Rising squash star Kimberley Cauchi finished fourth last weekend at the Polish Junior Open tournament in Warsaw.

Cauchi faced Denisa Rohunova from the Czech Republic in the first round of the under-13 event in Warsaw.

Rohunova, ranked number 14 in Europe, was a tough test for the Maltese youngster. Kim put in a good all-round performance but the experience of Rohunova showed in the end with the Maltese youngster losing in four close games 11-4 / 6-11 / 8-11 / 11-13.

The next two matches for Kim proved to be even tougher. Both Alina Bushma and Nadiya Usenko from the Ukraine were not ranked in Europe before this event, but the two girls marched through the tournament to set up an all Ukrainian girls final, with Usenko claiming her first Polish Junior Open title 11:6, 11:5, 10:12, 9:11, 11:7.

Kim performed well against Bushma and Usenko but lost to both girls 0-3.

Following the group format system Kim faced Denisa Rohunova  from the Czech Republic once again for the third and fourth place play-off match.

The Maltese youngster got off to a good start taking the first game 11-8 but once again the experience of Rohunova, ranked number 14 in Europe, started to show from the middle of the second game. Rohunova changed the pace of the game and altered her tactics slightly unsettling Cauchi who did not have the experience to respond. Rohunova took the match and so third place 8-11, 11-7, 11,5, 11-9.

Thanks went to the Marsa Sports Club and the Marsa Squash Section, without whose support, Kim’s participation in Poland would not have been possible. Kim is a member of the Marsa Squash Section Junior Development Programme and is sponsored by Wilson.