Australia Celebrate Oceania Junior Double

Australia celebrated a regional double on New Zealand soil when second seeds Solayman Nowrozi and Lakeesha Rarere scored unexpected title triumphs in the Oceania Junior U19 Squash Championships at Squash City in Invercargill.

RESULTS: Oceania Junior U19 Squash Championships, Invercargill, New Zealand

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Sam Ejtemai (AUS) bt Montell-Zachary Whatarangi (NZL) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5
[4] Scott Galloway (NZL) bt Chapman Kutia (NZL) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9
[3] Luke Jones (NZL) bt Jayden Millard (NZL) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8
[2] Solayman Nowrozi (AUS) bt Joseph Williams (NZL) 11-5, 9-11, 11-1, 11-8
Semi-finals:
[1] Sam Ejtemai (AUS) bt [4] Scott Galloway (NZL) 11-4, 11-5, 11-9
[2] Solayman Nowrozi (AUS) bt [3] Luke Jones (NZL) 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Final:
[2] Solayman Nowrozi (AUS) bt [1] Sam Ejtemai (AUS) 12-10, 11-7 ret.

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Eleanore Epke (NZL) bt Anna Hughes (NZL) 11-9, 10-12, 7-11, 11-1, 11-3
[4] Victoria Leow (AUS) bt Juee Bhide (NZL) 7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9
[3] Abbie Palmer (NZL) bt Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) 11-4, 11-7, 11-1
[2] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt Samantha Calvert (AUS) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5
Semi-finals:
[1] Eleanore Epke (NZL) bt [4] Victoria Leow (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 14-12
[2] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt [3] Abbie Palmer (NZL) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
Final:
[2] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) bt [1] Eleanore Epke (NZL) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5

Rarere, a 17-year-old Queenslander who was born in New Zealand, faced Kiwi favourite Eleanore Epke in the women's final. Ranked 88 in the world after reaching her maiden WSA World Tour final in January, Rarere (pictured above) brushed aside fellow 17-year-old Epke 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 to win the title for the first time.

The men's final was an all-Australian affair in which Nowrozi also lined up against the event's top seed. Brisbane-based Sam Ejtemai reached the final without dropping a game - and endured a mammoth 23-minute opening game before fellow 18-year-old Nowrozi opened up a one-game lead in the final.

It was in the second game that Ejtamai injured himself - and was forced to concede the match after just two games to give Pakistan-born Nowrozi (pictured above), from Melbourne, the title.

- ENDS -

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Issued by Howard Harding, World Squash Federation World Media Director
Howard@hhpr.co.uk | 44 7773-325130
WSQ 7748 24 April 2015