favourite: “It’s very exciting to be in the final. I try to forget about the pressure of being the favourite and just play my squash. Hopefully the best man will win on the day.”

In the GU19, [3/4] Alice Green (Essex) avenged her semi-final loss to [2] Katie Malliff (Bucks) in the European Junior Championships in April after edging the 16-year-old in five tightly contested games. Malliff took an early 11-8 lead but couldn’t hold off the five-time finalist who rallied back to win 8-11, 15-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9.

“I feel great!” said a delighted Green. “Katie is one of those players where you have to go all out to win. It’s close every time we play so to get this win in the semis has given me real confidence for the final.”

Green set up a third consecutive final against Scottish top seed Georgia Adderley and will be hoping it’s third time lucky after losing on two previous occasions.

A composed Adderley, the World No.100, cruised into the final after overpowering [3/4] Kiera Marshall (Worcs) in three: 11-3, 11-3. 11-4.

Looking ahead to the final, Adderley said: “I hope to defend my title, that’s the plan, but Alice is playing really well so it will be tough.”

Meanwhile, in the GU17s, second seed Saran Nghiem (Lancs) came through a tough semi-final to reach her first BJC final against top seed Torrie Malik (Sussex).

Nghiem, who hadn’t dropped a game, was pushed hard by last year’s GU15’s runner-up [5/8] Emma Bartley (Suffolk). The match exchanged hands several times before Nghiem took a tight third game 12-10. Despite a 7-4 lead in the fourth, Bartley couldn’t hold off an animated Nghiem, who triumphed 11-9, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8.

“I’ve never been in a British final before and my opponent played really well so I’m just happy to get the win,” said a relieved Nghiem.

“I’ve been watching Torrie’s matches and she’s in good form but I’ll push her and see what happens.”

In the other semi, favourite Torrie Malik put in a dominant display to defeat [3/4] Alisa Sheikh 11-5, 11-4, 11-2 and reach her fifth consecutive BJC final.

Commenting on her performance, Malik said: “It feels really good to be in the final five times in a row, I’ll just push through the next one and hopefully I’ll finish in first place again!”

In the BU17, 15-year-old top seed Denis Gilevskiy (Ire) overpowered [4] Oliver Green (Essex) in straight games: 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.

“It was a tough semi,” said the Irish No.1. “It could’ve gone either way, or to five, but it feels great to get the win. I feel very strong and I’m hoping to get the win tomorrow.”

Gilevskiy goes on to meet [3/4] Khalil Hassan (Warks) in the final who overcame Alex Smith (Ire) in three close games: 11-8, 11-9, 11-9.