Top-seeded Egypt retained the crown in the 13th World Junior Women’s squash team championship defeating a fighting sixth-seeded Hong Kong 2-0.
Top-seeded Egypt retained the crown in the 13th World Junior Women’s squash team championship defeating a fighting sixth-seeded Hong Kong 2-0 at the Indian Squash Academy courts on Saturday. India, however, defeated the USA 2-1 to finish third in the championship. This is the best ever finish by the Indian junior women. Egypt had won the crown in Hong Kong in 2007, with the current top-ranked player Heba El Torky being a part of the team.
Heba El Torky had to dig deep into her reserves to score a 3-1 victory over Tsz Ling Liu in 27 minutes. Then 13-year-old Nour El Sherbini, the youngest player to win the individual title last Sunday, defeated Tsz Wing Tong as the Egyptians celebrated their triple delight. Mohamed El Shorbagy had won the boys title last week.
“I expected it be much easier than what happened on the court. I suddenly lost concentration in the high pressure situation as it was the final. I was down 0-4 in the second game and thereafter everything fell apart. She was playing really well and I was a little worried after the loss. Being the captain, I knew that I had to give the push and therefore calmed myself so that the pressure is eased on the other players. I regained my confidence in the third game and that made all the difference in helping me win the next two games to give my country the much needed 1-0 lead,” a broadly smiling Heba El Torky told DNA after the match.
Heba began with a bang scoring some clear winners early in the first game. Liu then started prolonging the rallies and tried to keep her opponent on the back court, especially her anticipation of returns had the squash experts from other nations nodding their heads in surprise. She lost the first game to the superior finishing of Heba. But in the second game she turned the tide completely by rushing away to 11-2 win with great placements. An error prone Heba lost the game when she hit the tin at game point. The Egyptian girl played to her strengths thereafter and put her team 1-0 head.
Nour El Sherbini played against a highly determined Tsz Wing Tong, who did her best to prolong the rallies. Sherbini came up with some crucial winners by finding the corners and moving her opponent around the court. Tong rallied brilliantly from 4-8 down with some superb finishes to level scores at eight all. Sherbini had to rely on her strong finishes to go 1-0 ahead. She showed here champion stuff thereafter to quell the Hong Kong challenge.
Results: Final: Egypt beat Hong Kong 2-0 (Heba El Torky beat Tsz Ling Liu 11-6 2-11 11-5 11-6; Nour El Sherbini beat Tsz Wing Tong 11-8 11-6 11-6); Third-fourth spot: India beat USA 2-1 (Dipika Pallikal beat Oliva Blatchford 11-6 11-7 11-5; Surbhi Misra lost to Amanda Sobhy 3-11 6-11 12-10 4-11; Anaka Alankamony beat Julie Cerullo 3-11 11-5 11-8 10-12 11-8).
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