KUALA LUMPUR: Fifth seed Ayesha Rania Syed Kebir defied the odds to win the girls' Under-19 title at the REDtone KL Junior Open at NSC Courts in Jalan Duta today.
Ayesha defeated third seed Keira Hickox of Canada 11-3, 11-3, 12-10 in the final to win her first major junior title.
Keira is the daughter of former national coach Jamie Hickox.
Ayesha, 18, defeated top seed Anrie Goh (quarter-finals) and Australia's Joanne Joseph (semi-finals) en route to the final.
Ayesha, who took up squash when she was nine, said: "It is memorable as I will not be eligible to play in this tournament next year.
"I knew I could win the title after overcoming national player Anrie in the quarter-finals," said Ayesha, who hopes to represent Malaysia at the World and Asia Junior Championships next year.
Results
* All finals
* Malaysian Unless stated
Boys's U-9: Rayyan Zaman (Pak) bt Sai Nideesh 11-3, 11-4, 11-3;
U-11: Ngo San Leung (Hkg) bt Muhammad Saim (Pak) 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6;
U-13: Yuan Xi Liu (Chn) bt Wai Hong Tang (Hkg) 12-10, 11-4, 11-8;
U-15: Tan Jayden bt Toma Ikeda (Jpn) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8;
U-17: Aqil Mirza Naim Khairil Fariz bt Erwin Kros Christopher 11-9, 11-3, 11-4;
U-19: Ryu Jeonguk (Kor) bt Fabian Niklas Seitz (Swi) 13-11, 11-5, 8-11, 15-13.
Girls' U-9: Maya Louis bt Hiu Tung Cheng (Hkg) 11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 11-6;
U-11: Kareena Sashikumar (Sin) bt Keerti Pradhaa Junivar Bala 11-8, 11-5, 11-4;
U-13: Hau Ching Chiu (Hkg) bt Maisarah Khairul Nizam 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8;
U-15: Chew Niea bt Himari Midorikawa (Jpn) 11-6, 13-11, 11-9;
U-17: Helen Tan (Hkg) bt Najwa Zara Fakhrur Razi 11-7, 12-10, 11-4;
U-19: Ayesha Rania Syed Kebir bt Keira Hickox (Can) 11-3, 11-3, 12-10.