Ali Khalil shone brightest for Team England at the 2025 British Junior Open in his home town of Birmingham as he won the silver medal in the boys' U15 age category.
Khalil faced USA's Vivaan Mehta in the final at University of Birmingham Sport and Fitness and the match was a tremendous, undulating contest. The Englishman recovered from losing a lengthy first game to take a 2/1 lead. However, Mehta pegged him back to parity and then held his nerve in the deciding game to secure a 15-13, 4-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4 victory.
The result mirrored the pair's recent semi-final at the US Junior Open in Philadelphia just before Christmas which also went to five with California native Mehta also winning on that occasion.
Khalil, 14, lives and trains at West Warwickshire Sports Complex just a few miles from the venue for the BJO - the prestigious platinum competition which brought 777 entries from all over the world to England's Second City.
Khalil, who was promoted to top seed for the tournament after the withdrawal of USA's Carlton Capella, had three game balls against him in the first game but saved them all. The tiebreak went deep but two tins by the local boy saw the game slip away 15-13.
The top seed hit back and established a rapid 6-1 lead in the second game. Although that was reduced to 6-4, a run of errors by the American saw Khalil level up at one game all.
The third was scrappier with shorter rallies and the score soon reached 9-9. Mehta produced a perfect-length backhand to seize game ball, but Khalil saved it courtesy of a stroke. He then profited from a no let decision and a Mehta volley into the tin to take a 2/1 lead.
The fourth was also tight right up to the business end, whereupon Mehta produced some intricate, deceptive wrist work at the front of the court to rattle off the last four points and take the match into a decider.
Unfortunately, the fifth quickly slipped from Khalil's grasp as Mehta led 5-1 then extended that advantage with a Khalil drop shot that the referee insisted clip the tin, then a disputed stroke decision. A Mehta forehand volley kill set up match point which he took at the first time of asking to spark wild American celebrations.