Fouts Becomes First American World Juniors Medalist in Thirteen Years

Caroline Fouts in the World Junior Individual quarterfinals.

Caroline Fouts reached the semifinals of the WSF World Junior Individual Squash Championships, July 11-17, in Houston, Texas, becoming the first American to medal since Amanda Sobhy in 2011.

The 2024 WSF World Junior Squash Championships opened with the Individual Championships, July 11-17, at the Houston Squash Club. The ensuing World Junior Men’s and Women’s Team Championships  will take place, July 18-23, starting with Pool Play, July 18-20. Follow live streaming and results on ussquash.org/live. For more information and tournament coverage visit wsfworldjuniors.com.

Fouts, world No. 64 and a 2023 World Juniors quarterfinalist, entered the 2024 draw as a 3/4 seed. Fouts recorded four consecutive 3-0 victories to reach the semifinals and fulfill her seeding. Egypt’s world No. 17 and two seed Fayrouz Abouelkheir ended Fouts’ run in the semifinals 11-5, 11-3, 11-4, consigning Fouts to a bronze medal.

Fouts is just the third American to ever medal in the World Junior Individuals following Amanda Sobhy, who won the world title in 2010 and reached the semifinals in 2011, and Alicia McConnell, who won the world title in 1980.

Elsewhere in the Junior Women’s draw, the five seeded Americans all fulfilled their seedings. 5/8 seed Riya Navani completed her third and final World Junior Individuals by making her maiden quarterfinal appearance. Navani won three matches to reach the quarterfinalists where she lost out to two seed Abouelkheir in three games.

Dixon Hill exceeded her 16/32 seeding by reaching the round of sixteen. Hill upset Hong Kong’s 9/16 seed Tsz Ching Cheung in four games before losing out against Egypt’s 3/4 seed Nadien Elhamammy. Alex Jaffe, Charlotte Pastel and Samantha Jaffe all won their opening match with Pastel and Samantha Jaffe fulfilling their 16/32 seeding by reaching the round of thirty-two.

The U.S. Women’s Team, the tournament’s two seeds, will be led by Fouts and Navani, while Pastel and Samantha Jaffe are set for their World Juniors Teams debuts. The U.S. women enter pool play against New Zealand, Japan and Colombia, July 18-21.

The U.S. men produced mixed results. 9/16 seed Zane Patel put together a formidable run to the round of sixteen with three, 3-0 wins to set up a marquee match with the top seed and defending champion Mohamed Zakaria, who won in three games. 16/32 seed Alexander Dartnell won two matches in the main draw to fulfill his seeding and progressed through the back draws to reach a consolation final. 3/4 seed Rishi Srivastava earned two main draw wins to reach the round of thirty-two before bowing out against Egypt’s 16/32 seed Adham Roshdy. Rustin Wiser and Oscar Okonkwo both recorded early round wins before exiting the main draw.

Patel, Srivastava, Wiser and Dartnell will represent Team USA in the Junior Men’s Team competition. The U.S. Men will face France and Ireland in Pool G, July 18-19.