[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 2-9, 9-3, 10-8, 9-4 (75m)

El Shorbagy Wins World Junior Title

After despatching local hero Nicolas Mueller in a 67-marathon semi-final, second seed Mohamed El Shorbagy went on to upset Pakistan favourite Aamir Atlas Khan in the final of the World Junior Men's Squash Championship in Zurich to keep the prestigious title in Egyptian hands for the third successive time.

It was a dramatic climax to the 15th staging of the biennial World Squash Federation championship, being held for the first time in Switzerland.

Aamir Atlas Khan, a semi-finalist both in 2004 and 2006 - and, at No24, the highest-world-ranked player in the field - was firm favourite to win the title.  The 18-year-old had reached the final without dropping a game - and victory would have made him the first Pakistani to lift the title since his uncle, the legendary Jansher khan, in 1986.

But El Shorbagy was also hungry for success - and survived both his opponent and the naturally partisan crowd to topple Swiss star Nicolas Mueller in five games less than 24 hours earlier.

The 17-year-old from Alexandria, who celebrated a career-high world ranking of 60 today, dropped the first game for just two points - but powered back into the match before ultimately celebrating victory after 75 minutes in a 2-9, 9-3, 10-8, 9-4 scoreline.

"This is a very special moment," said the ecstatic teenager afterwards.  "I'm very happy to be here and share it with my mother and father.  I was 8-5 up in the third and had to make a big push.

"This was a once in a lifetime chance and I told myself to make a big push.

"The last two titles have been won by Egypt and there was a lot of pressure on me to win it," added El Shorbagy, who is based in the UK where he trains with British squash supreme Jonah Barrington.

"Aamir and I will probably have to play again in the team match - it will be another hard match and I need to go away and prepare mentally for it."

El Shorbagy follows the now 20-year-old world No4 Ramy Ashour as winner of the title - and is the latest in a distinguished line of former Egyptian champions including Ashour, Karim Darwish, Ahmed Faizy and the country's first winner, in 1994, Ahmed Barada.

Egypt are seeded to win the World Junior Team Championship which gets underway tomorrow (Saturday). 

Semi-finals:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK)      9-1, 9-1, 9-6 (40m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI)    9-7, 9-10, 9-4, 1-9, 9-5 (67m)

Atlas Khan & El Shorbagy
To Contest World Junior Final

The final of the World Junior Men's Squash Championship in Zurich will be the clash predicted by the seedings - but Pakistan favourite Aamir Atlas Khan and Egypt's second seed Mohamed El Shorbagy reached the climax of the biennial World Squash Federation championship, being staged for the first time in Switzerland, in contrasting styles.

Khan, who celebrated his 18th birthday 24 hours earlier, cruised to a 9-1, 9-1, 9-6 victory in 40 minutes over compatriot Waqar Mehboob, a 5/8 seed.

Kahn - who has reached the final without dropping a game - is now one match away from becoming the first Pakistani to win the title since his legendary uncle Jansher Khan, the record eight-time senior World Open champion, in 1986.

The other semi-final pitched El Shorbagy against local hero Nicolas Mueller, the third seed and former European Junior champion from Switzerland.

With the crowd backing Mueller all the way, the Swiss teenager twice clawed back game leads by the higher-ranked Egyptian. 

But, after 67 minutes, it was El Shorbagy who prevailed, winning 9-7, 9-10, 9-4, 1-9, 9-5 to take his expected place in Friday's final.

Quarter-finals:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY)    9-1, 9-5, 9-0 (36m)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt [4] Gregoire Marche (FRA)                9-6, 8-10, 9-5, 9-0 (74m)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG)                      9-5, 4-9, 9-3, 9-2 (58m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS)              9-3, 9-5, 9-1 (30m)

Mehboob Guarantees Pakistani Finalist
In Zurich World Championship

A Pakistani finalist in the World Junior Men's Squash Championship in Zurich is assured after Waqar Mehboob, a 5/8 seed, upset fourth-seeded Frenchman Gregoire Marche in the quarter-finals of the biennial World Squash Federation championship being staged for the first time in Switzerland.

