Zahed Makes All-Egyptian Mumbai Final
by Howard Harding

7 September 2013 - Unseeded Zahed Mohamed has made it all the way to the final of the new Maharashtra State PSA Open in India after dismissing fellow Egyptian Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the No3 seed, in his second upset in the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai.

The 21-year-old world No90 from Alexandria battled for 66 minutes to overcome Reda, ranked 50 places higher, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8.

"There was nothing to choose between the two (pictured above) in the first 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9 before Zahed reeled off two in a row to take the opener," explained tournament spokesman Raj Arora. "It was all Reda in the second as Zahed made four unforced errors and Reda was moving effortlessly driving deep into the corners and controlling the play as he took the game.

"It was a well-deserved victory of the giant killer who had eliminated Ong Beng Hee (the top seed) two nights ago."

Now celebrating the sixth PSA Tour final of his career - and his second of the year - Mohamed faces fourth seed Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry in an all-Egyptian climax.

Ga Sabry, the 19-year-old world No45 from Cairo, ended home hopes in the event when he defeated Mumbai star Mahesh Mangaonkar 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 11-3 in 50 minutes.

The Egyptian teenager is celebrating the seventh Tour final of his career - and is one match away from his third title of the year!

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Maharashtra State PSA Open, Mumbai, India

Semi-finals:
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt [3] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) 11-9, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8 (66m)
[4] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 11-3 (50m)