He’s reckoned as a phenomenal talent. At 17 years, Mostafa Asal has already clinched three Professional Squash Association $10,000 men’s titles, and is ranked 71 in the world.
Seeded two in the World junior squash championships, the Egyptian gave a glimpse of his immense potential with a 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 win over Veer Chotrani of India, to enter the pre-quarterfinals, at the ISA courts here on Thursday.
With the exit of Chotrani and Aishwarya Khubchandani to the second-seeded Hania El Hammamy of Egypt 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 in the girls’ section, the Indian challenge, expectedly, came to an end.
Earlier in the day, Yash Fadte and Rahul Baitha had lost to higher-ranked opponents in James Wyatt (England) and Egypt’s Mostafa Montaser in the boys’ third round.
The biggest upset of the day came when Singapore’s Sneha Sivakumar defeated fifth-seeded Elise Lazarus of England 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 in the girls’ second round.
Playing in the show court, top seed Rowan Reda Araby eased past India’s Ashita Bhengra 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 to reach the pre-quarterfinals.
Important results:
Boys (third round): 1-Marwan Tarek (Egy) bt Muhammad Amir Amirul Azhar (Mas) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8; 5/8-Mostafa Montaser (Egy) bt Rahul Baitha 11-4, 11-9, 11-9; 5/8 Nicholas Wall (Eng) bt Michael Creaven (Irl) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7.
Matias Knudsen (Col) bt Abbas Zeb (Pak) 4-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3; 3/4-Omar El Torkey (Egy) bt Nils Schwab (Ger) 11-5, 11-5, 11-2; 3/4 Mostafa El Serty (Egy) bt Ryan Picken (Can) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9; James Wyatt (Eng) bt Yash Fadte 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9; 5/8-Darren Rahul Pragasam (Mas) bt Gabe Yam (NZ) 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5; 5/8- Leonel Cardenas (Mex) bt Haris Qasim (Pak) 11-5, 11-6, 11-1; 2-Mostafa Asal (Egy) bt Veer Chotrani 11-9, 11-8, 11-6.
Girls (second round): 1-Rowan Reda Araby (Egy) bt Ashita Bhengra (Ind) 11-4, 11-8, 11-2; 5/8-Hana Moataz (Egy) bt Karina Tyma (Pol) 11-6, 11-6, 14-12; 5/8-Jana Shiha (Egy) bt Elle Ruggiero (USA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8; 3/4-Aifa Azman (Mas) bt Fereshteh Eghtedari (Irl) 11-4, 11-6, 11-2; 3/4-Lucy Turmel (Eng) bt Laila Sedky (USA) 12-10, 11-3, 11-6; Ingy Hammouda (Egy) bt Sanya Vats 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9; Sneha Sivakumar (Sgp) bt 5/8-Elise Lazarus (Eng) 10-12, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6; 5/8-Marina Stefanoni (USA) bt Alexandra Haydon (Aus) 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-1; 2-Hania El Hammamy (Egy) bt Aishwarya Khubchandani 11-6, 11-5, 11-9.