Egypt, India, Pakistan, England in semis

Egypt will take on India in the semi-finals of the WSF Men’s World Junior Team Championships after both prevailed over their opponents in the last 8 stage yesterday. Top seeds Egypt whipped Canada 3-0 in their best-of-three clash, while India had to overcome a tough fight from Hong Kong before winning 2-1. The other semi-finals will be played between Pakistan and England. Yesterday, Pakistan thrashed Japan 2-0, while England blanked the USA 3-0. Defending champions Egypt were first up on the glass court, and the top seeds wasted no time in seeing off Canada, with 3-0 wins from Mazen Hesham and double individual champion Marwan El Shorbagy. For Canada Zac Leman and Tyler Olsen both improved as their match progressed, but neither were quite able to snatch a game despite coming close in the third. On the inside courts fourth seeds India took on Asian neighbours Hong Kong, seeded five. If the seedings promised a close match they duly delivered, with Hong Kong taking the lead and India levelling with two three-game wins, leaving it to Kush Kumar to put India through as he won 12/10 in the fourth to the noisy delight of the Indian contingent. “We were certainly taken to the wire,” said Indian coach Cyrus Poncha. “We knew Hong Kong were a very strong team, and we were ready for it. Our line-up today was a tactical decision. “Our first match, Vrishab was not able to hold his nerves and match his opponent’s consistency. In the second one, Mahesh showed that he was a superior player and showed his class, with his great volleying and aggressive drives. “Kush played a reasonable game in the first round of the individuals, but lost, and went on to win the Plate event. A few weeks ago, he also became Asian Junior Champion U-17, and in about a month he’s played something like 10 matches, so he’s got a great experience and confidence that comes with it.” “He is a player that sometimes doesn’t play enough volleys and drop shots, we are working a lot on that, as I’m working closely with him, and today, he surely did a lot of them!!!!” The second quarter-final on the glass court was as comprehensive as the first as second seeds Pakistan brushed aside surprise package Japan in well under an hour. Pakistan have been playing the team event without their top player Danish Atlas Khan, who reached the semi-finals of the individual event but has now departed, injured, and a replacement brought in at the bottom of their order. QUARTER-FINALS EGYPT 3-0 CANADA Mazen Hisham 3-0 Zac Leman 11/2, 11/3, 11/8 (21m) Marwan El Shorbagy 3-0 Tyler Olsen 11/3, 11/6, 11/9 (26m) Fares Dessouki 2-0 Tyler Lee 11/8, 11/8 INDIA 2-1 HONG KONG Vrishab Koitan 0-3 Yip Tsz Fung 8/11, 4/11, 9/11 (38m) Mahesh Mangaonkar 3-0 Cheuk Yan Tank 11/4, 11/4, 11/2 (28m) Kush Kumar 3-1 Yeung Ho Wai 11/9, 11/7, 3/11, 12/10 (61m) PAKISTAN 2-0 JAPAN Syed Bukhari 3-0 Tomotaka Endo 11/5, 11/6, 11/4 (28m) Nasir Iqbal 3-0 Taiki Kaido 11/3, 11/5, 11/1 (18m) ENGLAND 3-0 USA Richie Fallows 3-1 Edward Columbia 11/2, 7/11, 11/7, 11/5 (46m) Tom Ford 3-0 Dylan Murray 11/1, 11/7, 11/4 (30m) Matt Sidaway 2-0 Devin McLaughlin 11/9, 11/5 (18m) Today’s Schedule Semifinals: India vs Egypt 2.30pm Pakistan vs England 6pm from gulf times.