World Juniors 2018 – the DRAWS

Marwan & Rowan seeded to retain World Junior Titles in Chennai

Egyptians Marwan Tarek and Rowan Elaraby are seeded to retain their titles in the WSF World Junior Individual Squash Championships next month in India in the draws revealed today by the World Squash Federation.

After ousting the top seed in last year’s semi-final, Tarek went on to claim the 2017 men’s title in New Zealand with a five game victory over France’s Victor Crouin. The 18-year-old from Cairo also won the 2018 British Junior U19 Open title early this year, beating the same opponent – now out of age – in the final.

But Tarek, ranked 280 in the world, will have a tough job on his hands if he meets, as predicted, his 17-year-old second seeded compatriot Mostafa Asal in the final.

Asal, also from Cairo, claimed the British Junior U17 Open title in January – beating Omar El Torkey, seeded 3/4 in Chennai, in the final – and has made great strides on the PSA World Tour this year, winning three titles in South America as a qualifier in May. This month Asal leapt more than 100 places in the senior world rankings to reach #75.

All-Egyptian semi-finals are predicted in the men’s draw, with the top sixteen seeds comprising six Egyptians, three Englishmen, two Malaysians  plus players from Usa, Canada, Mexico, Colombia and Switzerland.

In the women’s draw top seeds Elaraby and Hania El Hammamy are two of  six Egyptians in the top sixteen.

Araby, still only 17, has already claimed five PSA titles and is seeded to reach the world junior final for the third time in a row, her success in the 2017 final coming against then top seed El Hammamy.

The women’s top sixteen seeds also features players from Malaysia, England, Hong Kong, Usa and Scotland with Egypt aiming to capture the title for the eighth year in a row.

The SEEDS

MEN’S DRAW 128-draw 12 byes, 52 first round matches

Last Sixteen (Round Four) if all goes to seeding (updated 22-Jun)

[1] Marwan Tarek (Egy) v [13/16] Curtis Malik (Eng)
[5/8] Mostafa Montaser (Egy) v [9/12] Yehia Elnawasany (Egy)
[5/8] Nick Wall (Eng) v [9/12] Matias Knudsen (Col)
[3/4] Omar El Torkey (Egy) v [13/16] Julien Gossett (Can)

[3/4] Mostafa El Serty (Egy) v [13/16] Siow Yee Xian (Mas)
[5/8] Darren Pragasam (Mas) v [9/12] James Wyatt (Eng)
[5/8] Leonel Cardenas (Mex) v [13]16] Daelum Majwi (Usa)
[2] Mostafa Asal (Egy) v [13/16] Yannick Wilhelmi (Sui)

WOMEN’S DRAW 64-draw 9 byes, 23 first round matches

Last Sixteen (Round Three) if all goes to seeding

[1] Rowan Elaraby (Egy) v [13/16] Chan Yiwen (Mas)
[5/8] Hana Moataz (Egy) v [9/12] Alice Green (Eng)
[5/8] Jana Shiha (Egy) v [9/12] Wen Li Lai (Mas)
[3/4] Aifa Azman (Mas) v [13/16] Farida Ahmed (Egy)

[3/4] Lucy Turmel (Eng) v [13/16] Chan Sin Yuk (Hkg)
[5/8] Elise Lazarus (Eng) v [9/12] Ingy Hammouda (Egy)
[5/8] Marina Stefanoni (Usa) v [9/12] Georgia Adderley (Sco)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (Egy) v [13/16] Kah Yan Ooi (Mas)