Pakistan falter as Egypt reign supreme: British Open Junior Squash
LONDON, Jan 7: Pakistan players will be returning home empty handed having failed to win any title as Egypt clinched six of the eight crowns at the British Open Junior Squash Championships in Sheffield, England.
Pakistan’s hopes rested on promising Danish Atlas Khan in the Under-17 category but he was beaten in the final by his opponent Egypt’s Amr Khaled Khalifa in straight games.
Khalifa scored his first win (11-5, 11-3, 14-12) in the final over the second seed Danish.
It was the 16-year-old from Cairo’s second Sheffield success after winning the Under-15 crown in 2007.
Egypt’s success in dominating the tournament was underpinned with men’s U-19 champion Mohammad El Shorbagy winning his fourth title in a row in the world’s most prestigious junior event. Top seed El Shorbagy, who began his unbeaten run in the event in January 2006, conquered five opponents on his way to the Under-19 final where he faced fifth seed Malaysian Ivan Yuen.
But the UK-based 17-year-old from Alexandria, the reigning world junior champion, needed only 34 minutes to retain his title, beating 18-year-old Yuen 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 to claim the prestigious Drysdale Cup.
The women’s U-19 title returned to Malaysia for the first time since 1999 after top seed Low Wee Wern beat India’s Dipika Pallikal 11-2, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8.
The triumph marks the maiden British Junior Open success for the 18-year-old Asian Junior champion from Penang.The top-seeded Egyptian also prevailed in the women’s event where Nour El Tayeb added the Under-17 title to Under-15 and Under-13 triumphs she achieved in previous visits to Yorkshire .
In one of three all-Egyptian finals, the 15-year-old from Cairo defeated Nouran El Torky 12-10, 11-8, 11-6.
Mahesh Mangaonkar, a third seed, crowned India’s best ever performance in the championships by winning the Under-15 title.
India boasted three finalists for the first time - but Mangaonkar was the only winner as the 14-year-old from Mumbai beat the hosts’ Oliver Holland 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 in 40 minutes.
Egypt grabbed the Under-13 titles with Amr Aboul Souad beating India’s Kush Kumar 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 in the men’s final and favourite Yathreb Adel overcoming compatriot Salma Hani 11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8 in the women’s climax.
Results:
Under-19:
Quarter-finals: Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Kamran Khan (MAS) 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9; Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Waqar Mehboob (PAK) 11-2, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5; Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9; Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Mohammad Shoaib Hassan (PAK) 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6.
Semi-finals: Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-2, 11-8, 7-11, 11-13, 11-8; Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8.
Final:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-8, 11-7, 13-11.
Under-17:
Quarter-finals: Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 11-4, 11-8, 13-11; Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 11-5, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9; Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG)
8-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-4; Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Mohamed El Sherbeny (EGY) 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-4.
Semi-finals: Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2; Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7.
Final: Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-5, 11-3, 14-12.
Under-15:
Quarter-finals: Mazen Gamal (EGY) bt Bilal Zakir (PAK) 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9; Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Osama Khalid Khalifa (EGY) 11-1, 12-10, 11-9; Fares Desouky (EGY) bt Ali Bokhari (PAK) 11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10; Oliver Holland (ENG) bt Ahmad Alsaraj (JOR) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9.
Semi-finals: Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [5/8] Mazen Gamal (EGY) 7-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-4; Oliver Holland (ENG) bt Fares Desouky (EGY) 11-6, 11-8, 4-0 ret.
Final: Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Oliver Holland (ENG) 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10.
Under-13:
Quarter-finals:
Omar El Atmas (EGY) bt [17/32] Bradley Smith (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5; Kush Kumar (IND) bt Daniel Polichuk (ISR) 8-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9; Amr Aboul Souad (EGY) bt Mohamed Hossam El Gawarhy (EGY) 8-11, 11-1, 11-7, 12-10; Abdel Rahman Zaher (EGY) bt Tse Man Ho (HKG) 12-10, 8-11, 13-11, 13-11.
Semi-finals:
Kush Kumar (IND) bt Omar El Atmas (EGY) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7; Amr Aboul Souad (EGY) bt Abdel Rahman Zaher (EGY) 12-10, 11-8, 11-6.
Final: Amr Aboul Souad (EGY) bt Kush Kumar (IND) 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7.—APP