Team USA has embarked on its journey to the other side of the globe to compete in the 2017 World Junior Championships, July 19-29, at the Devoy Squash & Fitness Center in Tauranga, the fifth largest city in New Zealand.
The 2017 edition of the world juniors features the biennial Women’s World Junior Team Championship and annual Men’s and Women’s World Junior Individual Championships.
After selecting the squad this spring, Team USA has congregated for three national squad training sessions to prepare for the world’s best in New Zealand. The junior women’s team will aim to build on three consecutive second place team finishes in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
“The team has worked hard and have gotten progressively stronger with each camp,” said Scott Devoy, U.S. Junior Women’s Head Coach. “Everyone is excited for the tournament to start and we are confident of another strong showing. The girls have pushed each other and while being teammates, continue to challenge each other and make each player better. They have really come together as a team and will bring the best out in each other as we get into the tournament.”
The individual championships lead off the world juniors, July 19-24, with individual performances determining the ensuing junior women’s team pool assignments and seeding.
U.S. junior champions and returning world juniors veterans Andrew Douglas and Marina Stefanoni are the only Americans seeded in the individual draws.
Douglas, who ends his junior career in New Zealand, enters the draw as a 5/8 seed in the top half of the draw, and is predicted to clash with Egyptian top seed Youssef Ibrahim in the quarterfinals. View the entire junior men’s individual draw here.
Fourteen-year-old Stefanoni is seeded 13/16, and predicted to face Egyptian 3/4 seed Nada Abbas in the round of sixteen. View the entire junior women’s individual draw here.
Following the opening ceremony on Tuesday, July 18, the first round of individual play commences on Wednesday July 19.
“As a team, we can’t get these things done without the support of US Squash, especially Rich Wade,” Devoy added. “Thanks to all the parents for the great support before the event and for those making the trip too!”
Tauranga local time is U.S. Eastern Time + sixteen hours. For more information and tournament coverage, visit www.wsfworldjuniors.com.
