Bryant and Haworth top English Junior Championships draws

The draws for the 2024 English Junior Championships (EJC), which takes place in London from 9-11 February, have been released, with 2023 British Junior champions Jonah Bryant and Amelie Haworth headlining the boys and girls under 19 categories respectively.

Seven-time EJC champion Bryant (Sussex) will be looking to retain his BU19 crown and is seeded to face [3/4] Yusuf Sheikh (Essex) in the semis, before a potential final showdown with [2] Abd-Allah Eissa (Warks).

Also fighting for national glory are current England No.1 Bailey Malik and twin brother Heston Malik (Sussex), plus four-time EJC champion [5/8] Alex Broadbridge (Hants).

In the women’s GU19 draw, four-time EJC winner [1] Amelie Haworth (Hants) will be looking to better her third-place play-off finish last year.

Haworth, who made her PSA Challenger Tour debut this season, is seeded to meet [2] Mariam Eissa (Warks) in a repeat of October’s GU19 British Junior Championships (BJC) final in which Haworth triumphed. Standing in Haworth’s way is December’s Pontefract Gold champion [3/4] Olivia Owens (Worcs).

Also vying for a shot at the title is current England No.1 [3/4] Meha Shah (Warks) and current Chichester Silver champion [5/8] Megan Light (Hants).

Current BU15 winner Ismail Khalil (Warks) is the BU17 top seed and is expected to meet England no.1 [2] Ronnie Hickling (Surrey) in the final. Hot on their heels and looking to mount an upset are Pontefract Gold champion [3/4] Chester Dockray (Yorks) and [3/4] Harry Bloomfield (Glos).

Reigning British GU17 champion Emily Coulcher-Porter (Oxon) tops the GU17 draw and is scheduled for a semi-final clash with [3/4] Reka Kemecsei (Sussex) – the 2023 British GU15 champion. Coulcher-Porter, the current England No.1, faces a potential final showdown with second seed Elizabeth Dicker (Hants), who will first have to navigate past England No.2 [3/4] Emma Logan (Suffolk).

BU15 top seed George Griffiths (Hants) is predicted to go one better than his 2023 runner-up position. Griffiths, who reached the last eight at January’s British Junior Open, looks set to meet [2] Gabriel Chak (Surrey) in the final, who is in good form after clinching the BU15 title in December’s Pontefract Gold and finishing runner-up in October’s British Junior Championships.

In the GU15 draw, current England no.2 and Pontefract Gold champion [1] Harriet Broadbridge (Hants) is set to face off against England no.1 [3/4] Fearne Copley (Yorks) in the semis, with the winner predicted to meet second seed Ameerah Ismail (Warks) in the final.

[1] Oscar Brown (Leics) – the 2023 EJC BU11 runner-up – is predicted to contest the BU13 title against Pontefract Gold champion [2] Alexander Koa-Wing (Middx). Brown, the current England no.1 faces a semi-final clash against [3/4] Joshua Fillmore (Cambs), whilst Koa-Wing could meet England no.2 [3/4] Euan Thomson (Surrey).

Top seed Esther Chak (Surrey) and [2] Nadiya Ismail (Warks) are expected to lock horns in the GU13 final. Standing in their way for a place in the final showpiece are 3/4 seeds Bella Gokani (Leics) – the current England no.1 - and Sophie Harding (Essex), respectively.

Current British GU11 champion [1] Siona Mishra (Warks) is in prime position to lift the EJC GU11 title. The England no.1 is scheduled for a last four encounter with Chichester Silver champion [3/4] Olivia Holbrook (Hants) before a potential final clash with Pontefract Gold runner-up [2] Freya Hennings (Surrey).

BU11 top seed Ben Lamond (Dorset) is seeded to meet [3/4] James Barker (Yorks) in the semis before a potential final match-up with England no.1 [2] Logan Willstrop (Yorks) - in what could be a repeat of the high quality 2023 BJC BU11 final in which Lamond prevailed.

Meanwhile, in the Mixed Under 9s, Warwickshire’s [1] Naishe Matamisa, who lifted the British U9 title in October, is scheduled for a final showdown with Middlesex’s [2] Gabriel Cannistraci, the current England No.1 and Pontefract Gold champion.

The championships start on Friday 9 February across five London venues – Cumberland LTC, Coolhurst Tennis and Squash Club, Southgate Squash & Racketball Club, Oakleigh Park LTSC and Finchley Manor LTSC.

View the draws on the official tournament website at englandsquash.com/ejc

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