Danial Downs Torres To Make World Junior Quarters

Malaysia's Harith Danial upset the odds on day three of the WSF World Junior Squash Championships in Houston, USA, with a sublime performance to beat Colombian 3/4 seed Juan Torres.

Torres, a quarter-finalist in the previous two championships, went into the match heavily favoured, but struggled to break down the 9/16 seed in the opener, with Danial finding his range well and fending off the Torres attack to take the first game 11-4.

The Colombian fought back impressively in the second game to level with an 11-7 win, only to be blown away 11-2 in game three as Danial regained the lead.

There was no let up from the 18-year-old in game four, with Danial covering every inch of court and targeting the back well as he came back from 4-6 down to clinch the match in four games with an 11-7 victory.

Danial will now face fellow 9/16 seed AbdAllah Eissa in the quarter-finals after the Englishman recorded a surprise win of his own, taking down 5/8 seed Javier Romo of Ecuador in straight games.

"I'm a little speechless right now," said Danial later. "I think I played well today and I knew it was going to be a very long match so I'm happy to be through in four, and happy with my performance, and to go through with my teammate Low Wa-Sern [who beat Egypt's Adham Roshdy to progress].

Joining Danial and Eissa in upsetting the odds was Pakistan's Abdullah Nawaz, who battled back from a game down to shock Egyptian 5/8 seed Omar Azzam.

There was also a moment of history made when Republic of Korea's Joo Young Na overcame compatriot Seojin Oh to become his country's first ever representative in a WSF World Junior Championship quarter-final.

In the women's draw, it was a more comfortable affair for the favourites, with every match going to seedings.

In a fiery encounter, 5/8 seed Nour Megahed overcame a spirited challenge from Hong Kong's 9/16 seed Ena Kwong to record an 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6 victory. USA's Riya Navani, too, was pushed hard, with the 5/8 seed digging in after falling behind to 9/16 seed Thanusaa Uthrian, eventually recording a 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 win to earn a match with No.2 seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir, who decimated French 9/16 seed Lauren Baltayan 11-2, 11-3, 11-2.

Joining Navani in the last eight is US compatriot and 3/4 seed Caroline Fouts. The 18-year-old, who has looked dominant so far in Houston, was in excellent form once again as she cruised past Malaysian 9/16 seed Whitney Wilson to maintain her record of not dropping any games.

Fouts will take on Jana Swaify in the next round after the 16-year-old Egyptian overcame England's Amelie Haworth 3/0.