WSF World Junior Championships: England back in world top four in Poland

After failing to make the top four since 2005, England are back in the semi-finals of the WSF Women’s World Junior Team Championship after securing a 2/0 win over Malaysia in the quarter-finals of the biennial World Squash Federation event at the Hasta La Vista Club in the historic city of Wroclaw in Poland.

Squad number one Victoria Temple Murray put the third seeds into the lead with an 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 win over 17-year-old Malaysian Vanessa Raj before Lily Taylor sealed victory after beating Celine Yeap 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5.

England will now face USA for a place in the final for the first time since winning the title for a fifth time in 2001.

Second seeds USA, bidding to reach the final for the second time in a row, defeated New Zealand, the No8 seeds, 3/0.

The other semi will see favourites Egypt line up against fourth seeds Hong Kong China. Egypt, bidding to become the first nation to win the trophy four times in a row, despatched Canada 3/0 while Hong Kong overcame India by the same margin.

Semi-final line-up:[1] Egypt v [4] Hong Kong China[2] USA v [3] England

5th – 8th place play-offs:[6] India v [7] Canada[5] Malaysia v [8] New Zealand

9th – 12th place play-offs:[9] Australia v [11] Japan[10] France v [12] Colombia

13th – 16th place play-offs:[13/16] Czech Republic v [13/16] Germany[13/16] Poland v [13/16] South Africa