After accounting for Togo’s Sedik Tchagole and Abdou Razaq Sofianu (11-3, 11-7, 11-6), they caused the biggest upset of the day; they overcame Egypt’s Ahmed El-Borhamy and Abdelrahman Dendan, the top seeds, in a tense full distance five games encounter (11-5, 11-9, 3-11, 5-11, 11-8).

Success for Youssef Abid and Khalil Sta; there was also success for their colleagues, Aboubaker Bourass and Youssef Ben Attia, the no.2 seeds; they booked their quarter-final place courtesy of success in opposition to Ghana’s Theophilus Okyere and Collins Nana Damoah (11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8).

Mixed fortunes for the top two seeded pairs in the junior boys’ doubles event; in the counterpart junior girls’ doubles and junior mixed doubles competitions there were no such travails for the most prominent partnerships, as quarter-final places were reserved.

Moreover, it was further good news for Tunisia; notably in both events the continent’s most northerly country provided the top seeded partnerships. Fadwa Garci and Samir Hichri duly responded; in the junior girls’ doubles they opened their account with victory in opposition to the host nation’s Matilda Fodu and Augustina Baidoo (13-11, 11-4, 11-8).

Similarly in the mixed doubles, Aboubaker Bourass and Fadwa Garci reserved their last eight place by ousting Egypt’s Gawad El-Herazy and Shahid Sameh (9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-9).

Impressive from the top seeds, it was the same from the second seeds. Nandeshwaree Jalim and Oumehani Hosenally of Mauritius beat Angola’s Celeste Fereira and Kailane Sousa (11-6, 11-3, 11-2) to reserve their junior girls’ doubles quarter-final place; in the junior mixed doubles, Egypt’s Abdelrahman Dendan and Hend Fathy duly advanced, they accounted for Nigeria’s Azeez Solamke and Rofiat Jimoh (11-5, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5).

Play in Accra concludes on Saturday 13th April.

2019 African Youth, Junior and Cadet Championships: Newsletter No.6 (Thursday 11th April)