PHOTO ALBUM
Finals
[1] Fayrouz Abouelkheir 3-0 Chan Sin Yuk [3/4] (Hkg) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (31m)Noor Zaman [2] 3-2 [3/4] Kareem El Torkey 5-11, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5 11-6 (69m)
Word Squash report
Fayrouz Aboelkheir’s route to the title was a serene affair.
Going into the match, the top seed was the clear favourite, with the World No.14 ranked 58 places above Chan in the World Rankings and coming out on top the last time the pair played at the 2024 World Championships.
The 19-year-old, who has already won the Squash World Cup and World Junior Team Championships, got off to a rocky start, with World No.72 Chan earning game ball in the opener. The Egyptian held her nerve to save it, though, edging into the lead 12-10.
Aboelkheir and Chan both went on the attack in game two, with Aboelkheir again the victor as she avoided the costly errors that were creeping into Chan’s game to double her advantage 11-9.
In her quarter-final win over Toby Tse and her semi-final win over Aira Azman, Aboelkheir had dropped game three after taking a 2-0 lead. She was clearly in no mood for a repeat, though, and kept up the pressure as Chan wilted to wrap up the 3-0 win and become the first ever player to get their hands on the trophy.
“I’m very happy that finally I can say I’m a world champion,” Aboelkheir revealed afterwards. “That’s a huge, huge word! I’ve been fighting for a world title for the past three years, every time I’ve been getting closer to it. I’m just very happy.
“I’m aiming for more [titles at] world events I think. And definitely, I’m looking forward to the Olympics. I can’t wait: not just to go there, I want to participate and win a medal for Egypt. I really want to win it there.”
As well as the largest shares of the $60,000USD prize pot, the wins for Zaman and Aboelkheir see them qualify for this year’s PSA World Championships.
Day Four – Semis
[1] Fayrouz Abouelkheir3-1 [3/4] Aira Azman (Mas) 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4 (46m)[3/4] Kareem El Torkey 3-1 [1] Ibrahim Elkabbani 7-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 (60m)
WSF report
Kareem El Torkey will go into tomorrow’s final filled with confidence after a brilliant performance against the favourite.
Ibrahim Elkabbani looked to be in control when he took the first game 11-7, only for El Torkey to strike back 11-2 in game two as Elkabbani complained of an issue with his hand.
Game three was far more even, with El Torkey moving into the lead with an 11-8 win against an increasingly frustrated Elkabbani.
The top seed’s temper boiled over in the fourth game, with Elkabbani handed a conduct stroke after one outburst too many. El Torkey took full advantage of his opponent’s lapse in concentration and pulled away to complete the comeback with an 11-5 victory.
Fayrouz Aboelkheir was up against Malaysian opposition in the form of 3/4 seed Azman. The Egyptian went into the match with revenge on her mind, revealing afterwards that she still remembered how Azman had prevented an historic 10th consecutive all-Egyptian World Junior Championship final by beating Aboelkheir in the semi-final in 2023.
Clearly fired up, Aboelkheir made a dominant start to the match, which saw a number of collisions as the pair jockeyed for space.
After Aboelkheir had taken the first two games 11-8, 11-7, Azman briefly threatened a comeback when the Malaysian won game three 11-7. The top seed was in an uncompromising mood, though, and she wrapped up the victory with an 11-4 game four win to earn her spot in the final.
Day Three – Quarters
[1] Fayrouz Abouelkheir 3-1 Tse Yee Lam Toby [5/8] 11-5, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7 (31m)
Xin Ying Yee [5/8] (Mas) 3-2 [2] Malak Khafagy 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (65m)[1] Ibrahim Elkabbani 3-0 Rowan Damming [5/8] (Ned) 11-2, 11-4, 11-8 (53m)
[3/4] Kareem El Torkey 3-0 David Bernet [5/8] (Sui) 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 (43m)
WSF report
Malaysia’s Xin Ying Yee delivered the shock of the tournament so far as the 5/8 seed took down Egytian No.2 seed Malak Khafagy in a fiery quarter-final contest at the U23 World Squash Championships.
In front of a lively crowd, World No.82 Yee went in as clear underdog against World No.31, but belied the 51-place difference in the world rankings with a spirited opening game as she pressed Khafagy hard. Khafagy, 20, was able to edge ahead as she took the opener 11-9, only to be pegged back 8-11 in game two.
Yee kept the momentum in game three, capitalising on mistakes from the frustrated Khafagy to move ahead for the first time with an 11-9 win, before Khafagy dragged herself level with an 11-7 game four win.
