DEFENDING champion Alex Arjoon and women’s world number 26, Nicolette Fernandes were expected to lead the way as battle in the men’s singles quarter- finals of the Digicel Senior National Squash Championships continued last night at the courts of the Georgetown Club, Camp Street.

Already poised in the semi- finals of the women’s singles, Fernandes took up the challenge of vying for the men’s title as well, advancing into the quarter- finals after reaping a clinical 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 win over Ian Mekdeci, when matches continued on Thursday night.
Recently achieving her lowest world ranking to date, Fernandes just may stand to repeat her 2010 feat of claiming both the men’s and women’s singles title.
Fernandes was last evening set to come up against Steven Xavier, a GSA press release said. Arjoon took down Brian Young 11-2,11-0,11-1, on Thursday, to set up a match with Raphael De Groot. De Groot cleared his way into last night’s quarter finals after taking down Deje Dias in a comfortable 11-7, 11-7,11-4 win.
It was expected to be a battle of experience over youth as former national champion Regan Pollard took on current Caribbean boys under 17 champion, Nyron Joseph,  Jason Ray Khalil and former Caribbean champion Ben Mekdeci, rounded out the last two players to make it into the quarter finals.
Ray Khalil soared into the quarter finals after an easy 11-2,11-1,11-3 win over  Jo Mekdeci, while Pollard sent Nicholas Narain to all corners of the court before winning 11-7, 11-4, 11-6.
Mekdeci took out Adam Alves 11-6,11-5,11-5, Joseph defeated Dennis Dias 11-6,11-5,11-4, and Xavier came out of the round of sixteen after he over came Alan Downes 11-3,11-8,11-6.
In other matches on Thursday night, Ashley Khalil claimed the first win in the women’s quarter finals competition. Khalil had a comfortable straight sets win over Kathy Ten-Pow 11-3,11-7,11-0, while last year’s Caribbean girl’s under 19 finalist  Ahsley De Groot got the better of Victoria Arjoon after a hard fought match. De Groot lost the first game at 7 but then stormed back to take the other three games 11-6,11-3,11-2.
In the last ladies match up of the evening four time Caribbean champion Mary Fung A Fat was extended to four game but defeated Akeila Wiltshire 11-7,11-3,9-11,11-4.