USA & Hong Kong March Into World Semi-Finals In Chennai

USA and Hong Kong - fifth and sixth seeds, respectively - claimed places in the semi-finals of the Women's World Junior Team Squash Championships after convincing victories in today's quarter-finals at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, India.

In what is almost certainly the first ever team squash win by USA over England, the fifth seeds defeated former champions England 2/1 - with 18-year-old New Yorker Julie Cerullo winning the important decider for the second time in 24 hours by beating Rachael Chadwick, from Cheshire, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 in a tense 25-minute clash.

"It's very exciting - in all my years playing for the US we never managed to beat Canada or England, and now we've beaten them both in two days," exclaimed an excited US team manager Meredeth Quick to www.squashsite.co.uk/worldjuniors afterwards. "They were both great wins but this one is especially good.

"The girls played incredibly tough. England came out strong and the girls had to work hard to get through. Julie was tremendous in the decider - it's always hard to play last but she's had to do it two days in a row now and pulled us through both times."

Hong Kong, winners of the title in 2005, despatched eighth seeds New Zealand 3/0 - with 17-year-old Tong Tsz-Wing recovering from a game down to beat Kiwi number two Amanda Landers-Murphy 7-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 to put the former champions in the driving seat.

"It's an outstanding result for Hong Kong, it's what you dream about," said former Hong Kong Squash chief Heather Deayton. "All of our players are kids who have come through our Junior Development Programme, so it's obviously working! They're taking over from the group that won us the title in 2005 in Belgium - this is the next generation.

"Joey Chan and Annie Au have gone on to perform well at the senior level, and I'm sure these players can do the same," added the World Squash Federation Vice President.

Hosts India are in a strong position to record their best finish ever after beating fourth seeds Canada 2/1. The second-seeded squad fought back after dropping the opening match when Dipika Pallikal, the 17-year-old from Chennai who had been favourite to take the individual crown, beat Canadian number one Laura Gemmell 11-8, 11-3, 11-9.

Squad number three Surbhi Misra clinched victory for India with a 13-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6 win over Canadian Jennifer Pelletier in 34 minutes.

"It became a bit closer than we expected, but in the end the girls played well to come through," said Indian team manager Major Maniam. "Dipika did what we expected of her, and Surbhi played well in the decider. Jennifer played brilliant squash, she hung in well, but my girl had a bit more in the end, it was her finishing shots that made the difference."

Indian National Coach Cyrus Poncha added: "It was 2003 in Egypt that we last made the semi-finals with a very good team. Now this team has at least emulated them, and with three of the four coming through the academy, we must be doing something right!"

New world junior champion Nour El Sherbini led title-holders Egypt to a 3/0 win over third seeds Malaysia. The 13-year-old squash sensation beat Tan Yan Xin 9-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-1 in 27 minutes. Squash number one Heba El Torky put the result beyond doubt after an 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 win over Malaysian top string Low Wee Nee.

Quarter-finals:
[1] EGYPT bt [3] MALAYSIA 3-0
Nour El Sherbini bt Tan Yan Xin 9-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-1 (27m)
Heba El Torky bt Low Wee Nee 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (16m)
Nour El Tayeb bt Nessrine Ariffin 11-1, 11-9 (10m)

[5] USA bt [7] ENGLAND 2-1
Amanda Sobhy lost to Kimberley Hay 8-11, 10-12, 9-11 (21m)
Olivia Blatchford bt Millie Tomlinson 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 (31m)
Julie Cerullo bt Rachael Chadwick 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (25m)

[6] HONG KONG bt [8] NEW ZEALAND 3-0
Tong Tsz-Wing bt Amanda Landers-Murphy 7-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 (36m)
Liu Tsz-Ling bt Lana Harrison 12-10, 11-9, 12-10 (32m)
Carmen Lee bt Emma Millar 11-7, 11-9 (14m)

[2] INDIA bt [4] CANADA 2-1
Anwesha Reddy lost to Samantha Cornett 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 2-11 (30m)
Dipika Pallikal bt Laura Gemmell 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (28m)
Surbhi Misra bt Jennifer Pelletier 13-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6 (34m)

9th - 16th place play-offs:
[9] AUSTRALIA bt [15] SPAIN 3-0
Tamika Saxby bt Sara Esperon 12-10, 11-8, 11-3 (21m)
Sarah Cardwell bt Ana Arosa Rodriguez 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (27m)
Rheanne Niebling bt Marina Lopez 11-8, 11-6 (12m)

[10] FRANCE bt [11] NETHERLANDS 3-0
Cyrielle Peltier bt Ilona Lagerweij 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6 (35m)
Emilie Lamilango bt Milou van der Heijden 10-12, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 (40m)
Julia Lecoq bt Anne Jongerden 11-9, 11-5 (13m)

[12] SOUTH AFRICA bt [16] SWEDEN 3-0
Alexandra Fuller bt Jennie Lindstrom 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (18m)
Robyn Baptiste bt Matilda Ravn-Holm 10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 (28m)
Elani Landman bt Eira Mooney 11-4, 11-6 (11m)

[13] GERMANY bt [14] DENMARK 3-0
Caroline Sayegh bt Anna Sophie Jensen 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 (22m)
Lisa-Marie Sedlmeier bt Bine Lind 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, 11-4 (29m)
Franziska Hennes bt Millie Jensen 11-4, 11-4 (11m)