Malaysia’s women’s squash team staged a stunning upset over second seeds Hong Kong in Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, winning 2-0 to reach the World Squash Junior Team Championships final for the first time since 2023 and set up a showdown with defending champions Egypt.
Expectations pointed elsewhere when the fourth-seeded Malaysian squad stepped onto the courts at White Oaks Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The team, featuring Doyce Lee, Whitney Isabelle Wilson, V. Haneesha, and Harleein Tan, carried a target modest by historical standards. National coach Nafiizwan Adnan admitted they set a target for the girls to finish top four, only to watch his players shatter those projections in a dramatic semi-final clash.
Doyce Lee and Whitney Wilson Deliver Decisive Semi-Final Victories
The semi-final showdown unfolded under the tournament’s 3-1-2 string order, delivering high-intensity drama from the opening rally. Doyce Ye San Lee drew Hong Kong’s Tsz Ching Cheung in a grueling five-game battle that tested the physical and mental limits of both competitors. Each player held five match balls before Lee eventually prevailed 10-12, 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 21-19 in a contest lasting 63 minutes.
Lee added, Without them I couldn’t do it, and without the team back in Malaysia, I couldn’t do it.
With the opening point secured, Whitney Isabelle Wilson faced Hong Kong’s top string, Helen Tang. Although the matchup appeared balanced on paper, Wilson delivered a commanding performance, locking down a 14-12, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 victory that sealed the tie for Malaysia.
Championship History and the Final Hurdle Against Egypt
The victory returns Malaysia to the tournament’s ultimate round for the first time since 2023 in Melbourne, where they finished as runners-up to Egypt. Malaysia has never claimed the team title, holding five silver medals in tournament history. Standing in their way are 12-time winners and defending champions Egypt, who advanced to their 13th consecutive final appearance by defeating the United States 2-0.
Egyptian dominance was on full display as Barb Sameh defeated Lily Bourell before Ruqayya Salem clinched the semi-final win in straight games against Diya Yadav. Coach Adnan noted that while his squad exceeded expectations by reaching the medal round, anything is possible in the final against the tournament favorites.
Mixed Fortunes Across the Malaysian and International Draws
While the women’s squad celebrated a milestone, the Malaysian boys’ team encountered a roadblock in the quarter-finals. The lineup of Altamis Aqhar Sallam Sufian, Ivan Chang Jia Yu, M. Nickhileswar, and Aqil Mirza Naim Khairil Fariz lost 0-2 to France. Nickhileswar fell in straight games to Amir Khaled-Jousselin, while Altamis dropped a four-game battle to Theo Baudry. The boys’ side subsequently rebounded by defeating Pakistan in a classification match, setting up a playoff for fifth place against England.
In the international men’s draw, the United States booked a spot in the final against Egypt after overcoming India 2-0. Seventeen-year-old Brendan Tagliarini sparked the American comeback from a 2-1 deficit against Gurveer Singh on his birthday, thanking his coach Nicky T
[Nick Taylor] for pushing him through the grueling five-game encounter.
