Six Aussies amongst AJO finalists

Six Australians will feature in the finals of the Australian Junior Open, including two athletes who took vastly different paths to the prestigious Under 19 deciders.

Madison Lyon continued her strong run of form to ensure she remains on track to defend her title, while Thomas Scott was on court for almost an hour in a career-defining performance.

UNDER 19

The last match of day three at the Australian Open was one of the most enthralling as New South Welshman Thomas Scott booked his place in the Boys Under 19 final.

Second seed Freddie Jameson (NZL) looked to be well on his way to victory when leading 2-0, however Scott stuck to his game plan and gradually worked his way back into the match. After taking the third, the Australian trailed 6-8 in the fourth and was just three points from elimination. Fast forward five minutes and five straight points, and the match was locked at 2-2.

In the fifth, Scott again kept calm and composed, forcing Jameson into errors which ultimately saw him run away with a five game win.

“Last year I got knocked out in the quarters on the glass [court], so to be able to stick it out two-down on the glass to be in the final is pretty cool,” said Scott. “It’s going to be tough tomorrow, but we both had five-setters so we’ll see.”

Scott paid credit to coach Jenny Duncalf who helped him remain calm when down midway through the match, enabling to stick to his strengths which eventually shone through.

“To be honest, that’s all my coach,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever come down from 2-0 before. It was all about the focus; I tend to be erratic sometimes, so just trying to not panic.

“I didn’t think about the finish until 10-3 when I went for a stupid cross-court shot and then I was back onto it again.”

Jameson and Scott were made to made to get on court behind the longest match of the tournament which saw Malaysian 5/8 seed Wong Lee Hong defeat top seed Oliver Dunbar (NZL) in 60 minutes.

Neither player had dropped a game in the tournament but that all changed after 25 minutes when the pair were locked at 1-1. Hong took the third game, and with the fourth in the balance, Dunbar won the last five points to send the match to a fifth. 

The top seed went up 4-1 early, but the Malaysian roared back to lead 6-4. Hong kept the upper hand, however when Dunbar saved to match balls, the result was still in the balance. A conduct stroke set up a third match ball and when Hong took advantage he assured himself a place in the tournament decider.

The Girls Under 19 semi-finals were far more straightforward fixtures with the top two seeds proceeding to the final.

Defending champion Madison Lyon (QLD) still hasn’t dropped a game after taking down New Zealand’s Sophie Hodges 3-0. Similarly, Hodges’ compatriot Ella Lash has a perfect record coming into tomorrow’s final, conceding just nine points against Lijana Sultana (MLT), the fewest she has lost in any match this week.

UNDER 17

After ousting the top seed yesterday, Malaysia’s Xin Yii Lee took down another higher-ranked opponent to move into the Girls Under 17 final. The 5/8 seed found herself at a game-apiece with New Zealand’s 3/4 seed Aria Bannister, but was able to take command from midway through the match, dropping just nine more points to advance to tomorrow’s final. There she will meet second seed Mehwish Ali (PAK) who has still not dropped a game this tournament following her victory over New Zealand’s Victoria Moran.

In the first of the Under 17 Boys semi-finals, top seed Brodie Bennett (NZL) didn’t have it all his own way against Stanley Chung. The New South Welshman took the opening game and whilst the Kiwi eventually came out on top, it took 46 minutes to do so including a 24-point fourth game. 

Bennett will meet Pakistan’s 3/4 seed Ibrahim Zeb who also took four games to eliminate Saatindraa T S Mohan Raj (MAS). The second seed was out of the blocks quickly and took the opening game in just over five minutes, however Zeb came back firing after the break and took the second 11-2. Raj led for only one more point for the remainder of the match as Zeb moved into the decider. 

UNDER 15

It will be an all Aussie affair in the Girls Under 15 final after victories today by Tina Ma and Lilly Wilson.

Victoria’s Ma dropped the first game to New Zealand’s Brooke Valois, but brought a greater level of consistency to her game to eventually triumph 3-1. In the second semi, South Australia’s Olivia van Zon twice came back from three-point deficits in the first game to push Wilson all the way, however after the Queenslander took the opener 13-11. After that Wilson never trailed by more than a point in the second and third games on her way to victory.

In the Boys Under 15 semi-finals, top seed Henry Kross (NSW) advanced to the decider after Pakistan’s Azar Ali Khan received a conduct match nearing the end of the third game. Kross will now another Pakistani player in Yahya Khan in Thursday’s final. Khan scored eight points in dropping the opening game to New Zealand’s Vihan Chathury, then only conceded a further eight points over the next three games to score a 3-1 win.

UNDER 13

The top two seeds will play off for both the Boys and Girls Under 13 titles following Wednesday morning’s semi-finals.

Defending girls champion Emily Senior (JPN) put in a more assured performance today in a three-game victory over Elizabeth Wang (NSW). She now faces second seed Mahnoor Ali (PAK) who defeated New Zealand’s Yusra Rashid and has dropped just 16 points over the course of the tournament.

The Boys Under 13 final will also be an international affair.

Top seed Huzaifa Shaid (PAK) won his fourth straight three-game match, dropping just 10 points to China’s Yuanxi Liu. Shaid will now face Malaysia’s Ong Hung Yu who showed composure at 1-1 to win the next two games against Pakistan’s Muhammad Fawad Khan and take his place in the decider.

UNDER 11

Top seeded Indian Aradhana Singh was pushed hard by Queensland’s Abbey Boswell in the first of the Girls Under 11 semis but showed her mettle to win in three games. The second semi was a more dramatic affair between Victoria’s Meriam Ibrahim and Malaysia’s Sashana Istritharan. Ibrahim twice led by a game, only for Istritharan to even up the clash and push the match to five, with the visitor eventually earning passage to the final.

There could hardly be more contrasting semi-final results in the Boys Under 11s.

Malaysia’s Edward Lam moved directly into the final after receiving a walkover, while Victoria’s Aleister Loo came back from a 1-2 deficit to defeat Macau’s second seed Seng Hou Cayden Fong in a high-quality five-game encounter.

The 2024 Australian Junior Open Finals take place on Thursday at Melbourne Sports Centres. Live streaming from the Glass Court will commence at 8:30am AEST.

Click here for all results and draws.

2024 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR OPEN
DAY 4 | THURSDAY 11 APRIL 2024

Girls Finals
U19 [1] Madison Lyon (QLD) v [2] Ella Lash (NZL)
U17 [5/8] Xin Yii Lee (MAS) v [2] Mehwish Ali (PAK)
U15 [1] Tina Ma (VIC) v [2] Lilly Wilson (QLD)
U13 [1] Emily Senior (JPN) v [2] Mahnoor Ali (PAK)
U11 [1] Aradhana Singh (IND) v [2] Sashana Istritharan (MAS)

Boys Finals
U19 [5/8] Wong Lee Hong (MAS) v [3/4] Thomas Scott (NSW)
U17 [1] Brodie Bennett (NZL) v [3/4] Ibrahim Zeb (PAK)
U15 [1] Henry Kross (NSW) v [2] Yahya Khan (PAK)
U13 [1] Huzaifa Shaid (PAK) v [2] Ong Hung Yu (MAS)
U11 [3/4] Edward Lam (MAS) v [3/4] Aleister Loo (VIC)