Mustonen & Perry Win Nordic Junior Open Titles In Malmo
Men's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [5/8] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7
[5/8] Sam van Brusselen (BEL) bt Alex Christensson (SWE) 11-5, 11-2, 12-10
[3/4] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) bt [5/8] Ido Avron (ISR) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8
[5/8] Casper Grauballe (DEN) bt [2] Florian Silbernagl (GER) 6-11, 11-2, 11-1, 5-11, 13-11
Semi-finals:
[1] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [5/8] Sam van Brusselen (BEL) 11-9, 11-6, 11-4
[5/8] Casper Grauballe (DEN) bt [3/4] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9
Final:
[1] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [5/8] Casper Grauballe (DEN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7
Third place play-off:
[5/8] Sam van Brusselen (BEL) bt [3/4] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6
Women's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [9/16] Lisa Aitken (SCO) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
[5/8] Menat Allah Naser (EGY) bt [3/4] Carrie Ramsey (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10
[5/8] Anna Klimondova (CZE) bt [3/4] Cigany Sierveld (NED) 11-4, 11-4, 11-9
[2] Kimberley Hay (ENG) bt [9/16] Kristyna Vykourilova (CZE) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[1] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [5/8] Menat Allah Naser (EGY) 12-10, 11-6, 9-11, 4-11, 11-9
[2] Kimberley Hay (ENG) bt [5/8] Anna Klimondova (CZE) 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
Final:
[1] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [2] Kimberley Hay (ENG) 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8
Third place play-off:
[5/8] Menat Allah Naser (EGY) bt [5/8] Anna Klimondova (CZE) 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6
There were mixed fortunes for last year’s U19 finalists in the 2008 Nordic Junior Open Squash Championships, the opening Super Series event of the 2008/09 season European Squash Federation Junior Circuit in Malmo, Sweden.
Finland’s Henrik Mustonen, top seed in the men’s U19 event, made up for the disappointment of finishing as runner-up in 2007 by winning the 2008 title. The 17-year-old reached the final after beating Belgian Sam van Brusselen in the semi-finals.
The Finn’s surprise final opponent was Casper Grauballe, a 5/8 seed from Denmark who upset both second seed Florian Silbernagl (Germany) and 3/4 seed Lucas Vauzelle (France) to reach the climax.
But Mustonen was too strong for the 17-year-old from Copenhagen, winning 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 to clinch the first ESF U19 Circuit title of his career.
By contrast, 2007 women’s U19 champion Kimberley Hay was unable to repeat her Malmo success a year later. Seeded two, the 16-year-old from Newcastle faced England junior team-mate Sarah-Jane Perry, the top seed, in the final.
Perry, 18, from Kenilworth, dropped the first two games – but fought back to beat Hay 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 to clinch her second ESF circuit title, after winning the Scottish U19 Junior Open crown in December.