For the second time in 24 hours, Egyptian favourite Saadeldin Abouaish survived a five-game marathon in the VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships before claiming his place in the men’s semi-finals of the World Squash Federation event in the Polish city of Bielsko-Bia\u0142a.<\/p>\n
The match against Benjamin Aubert, a 5\/8 seed from France (both pictured above), was the first and last of the quarter-final session at Enjoy Squash – which was poised at 6-4 to Abouaish when Egyptian’s racket clipped the Frenchman’s face, and play was stopped for treatment. After a while it was decided to continue with the other matches and resume when Aubert had recovered.<\/p>\n
On resumption, Abouaish quickly closed out the first game before losing a close second – which involved another clash on the head and another blood injury break for Aubert!<\/p>\n
At 1\/2 down for the second day in a row after Aubert took the third, the Cairo-based 18-year-old raced through the fourth to set up a decider. Aubert fought back from 0-4 down to level at six-all, but Abouaish ultimately prevailed 11-5, 12-14, 6-11, 11-2, 11-9 after 80 minutes to reach the semi-finals for the second successive year.<\/p>\n
“I’ve never played a match like that before,” said the exuberant Egyptian. “So many stoppages, so long, and such a tough match. I’m relieved to come from two-one down again, I’m sure it was great entertainment – but not great to play in!”<\/p>\n
Abouaish will now take on 3\/4 seed Israr Ahmed for a place in his first final. Ahmed, also 18 and from Lahore, kept Pakistan’s hopes alive after defeating Egyptian giant-killer Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid, the 9\/16 seed who upset Jordan’s 5\/8 seed Mohammad Al Sarraj to reach the last eight.<\/p>\n
“I’m really happy to be in the semis,” said Ahmed after his 72-minute 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5 victory over the 16-year-old. “That was a tough match, he’s a very good young player and I had to work very hard to win.”<\/p>\n
Hopes of Japanese interest in the semi-finals for the first time ever were dashed when Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah beat Yokohama-based Ryunosuke Tsukue 11-7, 2-11, 11-6, 11-8.<\/p>\n
“It took me a while to get used to the conditions – it’s very hot and bouncy today – and to his hard-hitting style,” said the 3\/4 seed from Cairo. “But I was playing well by the end.”<\/p>\n
Abdallah now faces Eain Yow Ng, the No.2 seed from Malaysia who reached the semis for the second time in a row after defeating India’s Velavan Senthilkumar 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5.<\/p>\n
There will also be Malaysian interest in the women’s last four after Sivasangari Subramaniam denied the event an all-Egyptian semi-final line-up for the first time in four years! The 17-year-old from Kedah twice came from behind to record a 6-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7 victory over 5\/8 seed Amina Yousry.<\/p>\n
“We played in Pakistan last year and I lost 11-9 in the fifth, so I knew it was going to be tough and this one could have gone either way,” said the jubilant 3\/4 seed pictured above. “Really, really happy to make the semis.”<\/p>\n
Subramaniam progresses to meet top seed Nouran Gohar, the world No.5 from Egypt who crushed New Zealander Eleanor Epke 11-1, 11-1, 11-3.<\/p>\n
Gohar’s predicted opponent in the final also came through in straight games. Second seed Hania El Hammamy denied English interest in the last four when she beat Amelia Henley 11-7, 11-7, 11-7.<\/p>\n
“I expected it to be tough and it was,” said the 15-year-old from Cairo (pictured above in world action) who is ranked 43 in the world. “I had to really fight to win this match.”<\/p>\n
El Hammamy now faces compatriot Rowan Reda Araby, an 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 winner over Malaysian Andrea Lee.
RESULTS: VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships, Bielsko-Bia\u0142a, Poland<\/p>\n
Men’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) v [3\/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [3\/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY)<\/p>\n
Women’s semi-final line-up:
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [3\/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [3\/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY)
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) bt [5\/8] Benjamin Aubert (FRA) 11-5, 12-14, 6-11, 11-2, 11-9 (80m)
[3\/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK) bt [9\/16] Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid (EGY) 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5 (72m)
[3\/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY) bt [5\/8] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) 11-7, 2-11, 11-6, 11-8 (40m)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [9\/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 (44m)<\/p>\n
Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [5\/8] Eleanor Epke (NZL) 11-1, 11-1, 11-3 (16m)
[3\/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [5\/8] Amina Yousry (EGY) 6-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7 (61m)
[3\/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) bt [5\/8] Andrea Lee (MAS) 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (48m)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [5\/8] Amelia Henley (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (32m)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For the second time in 24 hours, Egyptian favourite Saadeldin Abouaish survived a five-game marathon in the VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships before claiming his place in the men’s semi-finals of the World Squash Federation event in the Polish city of Bielsko-Bia\u0142a.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[466,17422,533,17383,612],"class_list":["post-28240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-squash","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-saadeldin-abouaish","tag-squash","tag-vdc-dental-care-wsf-world-junior-squash-championships","tag-world-squash-federation"],"yoast_head":"\n