US PHOTO ALBUM FROM THE BJO
They came in force, yet again. 58 players to face – and defeat? – the Egyptian Armada
Well, so far so good as Team USA has made history by producing 18 British Junior Open quarterfinalists – topping a previous best of sixteen last year – after two days of play in Birmingham. To put things in perspective, Egypt has 42 quarterfinalists…
The U.S. contingent enjoyed a strong start to the tournament with thirty-five of fifty-eighty players reaching the round of sixteen over the first two days of play, January 2-3.
Oscar Okonkwo (BU19), Brandan Tagliarini (BU17), Aiden Chan (BU15) and Alice Huang (GU13) all upset higher seeds or exceeded their seedings to reach the round of sixteen. Four Americans exceeded their seedings to reach the quarterfinals including Riva Bhagwati, Alex Jaffe, Alexander Dartnell and Brendon Chan.
Big Upsets!
Bhagwati and Jaffe produced the biggest upsets of the tournament for Team USA so far as both dispatched 5/8 seeds to reach the quarterfinals. Bhagwati overcame Malaysia’s Harleein Tan 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 to set up a quarterfinal against Egypt’s two seed Malika El Karaksy. Jaffe defeated Egypt’s Rouqaia Othman 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 to face France’s 3/4 seed Lauren Baltayan on Saturday.
Dixon Hill and Carlton Capella will both face the U19 top seeds on the University of Birmingham show court Saturday.
Team USA will have the most quarterfinal representation in the GU11 and GU15 divisions with three players amongst the last eight. Team USA is guaranteed at least one semifinalist in the BU15 division where Vivaan Mehta and John-Jayden Luo are set for an all-American match up.