Mehboob, the 16-year-old reigning Pakistan Junior champion from Peshawar, battled for 74 minutes to overcome the 18-year-old European Junior champion from Aix-en-Provence 9-6, 8-10, 9-5, 9-0.

In a match which will ensure the first Pakistani finalist since 2004, Mehboob - in his maiden appearance in the event - will now take on compatriot Aamir Atlas Khan, the event's firm favourite after reaching the semi-finals both in 2004 and 2006, in

Khan celebrated his 18th birthday in fine style by beating Egyptian Andrew Wagih Shoukry 9-1, 9-5, 9-0 in 36 minutes.

The other semi-final will pitch local hero Nicolas Mueller, the third seed, against Egypt's Mohamed El Shorbagy, the No2 seed.

Mueller arrived at the event following successive European Squash Federation Junior Circuit victories in the German Open, the Pioneer Open and the Dutch Open.  But the 18-year-old from Hirzel, near Zurich, dropped his first game of the championship in overcoming England's 5/8 seed Adrian Waller 9-5, 4-9, 9-3, 9-2 in 58 minutes.

The result ended English interest in the event - and also ended Waller's run of three successive straight games defeats by Switzerland's former European Junior champion.

Mohamed El Shorbagy, a 17-year-old from Alexandria who is yet to drop a game in the event, brushed aside Malaysia's 9/16 seed Ivan Yuen, winning 9-3, 9-5, 9-1 in 30 minutes.

Yuen Earns Quarter-Final Berth In Zurich World Championship

Malaysian Ivan Yuen, a 9/16 seed, became the only surprise name in the last eight line-up of the World Junior Men's Squash Championship in Zurich after beating Pakistan's Farhan Zaman in the sixth round of the biennial World Squash Federation championship being staged for the first time in Switzerland.

Yuen, a 17-year-old from Selangor who was runner-up in the Asian Junior Championship in June, faced unexpected opponent Zaman in the last sixteen round after the 16-year-old from Peshawar pulled off a mighty upset earlier in the day when he beat England's 5/8 seed Joe Lee, the British Junior champion. 

But the Malaysian repeated the victory he gained over Zaman in the Asian championship semi-final, recovering from a game down to win 0-9, 9-1, 9-5, 9-7 in 66 minutes to secure his unexpected quarter-final slot.

Yuen will face second-seeded Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy, who maintained his straight-games-winning-run in the event by beating India's Vikram Malhotra 9-7, 9-7, 9-7.

El Shorbagy is joined by Egyptian compatriot Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the last eight after the 5/8 seed defeated Pakistan's Mohd Shoaib Hassan 9-6, 3-9, 9-4, 9-4.

But Pakistan also have two players through to the quarters - with favourite Aamir Atlas Khan joined by 5/8 seed Waqar Mehboob.  Khan, also yet to drop a game in Zurich, brushed aside the last remaining USA player Todd Harrity, winning 9-0, 9-2, 9-1.

Mehboob needed 67 minutes to overcome Hong Kong's Asian Junior champion Leo Au 9-2, 8-10, 9-4, 9-3 - and now faces fourth seed Gregoire Marche.  But the Frenchman had to fight back from two games down to beat Egyptian Amr Khaled Khalifa 3-9, 1-9, 9-2, 9-5, 9-3 in 80 minutes to claim his anticipated place in Wednesday's action.

Third seed Nicolas Mueller continued to delight the local crowds by carving a path through to the quarter-finals without dropping a game.  The 18-year-old from Hirzel, near Zurich, defeated Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad 9-1, 9-5, 9-7 - and now meets the only remaining Englishman in the draw.  Adrian Waller, a 5/8 seed, beat Finland's Henrik Mustonen 9-1, 9-0, 9-1.

