Abouelghar Conquers In Kuala Lumpur
by Howard Harding
10 October 2011 - A pair of successive upsets by Mohamed Abouelghar in the NSC Series No1 in Malaysia led the Egyptian teenager to the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 squash title at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
After surviving a five-game battle against local player Valentino Bong in the first round, fourth seed Abouelghar made his breakthrough in the semi-finals with a 65-minute win over Ivan Yuen, the No2 seed from Malaysia.
And another Malaysian awaited the 18-year-old from Cairo in the final. Top seed Muhd Asyraf Azan claimed his anticipated place in the climax after defeating unseeded Pakistani Farhan Zaman in straight games.
But Abouelghar was too strong for his KL-based 23-year-old opponent, winning 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 in 37 minutes to secure the second PSA World Tour title of his career in his second final appearance.
It was when he won his first title - at the Royal Jordanian Open in Jordan in March last year - that Abouelghar, then aged just 16 years and five months, became the second youngest PSA Tour title winner ever.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 NSC Series No1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1st round:
[1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 11-4, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9 (45m)
Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt [Q] James Earles (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (32m)
Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Ravi Dixit (IND) 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)
[3] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-9, 11-5, 3-11, 11-8 (40m)
[4] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Valentino Bong (MAS) 16-14, 10-12, 11-6, 3-11, 11-4 (40m)
Basem Makram (EGY) bt [Q] James Huang (TPE) 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (38m)
Kam Hing Choong (MAS) bt [Q] Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 6-11, 5-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (47m)
[2] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9 (45m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Syed Hamzha Shah Bukhari (PAK) 5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (75m)
Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [3] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 12-10, 13-11, 11-2 (33m)
[4] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Basem Makram (EGY) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4 (23m)
[2] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Kam Hing Choong (MAS) 14-12, 11-6, 11-7 (33m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-9, 11-9, 14-12 (35m)
[4] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [2] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3 (65m)
Final:
[4] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 (37m)
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