In a fractious fifth game, Khafagy and Yee collided frequently as the pair wrestled for control of the court. Yee looked to have secured a famous upset when she earned four match balls at 10-6, only for Khafagy to dig in to save three to move within a point of forcing a tie break.
In a nerve-shredder finale, Khafagy played a loose shot back towards herself, with Yee crashing into her opponent as she charged after the ball. To Yee’s delight and Khafagy’s unbridled fury, a stroke decision was given in the Malaysia’s favour to bring an enthralling match to a close and send the 21-year-old into the last four.
Egyptian top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir will face Malaysian 3/4 seed Aira Azman, with Aboelkheir overcoming a determined Toby Tse of Hong Kong, China, 3-1, and Azman beating Tse’s compatriot Heylie Fung 3-0.
In the men’s event, we will have an all-Egyptian affair between top seed Ibrahim Elkabbani and 3/4 seed Kareem El Torkey, with Elkabbani taking down 2022 World Junior Champion Rowan Damming of the Netherlands and El Torkey defeating Swiss 5/8 seed David Bernet in straight games.
Day Two
[1] Fayrouz Abouelkheir 3-0 Noa Romero (Esp) 11, 11-2, 11-4 (21m)
[2] Malak Khafagy 3-0 Tereza Siroka (Cze) 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 (15m)[1] Ibrahim Elkabbani 3-0 Mattéo Carrouget (Fra) 11-7, 12-10, 11-6 (51m)
[3/4] Kareem El Torkey 3-0 Lap Au (Hkg) 11-4, 11-3, 12-10 (23m)
Women’s top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir made a convincing start to her U23 World Squash Championship campaign as the Egyptian World No.14 dominated Spain’s Noa Romero Blazquez to reach the quarter-finals in Karachi.
Like the rest of the seeded players in the women’s event, Aboelkheir had received a bye through to the last 16 of the inaugural edition of the championships, which features a $60,000 prize pot and a spot in the PSA World Championships for the winner.
There was no sign of rust from the 19-year-old today, as she attacked from the beginning against her unseeded opponent.
After making a positive start, Aboelkheir never looked in danger of slipping. The Egyptian was completely dominating at the front of the court and rarely moved off ‘the T’ as she recorded a lightning-fast 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 win, needing just 21 minutes to wrap up the victory.
Afterwards, Aboelkheir said: “I’m very happy to get through today and am looking forward to tomorrow. It’s the first time we’ve had this tournament so I’m very excited to be playing here and hope I can get the win tomorrow and keep going all week!”
Aboelkheir will face Hong Kong, China’s Toby Tse in the quarter-final after the 5/8 seed defeated France’s Kara Lincou 3-1.
Day One
Kareem El Torkey [3/4] 3-0 Hao Cui 11-1, 11-6, 11-5
Ibrahim Elkabbani [1] 3-1 Leon Krysiak 11-2, 9-11, 12-10, 11-2
A new WS initiative, the U23 World Champs take place in Karachi, Pakistan, from 6th to 10th April, with $30k prize pots in the Men’s and Women’s draws.
In the women’s event, World #13 Fayrouz Aboelkheir tops the draw, with the 19-year-old receiving a bye through to round two and set to play the winner of the round one clash between Spain’s Noa Romero Blazquez and Pakistan’s Mariam Malik.
Aboelkheir is one of two Egyptians in the women’s draw and, should the tournament go to seedings, the Alexandrian will take on second seed Malak Khafagy in an all-Egyptian final.
In the men’s event, World #61 Ibrahim Elkabbani tops the draw, with the Egyptian drawn against Poland’s Leon Krysiak in the opening match. Kareem El Torkey is #3/4.
Youssef Elabd – Head of Delegation – Board Member
Basem Makram – Coach
Mohamed Zayed – Physio
Ibrahim Elkabani- Player
Kareem Elorkey – Player
Fayrouz bouelkheir – Player
Malak Khafagy (coming from the US, not on the photo)
Noor Zaman represents the hosts best hope, with the 20-year-old Peshawari – grandson of the legendary Qamar Zaman – the tournament’s second seed and drawn against Kuwait’s Hussain Alzaatari in round one.
Khan is one of two former world champions in the men’s draw, with the 19-year-old joined by the Netherlands’ Rowan Damming. Damming, World Junior Champion in 2022, is seventh seed and will face Malta’s Kijan Sultana in round one.