5th round:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 9-4, 9-0, 9-0 (26m)

[17/32] Todd Harrity (USA) bt [9/16] Wael Farag (EGY) 1-9, 10-8, 9-4, 9-6 (53m)

[9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) bt [17/32] Jacob Alexander (AUS) 7-9, 9-2, 9-5, 9-3 (48m)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Paul Rodrigues (RSA) 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 (32m)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt [17/32] Evan Williams (NZL) 9-6, 9-5, 10-9 (59m)

[9/16] Leo Au (HKG) bt [17/32] Alex Ingham (ENG) 6-9, 9-4, 9-5, 9-3 (80m)

[9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) 9-0, 9-2, 9-2 (30m)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) 7-9, 9-4, 9-6, 9-2 (68m)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) 9-3, 9-1, 9-1 (26m)

[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Mohammed Al Tawari (KUW) 9-5, 9-7, 9-5 (47m)

[9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [17/32] Aditya Jagtap (IND) 9-0, 9-0, 9-6 (32m)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Keegan Burkhart (NZL) 9-0, 9-4, 9-2 (26m)

[17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [5/8] Joe Lee (ENG) 5-9, 9-6, 4-9, 9-2, 9-6 (70m)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [17/32] Mohd Sayed Mahmoud Aly (EGY) 7-9, 9-1, 9-3, 9-0 (58m)

[9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Antoine Petrucci (FRA) 9-3, 9-7, 9-1 (35m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Reinhold Hergeth (RSA) 9-3, 9-1, 9-3 (30m)

     6th (last sixteen) round:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [17/32] Todd Harrity (USA) 9-0, 9-2, 9-1 (29m)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) 9-6, 3-9, 9-4, 9-4 (61m)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt [9/16] Leo Au (HKG) 9-2, 8-10, 9-4, 9-3 (67m)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 3-9, 1-9, 9-2, 9-5, 9-3 (80m)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 9-1, 9-5, 9-7 (51m)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (53m)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 0-9, 9-1, 9-5, 9-7 (66m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) 9-7, 9-7, 9-7 (34m)

Players from 16 nations - and all five continents - will contest the fifth round of the World Junior Men's Squash Championship in Zurich after hard-fought action in the biennial World Squash Federation championship being staged for the first time in Switzerland.

Egypt lead the way with seven teenagers through to the last 32, led by second seed Mohamed El Shorbagy who beat the Czech Republic number one Roman Svec 9-2, 9-6, 9-4.  The UK-based 17-year-old from Alexandria now faces unseeded South African Reinhold Hergeth for a place in the last 16.

Ahmed El Mehelmy, also 17 and from Alexandria, claimed a surprise place in the fifth round after upsetting Germany's 17/32 seed Florian Silbernagl 9-7, 4-9, 9-5, 9-6 in 53 minutes.

Event favourite Aamir Atlas Khan leads a four-man group of Pakistanis through to the last 32 round.  The 17-year-old from Peshawar needed just 12 minutes to despatch Denmark's Philip Tran 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 and now faces Lucas Serme, an unseeded Frenchman who battled 89 minutes to overcome Canadian seed Kelly Shannon 9-7, 4-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-3.

Swiss interest is being exclusively led by local hero Nicolas Mueller, the No3 seed who earned his place in the fifth round after beating Guatemala's Roberto Rodriguez 9-0, 9-2, 9-0.  The former European Junior champion from Hirzel, near Zurich, now takes on unseeded German Rudi Rohrmuller, who beat French seed Lucas Vauzelle 9-10, 9-7, 9-6, 4-9, 9-4 in a 93-minute marathon.

But the longest victory of the day was earned by Malaysian Ivan Yuen.  The 17-year-old 9/16 seed from Selangor took 112 minutes to see off Pakistan's Danish Atlas Khan 10-8, 9-4, 7-9, 9-1 in the third round - then battled for a further 73 minutes later in the day to overcome German Norman Junge 9-3, 9-10, 9-5, 9-5 to earn a place in the fifth round.

