Top Seeds Through To World Junior Semi-Finals In Hong Kong

For the first time for ten years, players from four different countries will contest the semi-finals of the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment Women's World Junior Championships after the top four seeds survived today's quarter-finals of the biennial World Squash Federation event in Hong Kong.

New Zealand's Joelle King pulled off a sensational come-back - fighting back from two games down to secure her anticipated place in the last four.

The 18-year-old kiwi number one,a 3/4 seed, defeated Egypt's 5/8 seed Heba El Torky 6-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-5, 9-1 in a 73-minute marathon to set up a clash with another Egyptian - event favourite Raneem El Weleily.

The 18-year-old defending champion from Alexandria, who is expected to become only the second girl in history to win the world junior crown twice, comfortably beat compatriot Nour Bahgat 9-4, 9-2, 9-1.

Annie Au continues to single-handedly spearhead local interest in the event after making it to the semi-finals for the first time. The 18-year-old 3/4 seed from Hong Kong defeated England's Victoria Lust 9-2, 9-0, 9-6.

Au's semi-final opponent also ousted an English player to reach the last four. No2 seed Camille Serme, the European Junior Champion from France, ended the giant-killing run of Sarah-Jane Perry, beating the surprise quarter-finalist from Warwickshire who was a 17/32 seed, 9-6, 9-0, 10-9.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [9/16] Nour Bahgat (EGY) 9-4, 9-2, 9-1 (23m)
[3/4] Joelle King (NZL) bt [5/8] Heba El Torky (EGY) 6-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-5, 9-1 (73m)
[3/4] Annie Au (HKG) bt [5/8] Victoria Lust (ENG) 9-2, 9-0, 9-6 (32m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [17/32] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 9-6, 9-0, 10-9 (33m)