Sports Bulletin Report
Karachi:Women's top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir made a convincing start to her U23 World Squash Championship campaign as the Egyptian World No.14 dominated Spain's Noa Romero Blazquez to reach the quarter-finals in Karachi.
Like the rest of the seeded players in the women's event, Aboelkheir had received a bye through to the last 16 of the inaugural edition of the championships, which features a $60,000 prize pot and a spot in the PSA World Championships for the winner.
There was no sign of rust from the 19-year-old today, as she attacked from the beginning against her unseeded opponent.
After making a positive start, Aboelkheir never looked in danger of slipping. The Egyptian was completely dominating at the front of the court and rarely moved off 'the T' as she recorded a lightning-fast 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 win, needing just 21 minutes to wrap up the victory.
Afterwards, she said: "I'm very happy to get through today and am looking forward. It's the first time we've had this tournament so I'm very excited to be playing here and hope I can get the win tomorrow and keep going all week!"
Aboelkheir will face Hong Kong, China's Toby Tse in the quarter-final after the 5/8 seed defeated France's Kara Lincou 3-1.
Meanwhile, in the men's draw, home favourites Noor Zaman and Hamza Khan progressed after convincing wins over Poland's Jakub Pytlowany and England's Will Salter.
On the glass court at DHA Creek Club, No.2 seed Zaman - grandson to Pakistan legend Qamar Zaman and in red hot form after winning the Liverpool Cricket Club Open last week - was totally dominant in an 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 victory.
Khan, World Junior Champion in 2023, was also convincing, with the 19-year-old taking down Salter 11-5, 11-6, 11-5.
