A couple of Bermuda’s promising squash players are showcasing their blossoming talents at overseas tournaments.

Ben Sherratt and James Bigley competed at the Canadian Junior Open, which concluded on Tuesday in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Mason Smith leaves Bermuda on Thursday for the United States Junior Open Squash Championship, taking place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Saturday to next Tuesday.

Playing in the boys under-13 competition in Ontario, Sherratt reached the round of 32. He received a bye in the round of 64, before he engaged in a four-game battle with Cayton Zichen Liu for a spot in the last 16.

Liu took the first game 13-11 prior to Sherratt fighting back to win the second 11-6. However, his opponent did not allow him to complete a fightback, clinching the next two games 11-2, 11-5.

Bigley was eliminated from the round of 64 in the boys under-15 event. He was bested 3-0 by Jose Ricardo Perez.

Mason’s father, Stephen Smith, who is accompanying his 12-year-old son on the trip, declared the up-and-coming star ready for the biggest test so far in his blossoming career.

Featuring more than 900 players from a number of countries, the US Junior Open is the world’s largest individual junior tournament and is considered the third most coveted title after the World Junior and British Junior Open.

“He is looking forward to the new competition,” Stephen said.

“He has been training a lot with Micah Franklin and I have been doing some training in the evenings with him as well.”

Franklin, the head of squash at the Bermuda Squash Association, commended the players for entering the prestigious tournaments.

“I’m super proud of all the players who go to the Canadian Junior Open and the US Junior Open to display their talents on the worldwide stage,” he said.

“Coming from such a small island, it’s a real honour to be able to go to such prestigious events. We look at results a little bit differently from the Caribbean and look at victories, smaller-margin victories over maybe goals of some children to win the whole event.

“Any wins at these major events are pros to me or just good performances. Hopefully, a lot of the children use these events and exposure then they come back to Bermuda and they improve their skills.”