5th round line-up:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Lucas Serme (FRA)

[9/16] Wael Farag (EGY) v [17/32] Todd Harrity (USA)

[9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) v [17/32] Jacob Alexander (AUS)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) v Paul Rodrigues (RSA)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) v [17/32] Evan Williams (NZL)

[9/16] Leo Au (HKG) v [17/32] Alex Ingham (ENG)

[9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) v Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Rudi Rohrmuller (GER)

[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Mohammed Al Tawari (KUW)

[9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) v [17/32] Aditya Jagtap (IND)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) v Keegan Burkhart (NZL)

[5/8] Joe Lee (ENG) v [17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) v [17/32] Mohd Sayed Mahmoud Aly (EGY)

[9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) v Antoine Petrucci (FRA)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Reinhold Hergeth (RSA)

3rd round

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Alex Grayson (NZL) 9-3, 9-0, 9-0 (25m)

Philip Tran (DEN) bt Hugo Varela Campo (ESP) 9-6, 9-1, 9-1 (40m)

Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Gustav Runersjo (SWE) 9-6, 9-1, 9-0 (20m)

[17/32] Kelly Shannon (CAN) bt Alejandro Suarez (VEN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-3 (18m)

[17/32] Todd Harrity (USA) bt Joonas Honkanen (FIN) 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (20m)

Thakabi Moholo (RSA) bt Antonio de la Torre (GUA) 9-1, 9-7, 9-5 (26m)

Ravi Dixit (IND) bt Felipe Bueno Almeida (ECU) 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (27m)

[9/16] Wael Farag (EGY) bt Sam Fenwick (WAL) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0 (24m)

[9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 6-9, 9-2, 9-1, 9-3 (44m)

Zbynek Standera (CZE) bt Noah DaBell (BER) 10-9, 9-2, 9-1 (24m)

Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Patrick Miescher (SUI) 9-1, 9-4, 9-1 (29m)

[17/32] Jacob Alexander (AUS) bt Alberto Matteazzi (ITA) 9-1, 9-2, 9-0 (19m)

[17/32] Nelson Chan (HKG) bt Kevin Davey (IRL) 9-1, 9-7, 9-1 (21m)

Paul Rodrigues (RSA) bt Andrew Schnell (CAN) 10-8, 3-9, 9-7, 9-3 (55m)

Clay Blackiston (USA) bt Michael Ernst (NED) 9-6, 5-9, 10-8, 9-1 (45m)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Shamlan A Ali (KUW) 9-6, 9-4, 9-3 (45m)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt Nicholas Sachvie (CAN) 9-1, 9-3, 9-2 (35m)

Alex Domenick (USA) bt Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 9-6, 9-5, 9-2 (27m)

Wian Louwrens (RSA) bt Daniel Cueva Mosquera (ECU) 9-3, 9-3, 9-0 (28m)

[17/32] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Arjun Gupta (CAN) 9-0, 9-6, 9-0 (38m)

[17/32] Alex Ingham (ENG) bt Casper Grauballe (DEN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (18m)

Lukas Burkhart (SUI) bt David Haley (WAL) 10-9, 9-7, 9-2 (59m)

Paramit Singh (IND) bt Fausto Gomez (ESP) 9-2, 9-7, 9-1 (22m)

[9/16] Leo Au (HKG) bt Sam van Brusselen (BEL) 9-4, 9-2, 9-0 (35m)

[9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Johan Detter (SWE) 9-3, 9-2, 9-1 (34m)

Micah Franklin (BER) bt Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) 9-6, 9-5, 9-2 (32m)

Nasser Al-Hussaini (KUW) bt Tim van der Pluijm (NED) 9-6, 9-6, 7-9, 5-9, 10-8 (68m)

Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt Dean Russell (RSA) 9-4, 9-0, 9-7 (67m)

[17/32] Florian Silbernagl (GER) bt Fung Ji Yang (HKG) 9-4, 9-5, 9-7 (52m)

Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) bt Mauricio Sedano (GUA) 9-3, 9-2, 9-5 (54m)

