Australian Junior Squash Open Final Results

Sam Ejtemai admits he felt a little nervous, maybe even a little emotional, as he headed into the final of the boys’ U19 at the Australian Junior Squash Open at Willoughby. “Being my last year as a junior, I just wanted to finish on a high,” he laughed. “I just really didn’t want to choke!”

He need not have worried, as he was at his very best against fellow Australian Solayman Nowrozi in the final, winning 12-10, 11-5, 11-8 to finish on the high he was striving for. “I did feel good coming into today, I’d played well in my quarter-final and semi after a scratchy start,” he said. “But I did feel nervous.” Ejtemai has now set his sights on a top four finish at this year’s World Juniors.

Long-time rivals Lakeesha Rarere and Abbie Palmer faced off in the girls’ U19 final, and for the second time in succession it was Rarere that came out on top of the New Zealander. About time, she said. “I used to play her as a junior all the time, and she used to always beat me 3-love,” the Queenslander said.  “This is only the second time I’ve beaten her. And next week we’re both in the New Zealand Open, so we might end up playing each other again. “I really want to win that one for Australia.”

Palmer came into the final after a tough five-game match against Australia’s Victoria Leow, while Rarere also had to work hard against New Zealand’s Kaitlyn Watts. “I’ve been training really hard, two times a day, since my last tournament,” Rarere said. It was an approach that helped her to an 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 result over Palmer.

FATIGUE

Perth’s William Curtis didn’t know what to expect in his final against New Zealand’s Rafa Yam in the boys U17. “I’d never seen him play before, and I hadn’t had a chance to watch him this weekend,” Curtis said. “I knew he’d just beaten one of the top Malaysians, so I knew he could play.” Adding to his concern was a tough five-set semi-final against fellow Australian, Nicholas Calvert. “I didn’t recover the best, I felt a bit sore before the match,” Curtis said. “In the warm-up I tried to break him down a bit.”

While Curtis was feeling sore, Yam also came into the final off the back of a tough 5-game semi. In the end it was the Australian who rebounded best, winning 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.

One of the talking points of the Australian Juniors Open was the strong showing of the Malaysians. Teh En dominated the girls U17, winning her final against fellow Malaysian Michelle Stanley 11-3, 12-10, 11-7.

In the boys’ U15 it was Muhammad Harris Ramlee who saluted the judge for the Malaysians, beating Australia’s Jacob Ford 11-7, 11-8, 11-1, while Shasmithaa N beat the highly-rated Australian Sze Yu Lee 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 13-11 in an entertaining final of the girls’ U13.

THE FUTURE

Ethan Eyles once again underlined his enormous potential with an 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 win over New Zealand’s Elijah Thomas in the boys U13, while another player with enormous potential, New Zealand’s Ruby Turnbull, finished on top of a high-class U15 girls’ field.

In the Under 11’s it was Singapore’s Edward Thng Boon Hwi who won the boy’s title, beating Australia’s Oscar Curtis, the younger brother of William, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4.

New Zealand’s Natalie Sayes finished on top in the girls’ U11, beating Australia’s Ashlyn Barclay in the final.

The Australia – New Zealand rivalry will continue later this month with the Trans-Tasman cup.

To view the full list of winners and matches click here