Semi-Finals Set For Excitement at Aon NZJO 

All but one of the top seeds have progressed through to the Semi-Finals of the Aon New Zealand Junior Open at the Cambridge Racquets Club and Leamington Squash Club.

The first quarter final of the Boys Open was between Matthew Lucente and Lwamba Chileshe. There was some harding hitting and great placement from both players and whilst they went game for game in the first two it was Lucente who maintained the consistency in the third and fourth and managed to claim the match in four. Finn Trimble showed good strength against Nicholas Calvert earlier in the week in the Trans-Tasman test series and came out with the same determination in this match claiming his win in 3. Quinn Udy and Caleb Johnson had a mammoth battle the previous weekend at the Oceania Junior Championships with Udy sneaking across the line in five but this time he came out firing and managed to take the win in four. The final round of the quarter finals was between Gabe Yam and Lachlan Coxsedge. Coxsedge and Yam had some great rallies and whilst there were moments that they both sneaked in front it was Yam who managed to keep the calm and get across the line in four.

The first quarter final of the Girls Open was between Kaitlyn Watts and Camden Te Kani-McQueen. Te Kani-McQueen showed good strength and power in her fist game against Watts and took the early lead but Watts came out in the second and third and asserted her dominance. Both players fought hard in the fourth but it was Watts that claimed the first spot in the semi-finals taking her win in 4. Next up was Ellie Jones and Nadia Hubbard and whilst both girls had a massive five setter the weekend before at the Oceania Junior Championships. The lower seeded Jones was not going to let that happen again today and she took her win in 3 over the higher seeded Hubbard. Anika Jackson and Courtney Trail both fought hard in their match but Jacksons deception proved to be too much at times for Trail and whilst Trail was able to claw it back in the third she was not able to convert and Jackson took her win in 3. The last semi-final was between Anna Hughes and Rhiarne Taiapa. Hughes showed great placement of the ball and shot selection making Taiapa work hard on the court and whilst Taiapa showed great determination it was not enough and she went down in 3.

The semi-finals kick off at 8pm. Keep checking back to iSquash here for full game scores of all divisions.

Previous stories here 

• Semi-Finals Set For Excitement at Aon NZJO
• Quarter Finalists of Aon NZJO Decided
• Faint and Hudson cause upsets in Round 1 of Aon NZJO
• Aon New Zealand Junior Open Draws Over 190 Players to Waikato

Boys Open Quarter Finals

(1) Matthew Lucente bt (5/8) Lwamba Chileshe - 11/8, 6/11, 11/7, 11/7
(3/4) Finn Trimble bt (5/8) Nicholas Calvert – 11/5, 11/7, 11/1
(3/4) Mr Quinn R. Udy bt (5/8) Caleb Johnson – 11/13, 11/7, 11/5, 11/5
(2) Gabe Yam bt (5/8) Lachlan Coxsedge – 8/11, 11/6, 11/7, 11/9

Girls Open Quarter Finals

(1) Kaitlyn Watts bt (5/8) Ms Camden A. Te Kani-McQueen - 7/11, 11/4, 11/4, 11/8
(5/8) Ellie Jones bt Ms (3/4) Nadia Hubbard - 11/9, 11/5, 11/5
(3/4) Anika Jackson bt (5/8) Ms Courtney Trail - 11/6, 11/5, 12/10
(2) Ms Anna Hughes bt (5/8) Rhiarne Taiapa – 11/5, 11/7, 11/5

Boys Open Quarter Finals

(1) Matthew Lucente vs (3/4) Finn Trimble
(3/4) Mr Quinn R. Udy vs (2) Gabe Yam

Girls Open Semi Finals

(1) Kaitlyn Watts vs (5/8) Ellie Jones
(3/4) Anika Jackson vs (2) Ms Anna Hughes