[1] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (Egy) 3-0 [3/4] Chan Sin Yuk (Hkg) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (28m)
[2] Noor Zaman (Pak) 3-2 [3/4] Kareem El Torkey 4-11, 12-14, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (69m)
Finals : Zaman comeback delivers home gold in Karachi
Pakistan’s second seeded Noor Zaman recovered from two games down to beat Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey and claim the title in Karachi. Top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir beat Hong Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk in straight games to take the women’s title.
Semis : Zaman boost home hopes as El torkey takes out top seed
Pakistan’s Noor Zaman boosted hopes of a home winner as he overcame Ameeshenraj Chandaran with the Malaysia retiring injured at 0-2 and 4-6 down. The second seed will face Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey in the final after the 3/4 seed overcame top seeded compatriot Ibrahim Elkabanni in four games.
Women’s top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir beat Aira Azman in four games and will meet 3/4 seed Chan Sin Yuk for the title.
Quarters : Xin Ying Yee gatecrashes the semis in Karachi
Quarter-finals day in Karachi saw all but one of the top four seeds reach the semi-finals, the exception being Malaysia’s Xin Ying Yee’s five game win over second seed Malak Khagafy.
She’ll face Hog Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk for a place in the final while top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir faces Aira Azman in the other semi.
Men’s top seed Ibrahim Elkabbani faces an all-Egyptian semi against Kareem El Torkey, while second seed Noor Zaman carries home hopes into his semi against Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran.
Preview :
A new WSF initiative, the U23 World Champs take place in Karachi, Pakistan, from 6th to 10th April, with $30k prize pots in the Men’s and Women’s draws and a World Champs qualifying spot for the winners.
In the women’s event, World #13 Fayrouz Aboelkheir tops the draw, with the 19-year-old receiving a bye through to round two and set to play the winner of the round one clash between Spain’s Noa Romero Blazquez and Pakistan’s Mariam Malik.
Aboelkheir is one of two Egyptians in the women’s draw and, should the tournament go to seedings, the Alexandrian will take on second seed Malak Khafagy in an all-Egyptian final.
Hoping to spoil the party will be Malaysian third seed Aira Azman, a silver medal winner at the 2023 World Junior Championships, and fourth seed Chan Sin Yuk of Hong Kong,. Chan is joined by two compatriots in the top eight seeds, with Heylie Fung seeded fifth and Toby Tse seeded eighth.
Completing the seedings are Japan #2 Akari Midorikawa, who has been seeded sixth, and seventh seed Xin Ying Yee of Malaysia. Also in action for the hosts are Sana Bahadar and Amna Fayyaz, with Bahadar up against Czechia’s Tamara Holzbauerová and Fayyaz taking on Japan’s Kurumi Takahashi.
In the men’s event, World #61 Ibrahim Elkabbani tops the draw, with the Egyptian drawn against Poland’s Leon Krysiak in the opening match.
Noor Zaman represents the hosts best hope, with the 20-year-old Peshawari – grandson of the legendary Qamar Zaman – the tournament’s second seed and drawn against Kuwait’s Hussain Alzaatari in round one.
Also representing Pakistan in Karachi are 2023 World Junior Champion Hamza Khan, who plays Spain’s Hugo Lafuente Jaen in round one, and Muhammad Ammad, who has been drawn against fourth seed Mohammed Naseer.
Khan is one of two former world champions in the men’s draw, with the 19-year-old joined by the Netherlands’ Rowan Damming. Damming, World Junior Champion in 2022, is seventh seed and will face Malta’s Kijan Sultana in round one.
