Egypt Flourishes In British Junior Open

Egypt clinched six of the eight titles in the Tecnifibre British Junior Open Championships for the fifth time since 2001 - with men's U19 champion Mohamed El Shorbagy winning his fourth title in a row in the world's most prestigious junior squash event in the English city of Sheffield.

Top seed El Shorbagy, who began his unbeaten run in the event in January 2006, conquered five opponents on his way to the Men's U19 final where he faced Malaysian Ivan Yuen, a 5/8 seed.

But the UK-based 17-year-old from Alexandria, the reigning world junior champion, needed only 34 minutes to retain his title, beating 18-year-old Yuen 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 to claim the prestigious Drysdale Cup.

The women's U19 title returned to Malaysia for the first time since 1999 (when it was won by the reigning World Open champion Nicol David) after top seed Low Wee Wern beat India's 3/4 seed Dipika Pallikal 11-2, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8. The triumph marks the maiden British Junior Open success for the 18-year-old Asian Junior champion from Penang.

Egyptian favourite Amr Khaled Khalifa scored his first success in the Men's U17 event with an 11-5, 11-3, 14-12 victory in the final over Danish Atlas Khan, the second seed from Pakistan. It was the 16-year-old from Cairo's second Sheffield success after winning the U15 crown in 2007.

The top-seeded Egyptian also prevailed in the women's event where Nour El Tayeb added the U17 title to U15 and U13 triumphs she achieved in previous visits to Yorkshire. In one of three all-Egyptian finals, the 15-year-old from Cairo defeated Nouran El Torky, a 3/4 seed, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6.

Mahesh Mangaonkar, a 3/4 seed, crowned India's best ever performance in the championships by winning the Men's U15 title. India boasted three finalists for the first time - but Mangaonkar was the only winner as the 14-year-old from Mumbai beat the hosts' Oliver Holland 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 in 40 minutes. It was a disappointing outcome for Holland, the second seed from Nottingham, who was celebrating England's first finalist for three years.

The only upset of the day came in the Women's U15 event when second seed Nour El Sherbeny battled to an 11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4 win over fellow Egyptian Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy, the favourite. The success marked El Sherbeny's third title in a row in Sheffield after winning the U13 trophy in 2007 and 2008.

Egypt cleaned up in the U13 events - 9/16 seed Amr Aboul Souad beating India's 5/8 seed Kush Kumar 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 in the men's final and favourite Yathreb Adel overcoming compatriot Salma Hani 11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8 in the women's climax. Both players were celebrating their maiden success in the event.

Men's Under 19 Final:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [5/8] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 (34m)

Men's Under 17 Final:
[1] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt [2] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-5, 11-3, 14-12 (40m)

Men's Under 15 Final:
[3/4] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [2] Oliver Holland (ENG) 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 (40m)

Men's Under 13 Final:
[9/16] Amr Aboul Souad (EGY) bt [5/8] Kush Kumar (IND) 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 (41m)

Women's Under 19 Final:
[1] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [3/4] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-2, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 (41m)

Women's Under 17 Final:
[1] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [3/4] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 12-10, 11-8, 11-6 (24m)

Women's Under 15 Final:
[2] Nour El Sherbeny (EGY) bt [1] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4 (42m)

Women's Under 13 Final:
[1] Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt [2] Salma Hani (EGY) 11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8 (39m)