Colette Sultana won two and lost two other matches in the Austrian Junior Open played in Vienna last week. She finished 11th from 22 participants, gaining experience during a preparatory first year of competing in the U-15 category.

Sultana lost the first match to Michaela Malinova, of Slovakia, by the smallest of margins. She won the first two games 11-7, 11-5 but the Slovak tied the match, winning the next two 11-6, 12-10.

The decider was again tied 10-10 with two clear points needed to secure victory. Both players had a number of match points in favour and the honours could have easily gone either way before Malinova clinched it 15-13.

Sultana needed to put that upset behind her and remain focused for her next match against Finland no.1 junior Katarina Baston. And so she did to take the first game 11-4. But Baston came out stronger in the second game and was leading 6-1 before the Maltese junior managed to turn it round to win it 11-6.

Sultana continued to play well to win the final game 11-5.

Her next opponent was Czech Republic's Karoline Holinkova.

Although Sultana started well to win the first game 11-8, Holinkova was better on the day and won the next three games 11-7, 11-9, 11-6.

Sultana finished the tournament strongly though with a convincing win over Klaudia Zorgovska - 11-2, 11-4, 11-8.

The Dutch Junior Open in July will be the next overseas tournament for Sultana and the last one for this European Junior Circuit season.

Sultana is a member of the MOC Centre of Excellence and is receiving support through the MOC Youth Athlete Scheme, Malta Squash and the Marsa Sports Club.

She is sponsored by Wilson and coached by Paul Lake.