Dipika enters semis in World Junior Squash

Indian ace Dipika Pallikal is on course for her maiden World Junior Squash Championship title as she stormed into the semi-finals after defeating Kanzy El Dafrawy of Egypt in Cologne, Germany.

In the quarter-finals last night, second seed Dipika, ranked 40 in WISPA, dropped the first game before winning the next three to beat Kanzy El Dafrawy of Egypt 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 12-10 in 50 minutes.

Dipika now lines up against Egypt's fourth seed Nour El Tayeb in the last-four stage in a repeat of last year's match at the same stage of the competition. At that time, El Tayeb had upset Dipika in Chennai to reach the final.

Dipika now remained the only Indian left in the competition after eight seed Anaka Alankamony lost her quarterfinal match against Amanda Sobhy of USA 10-12, 4-11, 6-11 in just 22 minutes.

In other quarterfinal matches, top seed Nour El Sherbini of Egypt beat compatriot Nouran El Torky 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 in 41 minutes, while fourth seed Tayeb routed USA's Olivia Blatchford 11-1 11-6 11-7 in 29 minutes.