EUROPEAN SQUASH NEWS
RESULTS: German Junior Open Squash Championships, Gerlingen, Germany
Men's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Rik Smet (BEL) 9-6, 2-9, 6-9, 9-7, 9-3
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt David Harris (ENG) 9-0, 9-1, 9-2
Patrick Gassler (GER) bt Diego Staub (SUI) 9-3, 9-1, 9-1
[2] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 10-8, 7-9, 9-2, 9-1
Semi-finals:
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [1] Dylan Bennett (NED) 9-4, 3-9, 9-6, 9-7
Patrick Gassler (GER) bt [2] Yann Perrin (FRA) 9-3, 9-4, 9-1
Final:
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Patrick Gassler (GER) 9-0, 4-9, 4-9, 10-8, 9-6
Women's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Charlie de Rycke (BEL) bt Claire Kidd (SCO) 9-4, 9-1, 9-2
Nihal Yehia (EGY) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 5-9, 6-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-0
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Lauren Gray (SCO) 9-0, 9-4, 9-2
Amna El Tarabolsy (EGY) bt Hend Osama (EGY) 9-4, 3-9, 9-5, 9-2
Semi-finals:
Nihal Yehia (EGY) bt [1] Charlie de Rycke (BEL) 8-10, 1-9, 9-4, 9-3, 9-3
Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Amna El Tarabolsy (EGY) 7-9, 6-9, 10-8, 9-4, 9-4
Final:
Nihal Yehia (EGY) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 9-4, 9-6, 6-9, 8-10, 9-5
Top Seed Giant-Killers Win German Junior Open Titles
Unseeded seventeen-year-olds Saurav Ghosal and Nihal Yehia claimed the Men's
and Women's U19 titles, respectively, in the German Junior Open Squash
Championships after major upsets over the top seeds in the semi-finals in
Gerlingen.
Dutchman Dylan Bennett was firm favourite to win the men's title after an
impressive run on the European Junior Circuit which included seven national
open titles, then the European title itself last month. After fighting back
from 2-1 down to overcome Belgian Rik Smet in the quarter-finals, Bennett
crashed out 9-4 3-9 9-6 9-7 to India's Saurav Ghosal.
In the final, Ghosal himself had a fightback on his hands, but after a tense
fourth game which went to eight-all, the Indian teenager beat local hero
Patrick Gassler 9-0 4-9 4-9 10-8 9-6 to lift the title. Gassler had also
registered a significant last four upset - defeating second-seeded Frenchman
Yann Perrin in straight games.
In the women's event, top-seeded Belgian Charlie de Rycke was unable to
convert a 2-0 semi-final lead over Nihal Yehia and ultimately lost 8-10 1-9
9-4 9-3 9-3 to the Egyptian. The final also went the full distance as Yehia,
a semi-finalist in this year's British Junior U17 Open, beat India's British
Junior U17 Open champion Joshna Chinappa 9-4 9-6 6-9 8-10 9-5.