El Tayeb & Sobhy Spring Semi Surprises In Cologne

Semi-finals:
[3] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt [1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 12-10, 14-12, 11-9 (38m)
[4] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 15-13, 11-9, 11-9 (40m)

 El Tayeb & Sobhy Spring Semi Surprises In Cologne

 Semi-finals day produced the first upsets in the 2010 Women's World Junior Squash Championship when third seed Amanda Sobhy and fourth seed Nour El Tayeb ousted the top two seeds to reach the final of the World Squash Federation event at the ACR Sportcenter in Cologne, Germany.

 It was the best possible 17th birthday present for Sobhy, the left-hander from the USA who ended the historic world champion reign of Nour El Sherbini by beating the 14-year-old event favourite from Egypt 12-10, 14-12, 11-9.

 El Sherbini, then only 13, won the title last year against expectations to become the sport's youngest world champion in history.

 But New Yorker Sobhy, ranked above her Alexandria-based opponent, battled to her impressive win in 38 minutes - repeating the straight games victory she achieved over El Sherbini in the world team championship that followed last year's historic individual triumph.

 Sobhy, however, has also made her mark in squash history - by becoming the first 16-year-old to win four WISPA World Tour titles. 

 But it will be on her 17th birthday that the world No36 bids to become the first US winner of a world junior squash title.

 Her opponent Nour El Tayeb is marking her second successive appearance in the final - and achieved her success for the second time in a row by beating Dipika Pallikal, the 18-year-old from India who was last year's favourite and the second seed this time.

 The 17-year-old from Cairo needed 40 minutes to overcome Chennai-based Pallikal 15-13, 11-9, 11-9.

 El Tayeb boasts a 3/0 head-to-head lead over her final opponent - but the younger Sobhy currently boasts the higher world ranking:  A sensational climax to the event is no doubt in store.

 Issued by Howard Harding on behalf of the WSF