This weekend's Tecnifibre British Junior National U17 & U13 Squash Championships hailed four new champions at the National Squash Centre in Sportcity in Manchester.
Northamptonshire's Chris Fuller completed his rehabilitation from a long injury layoff by claiming the men's Under 17 title. The 2003 British Under 13 Champion enjoyed a great run, beating the No1 seed Sammy Chambers (Cambridgeshire) in the semi-finals and then No2 seed Ben Coleman (Essex) in the final. The final was a controlled and professional display by 3/4 seed Fuller, who ran out a comfortable 9-2, 9-0, 9-5 winner in 51 minutes.
Kimberley Hay (Northumbria) started the event as hot favourite for the Women's Under 17 title and the 16-year-old from Newcastle did not disappoint. Kimberley was in a class of her own dropping only 18 points on her march to the final. There she met Derbyshire's No2 seed Millie Tomlinson who had reached the final after fighting back from the dead against Katherine Quarterman (Oxfordshire) in the semis. Katherine had won the first two games easily and at 8-6 in the third looked to have it sewn up. However Millie had other ideas and somehow found the energy and class to fight back and clinch both the third and fourth games 10-8 before easing away to win the fifth 9-3.
However in the final Kimberley simply continued where she had left off and won convincingly 9-4, 9-5, 9-3 in 28 minutes to take the title which she adds to the Under 13 and 15 crowns she has already amassed during her junior career to date.
In the Men's Under 13 category it was to be no fairytale for Tecnifibre’s own Ashley Davies (Derbyshire). The No2 seed lost in the semi-finals to Kent's Joshua Masters, who then went on to meet No1 seed Peter Joyce (Avon) in the final. However Joyce proved to be too strong and completed a comprehensive win 9-6, 9-7, 9-4 in 36 minutes to claim his first national title. Peter enjoyed a wonderful weekend and came through his five matches without ever looking as if he was going to drop a single game – he has now firmly cemented his position as the number one Under 13 player in the country.
Fiona May Murphy of Wales took the first title of the day with a great performance to overcome No1 seed and pre-event favourite Millie Pughe (Yorkshire) 9-4, 6-9, 9-1, 9-3 in 42 minutes in the Women's Under 13’s. Fiona becomes the first Welsh winner of a British title since Natalie Pritchard triumphed in the Under 15’s in 2004.
RESULTS: Tecnifibre British Junior National Championships, National Squash Centre, Manchester
Men's U17 quarter-finals:
[1] Sammy Chambers (Cambs) bt [5/8] Ted Jeal (Kent) 7-9, 9-2, 9-0, 5-9, 9-5 (64m)
[3/4] Chris Fuller (Northants) bt [5/8] Charles Sharpes (Surrey) 2-9, 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (54m)
[9/16] Nicholas Hopcroft (Surrey) bt [5/8] Robert Downer (Hants) 9-4, 9-2, 8-10, 9-1 (67m)
[2] Ben Coleman (Essex) bt [5/8] Josh Saysell (Glos) 9-5, 0-9, 4-9, 9-4, 9-0 (80m)
Semi-finals:
[3/4] Chris Fuller (Northants) bt [1] Sammy Chambers (Cambs) 7-9, 9-6, 9-0, 9-4 (82m)
[2] Ben Coleman (Essex) bt [9/16] Nicholas Hopcroft (Surrey) 9-2, 9-5, 9-1 (39m)
Final:
[3/4] Chris Fuller (Northants) bt [2] Ben Coleman (Essex) 9-2, 9-0, 9-5 (51m)
Women's U17 quarter-finals:
[1] Kimberley Hay (Northumbria) bt [5/8] Carrie Ramsey (Yorks) 9-4, 9-3, 9-0 (21m)
[5/8] Harriet Ingham (Surrey) bt [9/16] Rebecca Quiney (Glos) 9-1, 9-6, 6-9, 9-2 (37m)
[3/4] Katherine Quarterman (Oxon) bt [5/8] Julianne Courtice (Glos) 10-9, 9-1, 9-5 (32m)
[2] Millie Tomlinson (Derbyshire) bt [9/16] Lucy Townley (Cheshire) 9-3, 9-2, 9-0 (25m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Kimberley Hay (Northumbria) bt [5/8] Harriet Ingham (Surrey) 9-3, 9-2, 9-3 (23m)
[2] Millie Tomlinson (Derbyshire) bt [3/4] Katherine Quarterman (Oxon) 0-9, 2-9, 10-8, 10-8, 9-3 (87m)
Final:
[1] Kimberley Hay (Northumbria) bt [2] Millie Tomlinson (Derbyshire) 9-4, 9-5, 9-3 (28m)
Men's U13 quarter-finals:
[1] Peter Joyce (Avon) bt [5/8] Russell Clark (Derbyshire) 9-3, 9-0, 9-7 (32m)
[3/4] Brian Harvey (Warwicks) bt [5/8] Hamish Falconer (Lincs) 9-2, 8-10, 9-6, 10-8 (56m)
[3/4] Joshua Masters (Kent) bt [9/16] David Fumpson (Merseyside) 7-9, 9-3, 9-3, 9-3 (31m)
[2] Ashley Davies (Derbyshire) bt [5/8] Ritchie Fallows (Essex) 10-9, 9-7, 9-2 (50m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Peter Joyce (Avon) bt [3/4] Brian Harvey (Warwicks) 9-5, 9-3, 9-2 (35m)
[3/4] Joshua Masters (Kent) bt [2] Ashley Davies (Derbyshire) 10-9, 9-6, 1-9, 10-9 (41m)
Final:
[1] Peter Joyce (Avon) bt [3/4] Joshua Masters (Kent) 9-6, 9-7, 9-4 (36m)
Women's U13 quarter-finals:
[1] Millie Pughe (Yorks) bt [5/8] Lauren West (Leics) 6-9, 9-3, 9-5, 9-4 (28m)
[9/16] Eleanor Lake (Glos) bt [3/4] Kip Quiney (Glos) 9-2, 10-8, 9-0 (23m)
[9/16] Lucy Pallett (Warwicks) bt [3/4] Martha Possegger (Sussex) 9-5, 9-7, 7-9, 10-8 (41m)
[2] Fiona May Murphy (Wales) bt Lucy Beecroft (Northumbria) 9-3, 9-7, 9-3 (26m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Millie Pughe (Yorks) bt [9/16] Eleanor Lake (Glos) 7-9, 9-2, 9-6, 9-0 (30m)
[2] Fiona May Murphy (Wales) bt [9/16] Lucy Pallett (Warwicks) 3-9, 9-0, 9-6, 9-6 (31m)
Final:
[2] Fiona May Murphy (Wales) bt [1] Millie Pughe (Yorks) 9-4, 6-9, 9-1, 9-3 (42m)