Top seeds pass opening tests as British Junior Open centenary begins

The prestigious squash tournament is celebrating its 100th year and the action was frenetic as over 750 players took to the courts at the University of Birmingham and nearby clubs Edgbaston Priory, West Warwickshire, Stourbridge and Sutton Coldfield. 

Anahat Singh of India is bidding to add a coveted GU19 title to her collection of three BJO victories so far. She began serenely with a 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 win over [17/32] Wing Kai Gladys Ho of Canada. No.2 seed Lauren Baltayan of France — the highest European seed across all age groups — also went through easily. 

In the BU19, top seed and two-time former finalist Adam Hawal began his bid for a first BJO trophy by conquering Mexico's Luis Mendez 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 in round two. Three other title contenders — last year's BU17 champion [2] Seif Refaay of Egypt, European junior champion [3/4] Amir Khaled-Jousselin of France and [3/4] Christian Capella of the USA — also progressed. 

BU17 top seed Farouk Mohamed — Egyptian Junior Open champion for the last two years — is into the third round without alarm following a 11-0, 11-4, 11-8 win over Japan's Toma Ikeda. India's second seed Aryaveer Dewan also began with a three-game victory over Dutchman Sascha Steps. 

GU17 title favourite Habiba Rizk of Egypt, who already has BJO U13 and U15 trophies in her cabinet, dropped just seven points in defeating [17/32] Sasha Lee of Canada in round two. Former US Junior Open winner Isabella Tang, the second seed, beat Wei Min Ooi of Malaysia in straight games. 

The host nation's highest seeds (all 5/8) progressed safely. Gabriel Chak, Luke McBride and George Griffiths went through in straight games in the BU17, English U19 champion Mariam Eissa won both her opening matches in the GU17 and British U19 champion Dylan Roberts eased past Ireland's Conal Jackson on glass court two. 

In the BU15, Egypt's no.1 seed Hassan Abdengalil brushed aside Adam Rameau of France 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 but will next face [17/32] Szymon Cienciala of Poland who recorded a rare 'triple bagel' against Australia's Thomas Wang in round two. All the other leading seeds won smoothly. 

Egypt's GU15 top seed Layan Moustafa, winner of the U13 title two years ago, breezed through her opening two tests on day one against Australia's Yaschica Jiwa Mohan and [17/32] Nadia Budzik of Poland. USA's [2] Vivienne Sze did likewise at the other end of the draw. 

Aside from a defeat for [5/8] American Lars Daly to [17/32] Mior El-Fayedh Ahmad Nazril of Malaysia, results also went largely with the seedings in the BU13 draw. Top seed Yahia Waleed Rayan of Egypt coasted through his opening two matches for the cumulative loss of just 13 points. 

There was a shock in the GU13 as last year's bronze medallist Alice Wang of the USA, the 5/8 seed here, was defeated 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 by unseeded Yu Cao of Hong Kong. Top seed Serein Mohamed of Egypt dispatched Canada's [17/32] Joanna Zheng in straight games. 

There was safe passage for BU11 top seed Azlan Khan of the USA who conquered Qatar's Maaz Bin Fahad 11-4, 11-3, 11-4, having received a first-round bye. The GU11 competition doesn't begin until Saturday at Edgbaston Priory. 

Watch live action from round 2 from the University of Birmingham Sport & Fitness from 9am on Saturday 3rd January at: britishjunioropen.com/