Egyptian teenager Mohamed Abouelghar became the youngest winner of a PSA World Tour squash title this year – and the second youngest this millennium – when he beat Pakistan’s Farzan Rasheed in the final of the Royal Jordanian Open at the Al Hussein Sport City in the Jordan capital Amman.
It was a historic climax to the $3,000 Satellite championship, the first PSA World Tour event to be staged in Jordan.
Abouelghar, the 16-year-old fifth seed from Cairo, reached his first PSA final without facing a single seeded player. Playing in only the fourth Tour event of his life, the youngster reached the climax after fighting back from two games down to beat fellow Egyptian Moustafa Bayoumy, a qualifier, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in the semi-finals.
His opponent in the final was also a qualifier. Farzan Rasheed, a 21-year-old from Punjab, made his breakthrough in the opening round, dismissing fourth-seeded Spaniard Eduardo Gonzales De Chaves in straight games.
Rasheed had the upper hand in the opening game of the final – but Abouelghar battled back to take the match 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 in 30 minutes to claim his historic maiden Tour success in Amman.
1st round:
Islam El Fiky (EGY) bt [2] Basem Makram (EGY) 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (60m)
[6] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10 (70m)
[Q] Farzan Rasheed (PAK) bt [4] Eduardo Gonzales De Chaves (ESP) 12-10, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)
[7] Adel El Zarka (EGY) bt Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 6-2 ret.
[Q] Moustafa Bayoumy (EGY) bt [8] Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10
[Q] Mohammad Mhaisen (JOR) bt [3] Michelangelo Bertocchi (ITA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (29m)
[5] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Mohammad Al Zbaidi (JOR) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (40m)
[Q] Aurangzeb Mehmund (PAK) bt [1] Issa Kamara (SLE) 11-6, 11-3, 8-11, 11-6 (45m)
Quarter-finals:
Islam El Fiky (EGY) bt [6] Adam Murrills (ENG) 3-11, 11-6, 13-11, 14-12 (50m)
[Q] Farzan Rasheed (PAK) bt [7] Adel El Zarka (EGY) 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5 (75m)
[Q] Moustafa Bayoumy (EGY) bt [Q] Mohammad Mhaisen (JOR) 11-3, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9 (60m)
[5] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [Q] Aurangzeb Mehmund (PAK) 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 14-12 (75m)
Semi-finals:
[Q] Farzan Rasheed (PAK) bt Islam El Fiky (EGY) 11-9, 11-9 ret.
[5] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [Q] Moustafa Bayoumy (EGY) 8-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (60m)
Final:
[5] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [Q] Farzan Rasheed (PAK) 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 (30m)