Champion spirit shines through as competitors target finals

With finals places on the line, it was crunch time for competitors at the Australian Junior Squash championships in Perth today.

Nerves - and nerves of steel - were equally to the fore, with some high seeds failing to make 'the cut' while others showed that true champion quality of rising to the occasion even when the chips are down.

A prime example of that champion spirit was the U15 boys semi between No.1 seed Kasper Cheung (NSW) and WA's Aiden Finlay-Mulligan, in one of the matches of the tournament so far.

Finlay-Mulligan got off to a flier, a game up and leading 9-4 in the second before Cheung buckled down, using some deft touches to nullify his power-hitting rival.

"I just kept focusing on myself; I knew he was tired, I was tired and I pushed through and got through in the end," said Cheung.

"My coach kept telling me 'keep focusing, you've got this," said Cheung, who will face fellow NSW player Marcus Wang in the final.

Wang's younger sister, Elizabeth, reached the final of the U11 girls, while middle brother Thomas bowed out in the quarters of the U13 boys event.

Oscar Curtis WA, No. 1 seed took 26 minutes to defeat fellow Sandgroper Gregory Chan in straight games in the U19 boys semi-final, progressing to the medal match against QLD Luke Eyles.

"I stayed pretty solid and didn't make too many mistakes, I kept the intensity high," said Curtis, who admitted both players knew each others' game inside out.

"I know his game, he knows mine..same as usual," he said. Curtis said he planned to "chill out" in the lead-up to the final.

Eyles faced Dylan Classen, another Western Australian in his semi-final, but got over the line in a bustling, physical affair 11-3 9-11 12-10 11-9.

"It was a really tough semi; I've had plenty of tough matches with Dylan over the years but luckily I got the better of him today," said Eyles.

As for the physicality of the match, Eyles said both players had "bigger bodies" but "we sort of know where we're hitting it."Eyles said he planned to take a "positive attitude" into the final against Curtis.

WA's Daniel Marsh surpassed his 9/16 placement in the U17 boys, powering through the field to reach the championship match.

Along the way Marsh defeated, second seed James Slade (NSW) in the quarterfinals and then 3/4 seed Joshua Raj (QLD) in the semi to make the 'big dance' where he'll face William Slade (NSW), who defeated top seed Thomas Scott (NSW) out of contention in straight games in their semi-final.

In the U13 boys Henry Kross (NSW) made light work of Kaveen Kohombange 11-1 11-5 11-1 to reach the final where he will take on Queensland top seed Joel Roshan Raj. Raj took 22 minutes to take care of another Queenslander, ¾ seed James Bowsell in their semi-final.

'Giant-killing' was the order of the day in the U11 boys, with Queenslander Grayson Coleman despatching top seed Jet Lacquiere (QLD) in a 26-minute five-game thriller, then bouncing another Queenslander, Toby Trewern, in the semi.

"I just hit to the back and really played to his (Lacquiere's) weakness," said Coleman after the semi.

He will face another team member, Kai Dumbleton, in the final after Dumbleton shut out second-seeded Lewis Matthews (NSW) in their semi-final.

Day two action was just as fierce in the girls' divisions.

In U19 girls Madison Lyon (QLD) was pushed all the way in her semi-final against Maggie Goodman (NSW).

Top seed Lyon had the crisper finishing when it counted most in the first two games (13-11,12-10) and rallied after a run of unforced errors to clinch the third game 13-11 and a place in the final. She’ll face WA's Erin Classen, who played some tremendous angles to snuff out the challenge of Kurstyn Mather (QLD) 11-6 11-4 11-9 in their semi-final.

Moving to Queensland from Malta is proving a huge success for Lijana Sultana, who played nearly flawless squash to upset second seed Emmy Lamb (NSW) 11-9 11-6 11-7 to reach the U17 girls final and a clash with top seed Amelie Guziak (VIC). Guziak saw off South Australian Katlyn Hall in three games, 11-5 11-2 11-5.

"I played really well, she was a tough opponent but I feel like I kept to my targets. She was really challenging me but it was a good one," said Sultana, who won the Australian Junior Open back in April.

"I moved (from Malta) to join my brother and sister here in Australia and I've been here nine months and I'm really loving it," she said.

Soha Khatri, the top seed in the girls U15, will be South Australia's sole representative in the individual finals, taking on Queensland's Sarbani Maitra. Khatri eased past Madison Nargar (NSW) in straight games in their semi and Maitra was equally ruthless against 3/4 seed Joanne Joseph (VIC).

In the U13 girls, 3/4 seed Emilia Scott (NSW) defeating second seed Claudi Burger (QLD) in straight games to reach Thursday's final where she will face top seed Tina Ma (VIC). Ma did not have it all her own way in her semi-final battle with Queenslander Jasmin Dumbleton, but came out on top 11-6 15-13 11-7.

The semi-finalists in U11 girls reached the championship match in contrasting styles.

No 1 seed Riyo Kawabata (QLD) raced through her clash with fellow Queenslander Abbey Boswell 11-2 11-5 11-7 while 3/4 seed Elizabeth Wang (NSW) found the going much tougher against WA's Teagan Scott.

Wang eventually got over the line 12-14 11-9 11-4 11-9, fighting off two game balls in the second game, and was thrilled to make the final.

"I like winning...I hit it to her backhand and tried to cross-court it to her backhand," said Wang, 9.

Thursday's finals start from 10am at Squashworld, Mirrabooka.

Finals match-ups

U19 boys Oscar Curtis (WA) v Luke Eyles (NSW)

U17 boys William Slade (NSW) v Daniel Marsh (WA)

U15 boys Kasper Cheung (NSW) v Marcus Wang (NSW)

U13 boys Joel Roshan Raj (QLD) v Henry Kross (NSW)

U11 boys Grayson Coleman (QLD) v Kai Dumbleton (QLD)

U19 girls Madison Lyon (QLD) v Erin Classen (WA)

U17 girls Amelie Guziak (VIC) v L Sultana (QLD)

U15 girls  Soha Khatri (SA) v Sarbani Maitra (QLD)

U13 girls Tina Ma (VIC) v Emilia Scott (NSW)

U11 girls Riyo Kawabata (QLD) v Elizabeth Wang (NSW)

See the full schedule and follow the results HERE 

Tune in live via Cluch.TV