Hamza thrashes Mohamed Zakariah 3-1 to win crown after 37 years for Pakistan
Sports Bulletin Report
Melbourne (Australia): Rising star Mohamed Zakariah from Egypt 3-1 in the World Juniors Individual Squash Championship 2023 here at Melbourne Sports Centre, Australia on Sunday. The final score-line was 10-12, 14-12, 11-3, and 11-6.
In the men’s final, both finalists Mohamed Zakariah and Hamza Khan played excellent squash and were not ready to succumb, as the first two games ended on a tie-break. Hamza went down after the first game at 10-12, however, he showed his confidence in the next game and locked horns with the Egyptian lad. Hamza snatched the second game at 14-12 to level the championship final.
After squaring the contest, Pakistani players Mohammad Hamza did not see back and continued his aggressive game, which was a blend of powerful drives and classic nicks. He won the third and fourth games by conceding just 3 and 6 points. Finally, Hamza Khan lifted the title of the World Juniors Squash Championship for Pakistan after 37 years. Jansher Khan earned the same honour for Pakistan in 1986.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar, President PSF, Air vice Marshal Kazim Hammad, and Senior Vice President PSF congratulated Hamza Khan on his remarkable and historical feat.
In women’s final, Egyptian 16-year-old Amina Orfi defended her WSF World Junior Championship title with a convincing win over Malaysia’s Aira Azman in Melbourne Sports Centres.
Top seed Orfi, who stunned last year in France to win the title aged just 15, looked in top form throughout, with her tight hitting causing the [3/4] seed no end of problems.
The opening stages of the match were initially even, with Azman edging into an 8-7 lead in game one, only for Orfi to come firing back with four straight points.
After taking the first game 11-8, Orfi began to dominate and rapidly wrapped up the title in just 31 minutes with comprehensive 11-5, 11-1 wins in games two and three.
