Shorbagy still the Champ, Sherbini is the youngest ever

[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt [2] Ivan Yuen (Mas) 11/9, 12/10, 11/2 (36m)

Nour El Sherbini (Egy) bt [4] Nour El Tayeb (Egy) 5/11, 11/7, 11/6, 11/5 (31m)

Shorbagy still the Champ

Mohamed El Shorbagy is still the world junior champion. The Egyptian world #17 beat Ivan Yuen in straight games, fending off a strong challenge from the Malaysian second seed before storming through the third game to retain the title he won in Zurich last year.

Sherbini is the youngest ever

An Egyptian double was guaranteed with an all-Egypt girls' final, and history was made when Nour El Sherbini came from a game down to beat compatriot Nour El Tayeb, becoming the youngest junior girls' world champion, beating Nicol's record by well over two years ..

Fram chats to the Defending Champion

After winning the title last year in Zurich, Egypt's Mohamed El Shorbagy has risen to world number 17, and after the decision to hold the event annually, has an unexpected opportunity to defend the title ... Framboise talks to the defending champion with a week to go ...

Mohamed, just tell me how you feel right now…

I’m fine Fram, and everything is fine. I’m just training for the World Juniors, it’s so soon now, I’m going to Chennai this Saturday and hopefully, I can do well and win.

Would you have ever thought you would defend a World Title?

To be honest, I didn’t expect myself to be defending a title as big as the World Juniors… I have been lucky throughout my career... and this time around I am too.

It’s the first time they are having the individuals every year, so I’m lucky to be playing it. I put in a lot of hard work and effort last year for the WJ, and I guess even more this year, because defending a title takes much more effort. The pressure will be all on me, everyone wants to win this title so badly so it’s going to be very tough.

There are pros and cons being the top seed, but I have learnt a lot about how to deal with pressure over the years and hopefully I can perform well.

Inshallah, Mohamed. But would you like to change anything in your game?

No, I don’t think so. My game has worked for me till now and I don’t think I would change anything in particular. I’m 18, I still have a a lot more to learn about the game, and I’m learning something new everyday.

And anything you like in particular in your game?

Over the years with Jonah, I’ve learnt to adapt to different styles of games, and at the senior level you have to be able to adapt to any game… and I have worked a lot about it with Jonah… I change my game when necessary so I think that’s what's good in my game.

Your best squash memory?

Of course, the WJ last year!!! It’s always been a dream and this title will always be very special to me. I still remember when I won and my mum came on court and hugged me and cried. That was the most emotional moment I had in my life.

And I was so happy to have my father and my mum supporting me there and sharing that moment with me. They did a lot for me and they are still doing a lot for me in my life, and without them I wouldn’t have done anything of what I have done.

Your parents are special, aren’t they…

I remember last year in Switzerland, I was so nervous and I called my dad and my mum, and told them “I am so nervous, I need you to be with me”. The day after, they flew all the way from Dubai to Switzerland for me, the minute they knew that, once again, I needed them to support me. Without them with me last year, I wasn’t going to win the tournament.

What do you expect from this tournament, Mohamed?

This title means a lot to me, and I’m going to do everything I need to win this title. Last year during the finals I went on court and Aamir Atlas had more pressure than me. This year, it’s going to be the other way around, I’m the one who’ll have the whole pressure of the tournament…

It’s going to be big if I can defend my title this year. But you know what? I’m just going to let my racquet do the talking…

Full article with more quotes and photos

Pallikal & El Shorbagy Top Seeds

India's Dipika Pallikal and Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy have been named as top seeds for next month's World Junior Squash Championships, the World Squash Federation event which has attracted players from 28 nations to the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai, India, from 29 July to 2 August.

Born and raised in Chennai, Dipika Pallikal is seeded to become India's first ever world squash champion. Already ranked inside the women's world's top 50, 17-year-old Pallikal has established a significant junior career, winning the British Junior U17 Open title in 2008 and reaching the final in both the British Junior U19 Open and Asian Junior Championship earlier this year.

Pallikal is expected to meet Egypt's No2 seed Heba El Torky in the women's final. Winner of British Junior Open titles at U13, U15 and U17, the 18-year-old from Alexandria has also already notched up two WISPA World Tour titles, at last year's China Open and Pakistan Open.

Heba's younger sister Nouran El Torky is also amongst the event's top seeds: The 16-year-old, seeded five, is one of six Egyptians named in the top 16 seeds – including the youngest, 13-year-old Nour El Sherbini, also from Alexandria.

Whilst the women's individual event will precede the Women's World Junior Team Championships – the biennial event which is held in alternate years to the men's junior team championships – this year sees the staging of the first annual men's individual world championship. Responding to feedback from Member National Federations, the WSF plans to run men's and women's individual world junior championships annually from this year, staged alongside the biennial team championship.

Title-holder El Shorbagy has the chance to become only the second player in history to win the men's crown twice. The 18-year-old favourite from Alexandria has already enjoyed a meteoric run in the sport - and boasts a senior world top 20 ranking following notable success on the PSA World Tour which has included final berths in the recent Spanish Open and Irish Open and a quarter-final finish in last year's World Open in his maiden appearance in the sport's premier championship.

El Shorbagy's predicted final opponent is Malaysian Ivan Yuen. Winner of the recent Asian Junior Championship title, also in Chennai, the second seed from Selangor made his debut in the world's top 100 in May.