Superb performance of Pakistani Juniors

Bielsko-Biała, Poland, Aug 7, 2018: Superb performance of Pakistani Juniors, Pakistani pair Abbas Shoukat and Kashif Asif defied the seedings in the VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships to produce the biggest upsets on the second day of men’s action in the World Squash Federation event being held in the Polish city of Bielsko-Biała for the first time.

The last 3rd round match of the day resulted in the biggest casualty when Asif, a 16-year-old from Lahore (pictured above), despatched Karim Magdy 12-10, 11-3, 9-11, 11-1 in 72 minutes. The 5/8 seed from Egypt clawed his way back from two games and 6-9 down in the third to reduce the deficit, but Asif was unstoppable in the fourth as he claimed the shock result for the loss of just one further point.

Shoukat, 18, from Peshawar, removed the USA’s only seeded player – taking just 25 minutes to defeat 9/16 seed Samuel Scherl 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.

England’s Tom Walsh continued his unscheduled run in the event at the nine-court Enjoy Squash club. After ousting a 9/16 seed in the second round, the 17-year-old from Brighton overcame Korean In Woo Lee 11-5, 12-10, 11-6 to become the second Englishman in the last 16 round.

Walsh joins Charlie Lee after the 9/16 seed from Surrey prevailed when USA opponent Gabriel Morgan retired injured at game ball in the second game.

There was a further seeding upset earlier in the day when India’s Adithya Raghavan outlasted England’s Kyle Finch, a 9/16 seed, 14-12, 4-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9 in just under an hour.

Egypt’s Zeina Mickawy produced the only upset in the second round of the women’s event. The unseeded 17-year-old from Alexandria dismissed England’s Lucy Turmel, a 9/16 seed, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11 in 39 minutes.

Mickawy now has the toughest battle on her hands when she faces fellow countrywoman Nouran Gohar for a place in the quarter-finals.

Top seed Gohar, ranked five in the world, eased past Chan Sin Yuk, beating the 14-year-old from Hong Kong 11-2, 11-5, 11-0.

RESULTS: VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships, Bielsko-Biała, Poland

Men’s 4th round (last 16) line-up:
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) v [9/16] Sajad Zareian (IRI)
[5/8] Benjamin Aubert (FRA) v Adithya Raghavan (IND)
[5/8] Mohammad Al Sarraj (JOR) v [9/16] Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid (EGY)
[3/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK) v Abbas Shoukat (PAK)
[3/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY) v [9/16] Victor Crouin (FRA)
[5/8] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) v [9/16] Charlie Lee (ENG)
Kashif Asif (PAK) v [9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v Tom Walsh (ENG)

Women’s 3rd round (last 16) line-up:
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Zeina Mickawy (EGY)
[5/8] Eleanor Epke (NZL) v [9/16] Zoe Foo Yuk Han (MAS)
[5/8] Amina Yousry (EGY) v [9/16] Casey Wong (USA)
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v [9/16] Céline Walser (SUI)
[3/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) v [9/16] Marina Stefanoni (USA)
[5/8] Andrea Lee (MAS) v [9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN)
[5/8] Amelia Henley (ENG) v [9/16] Tinne Gilis (BEL)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [9/16] Hiu Lam Lui (HKG). —- WSF