ISLAMABAD, Jul 12 (Alliance News):Pakistan’s Hamza Khan returns as the draws and seedings for the individual events at the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships have been confirmed.
The 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championships would be played in Melbourne Sports Centres (MSAC) from July 18 to 29.
The event features 245 entries across the men’s individual championship, the women’s individual championship and the women’s team championship.
In the men’s draw, England’s Jonah Bryant and the Netherlands’ Rowan Damming are seeded to renew their rivalry in the final, with the English 17-year-old and the Dutch 18-year-old going in as number one and two seed, respectively.
Also tipped to go deep in the competition are Egyptian 15-year-old Mohamed Zakaria and Pakistan’s Hamza Khan, who returns after reaching the semifinals as the top seed last time out.
For the home fans, six men enter in the first round, with Kenneth Lamb, Dylan Classen, Harvey Allan, Connor Hayes, Oscar Curtis and Thomas Scott in day one action.
In the women’s draw, Egypt’s defending champion Amina Orfi returns to defend her crown. The No.1 seed, who won the title last year after a number of stunning comebacks, made headlines this season on the PSA World Tour, reaching the final of the Squash On Fire Open in Washington DC and the last 16 at the senior World Championships.
Seeded to face the 16-year-old in the final is compatriot Fayrouz Aboelkheir, who will be aiming to avenge her semi final defeat to Orfi last year in Nancy.
Malak Khafagy is the third Egyptian in the top four seeds, with the Alexandrian joined at 3/4 seed by Asian Junior Champion Aira Azman, who is looking to be Malaysia’s first female winner since Nicol David beat Omneya Abdel Kawy in 2001.
As in the men’s draw, six women are representing Australia in the individual event. In round one, Shona Coxsedge faces Chinese Taipei’s Yen-Chi Chen, Courtney Scholtz takes on Ireland’s Sarah Sabry and Hannah Slyth plays Scotland’s Louisa Kaven. Meanwhile, Erin Classen, Madison Lyon and Amelie Guziak receive byes through to round two.
Seeded entries, 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championship, Men’s Individuals Draw: [1] Jonah Bryant (ENG), [2] Rowan Damming (NED), [3/4] Hamza Khan (PAK), [3/4] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY), [5/8] David Bernet (SUI), [5/8] Joachim Chuah (MAS), [5/8] Salman Khalil (EGY), [5/8] Juan Jose Torres Lara (COL), [9/16] Kareem El Torkey (EGY), [9/16] Krishna Mishra (IND), [9/16] Dylan Moran (IRL), [9/16] Hollis Robertson (USA), [9/16] Melvil Scianimanico (FRA), [9/16] Yassin Shohdy (EGY), [9/16] Omar Said Sobhy (EGY), [9/16] Rishi Srivastava (USA).
Seeded entries, 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championship, Women’s Individuals Draw: [1] Amina Orfi (EGY), [2] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY), [3/4] Aira Azman (MAS), [3/4] Malak Khafagy (EGY), [5/8] Caroline Fouts (USA), [5/8] Asia Harris (ENG), [5/8] Zeina Zein (EGY), [5/8] Anahat Singh (IND), [9/16] Lauren Baltayan (FRA), [9/16] Nadien Elhammamy (EGY), [9/16] Amelie Haworth (ENG), [9/16] Madison Ho (USA), [9/16] Savannah Margot Ingledew (RSA), [9/16] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS), [9/16] Nour Megahed (EGY), [9/16] Riya Navani (USA).