Second Seeds Take Titles In German Junior Open

Despite the late withdrawal of a number players as a result of the air travel disruption caused by the Iceland volcano, the German Junior U19 Open ran successfully in Germering at the weekend, with the number two seeds both prevailing in the Super Series championship on the European Squash Federation Junior Circuit.

England's Emily Whitlock took full advantage of the absence of compatriot Carrie Ramsey, the top seed in the women's U19 championship who won the European Junior U19 title last month, but was unable to travel to Germany to compete in her final junior event before turning 19 later this week.

But 17-year-old Whitlock was made to work hard in the quarter-finals where she was taken to five games before overcoming France's 5/8 seed Melissa Alves 10-12, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7.

In the final, Whitlock despatched Austria's 5/8 seed Sandra Polak 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 to clinch her third ESF circuit U19 title, after winning the Nordic Junior U19 Open last year and the Austrian Junior U19 Open in February.

The men's U19 event climaxed in the anticipated match between the top two seeds - and local favourite Rudi Rohrmuller, runner-up in last month's European U19 championship, fought back to draw level against Amr Khaled Khalifa after the No2 seed from Egypt took the opening two games.

But Khalifa took control in the decider and denied Rohrmuller the title for the second year in a row when he beat the 18-year-old 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-3.

The 17-year-old from Cairo becomes the first Egyptian to win the title this millennium.