Brothers Bailey and Heston Malik both reached the boys’ U19 semi-finals on day two of the 2024 ProAir British Junior Squash Championships in Sheffield.
Top seed Bailey (Sussex) overcame [5/8] Michael Chak (Surrey) in straight games on Friday to set up a semi-final against recent Hungarian Junior Open champion [3/4] Dylan Roberts (Kent). Heston’s passage to the semis was sealed by a shock 11-6 11-8 12-10 victory over Wales’s 3/4 seed Ioan Sharpe, who is currently ranked No.2 in Europe. Heston, the 5/8 seed, faces second seed Alex Broadbridge (Hants) in the last four on Saturday.
Top seed Mariam Eissa, the 15-year-old prodigy from Warwickshire who is playing up two age groups in the GU19, overcame 5/8 seed Megan Light (Hants) to set up a semi-final meeting with [3/4] Emily Coulcher-Porter (Bucks). [3/4] Robyn McAlpine briskly won the all-Scottish quarter-final against Natalie Main and will take on Wales’s second seed Ellie Breach on Saturday.
In the BU17, second seed Ismail Khalil went down to a surprise 5-11 11-8 11-8 7-11 11-7 defeat to [5/8] George Griffiths (Hants). Griffiths now faces 2023 U15 winner [9/15] Luke McBride in the semi-finals. McBride first toppled his Surrey county team-mate, 3/4 seed Indie Flint, 11-7 11-5 11-5 in the last 16 before seeing off [9/15] Dylan Smithson (Essex) in the quarters.
BU17 top seed Ronnie Hickling (Surrey) showed his rich potential with breezy wins over [17/31] Lewis Vinten (Cornwall) and [5/8] Charlie Lord (Sussex) which included a bagel in the second game. He faces [3/4] Damien Duckett (Middx) in the other semi.
Hickling, who plays at Epsom College under coach Neil Frankland, has already won the British title at U11 and U15 level. He said: “Damian had a good win over Gabriel [Chak] today so I’m looking forward to playing him on the glass court. This title means a lot. I’d be proud if I win it for a third time on Sunday and then I’ll have another two chances at U19 level.”
The GU17 semi-finals will feature three of the top four seeds, with [1] Harriet Broadbridge (Hants) and [2] Renata Colabella (Kent) both progressing through their respective quarter-finals in straight games and [3/4] Ella Bannister of Scotland winning in four. [3/4] Nia Seren Thomas (Wales) came unstuck against [5/8] Isabella Hutton (Sussex) – sister of Jasmine, the 2022 British National champion and current world No.19.
BU15 top seed Ali Khalil (Warks) brushed aside [9/16] Euan Thomson (Surrey) and [5/8] Frankie Binns (Surrey) on Friday to set up a semi-final against [5/8] Thomas Irani (Sussex). Irani recorded a magnificent 8-11 11-8 4-11 11-9 13-11 victory over 3/4 seed Jaanshere Khan in their quarter-final. Second seed Matthew Hong Ki Leung (Glos) plays [5/8] Joe Colton (Surrey), who recorded a gruelling five-game win over Gilbert Harrington (Hants).
The top four seeds in the GU15 draw all took their expected places in the semi-finals courtesy of straight-games wins. [1] Ameerah Ismail (Warks) is looking to add to her U13 title of two years ago and faces [3/4] Phoebe Griffiths (Hants) on Saturday, while [2] Fearne Copley (Yorks) will play 3/4 seed Esther Chak (Surrey).
Twins Oscar and Finley Brown (Leics) remain on course for a brotherly duel in the BU13 final. Top seed Oscar took care of Scotland’s [9/16] Ellis Isaacs in the last 16 and [17/31] Ted King (Yorks) in the quarters to set up a semi against [3/4] Ben Lamond (Dorset). Second seed Finley took out [17/31] Salah Farrag (Cheshire) then [5/8] Logan Willstrop (Yorks) and next faces Scot Callum Smith, the 3/4 seed.
Ameerah Ismail’s younger sister Nadiya, top seed in the GU13, won her quarter-final against [5/8] India Smith in four games to seal a semi-final against [5/8] Rida Ali (Sussex). Ali toppled 3/4 seed Maya Goel 11-4 5-11 12-10 16-14. The other semi-final sees [2] Sienna Hampshaw (Yorks) take on [3/4] Siona Mishra (Warks).
The BU11 competition began on Friday with the opening two rounds, which top seeds James Swinden (Yorks) and Harry Knox (Ireland) came through to reach the quarter-finals – although Knox was severely tested by [9/15] Naishe Matamisa (Warks) in a 11-6 7-11 11-9 15-13 tussle.
All four top seeds are into the quarter-finals of the GU11 in straight games including [1] Ada Brown (Norfolk) and Wales’ second seed Elsie Griffiths.
The boys’ and girls’ U9 categories, which return this year due to high demand, begin on Saturday.