Aaron Fyfe (AUS) bt Alan Tighe (IRL) 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (21m)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Daniel Prato (VEN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (12m)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Ondrej Uherka (CZE) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (12m)

Roberto Rodriguez (GUA) bt Li Zhi Yuan (CHN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (15m)

Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) bt Laurens Mostmans (BEL) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (26m)

[17/32] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) bt Ville Hiltunen (FIN) 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 (27m)

James Earles (ENG) bt [17/32] Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 10-9, 6-9, 7-9, 10-9, 9-0 (75m)

Mohammed Al Tawari (KUW) bt Kristian Nielsen de Silva (DEN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (18m)

Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY) bt Daniel Pascual Martinez (ESP) 9-1, 9-2, 9-2 (17m)

[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Wilfredo Arcia (VEN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (11m)

[9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Francisco Alvaro Asimbaya (ECU) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (16m)

Robert Maycock (BER) bt Colm Dolan (IRL) 9-1, 4-9, 9-0, 9-3 (40m)

Fred Reid (CAN) bt Matt Domenick (USA) 9-3, 9-2, 6-9, 9-2 (33m)

[17/32] Aditya Jagtap (IND) bt Jo Wen Ng (MAS) 9-4, 9-5, 2-9, 9-4 (46m)

Keegan Burkhart (NZL) bt [17/32] Hywel Robinson (WAL) 9-1, 9-7, 3-9, 2-9, 9-5 (63m)

Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Dimitri Diamadopoulos (ITA) 9-0, 9-3, 9-1 (19m)

Rick Penders (NED) bt Truls Olterman (SWE) 9-4, 5-9, 8-10, 9-4, 9-1 (50m)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Muhammad Zul Azri (MAS) 9-4, 9-0, 9-4 (23m)

[5/8] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Karan Malik (IND) 9-0, 9-6, 9-0 (27m)

Choy Kit Lun (HKG) bt Alex Christensson (SWE) 9-6, 2-9, 9-4, 10-8 (53m)

Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Marc ter Sluis (NED) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 (30m)

[17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Lau Ulrik Kiehn (DEN) 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (15m)

[17/32] Mohd Sayed Mahmoud Aly (EGY) bt Robin Schreurs (BEL) 9-0, 9-0, 9-6 (20m)

Thomas Mattsson (USA) bt Bryan Bonilla (GUA) 9-3, 9-0, 9-0 (30m)

Norman Junge (GER) bt Marco d'Adam (ITA) 9-2, 9-1, 9-0 (99m)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 10-8, 9-4, 7-9, 9-1 (112m)

[9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Fahad Al-Ramezi (KUW) 9-0, 9-2, 9-1 (20m)

Josh Larkin (AUS) bt Abhishek Pradhan (IND) 4-9, 4-9, 10-8, 9-1, 9-1 (69m)

Antoine Petrucci (FRA) bt Orlando Rodriguez Ordonez (ECU) 9-3, 9-2, 9-2 (28m)

[17/32] Cameron Jamieson (NZL) bt Mikael Siren (FIN) 9-6, 9-6, 9-0 (34m)

Kah Wah Cheong (MAS) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 9-6, 10-9, 8-10, 9-1 (78m)

Reinhold Hergeth (RSA) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 9-7, 9-0, 9-2 (36m)

Roman Svec (CZE) bt Theodore Anderson (IRL) 9-7, 9-3, 9-1 (31m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Damian Arosa Rodriguez (ESP) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (19m)

    4th round:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Philip Tran (DEN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (12m)

Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [17/32] Kelly Shannon (CAN) 9-7, 4-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-3 (89m)

[17/32] Todd Harrity (USA) bt Thakabi Moholo (RSA) 9-1, 9-1, 9-4 (41m)

[9/16] Wael Farag (EGY) bt Ravi Dixit (IND) 9-3, 9-2, 9-6 (25m)

[9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) bt Zbynek Standera (CZE) 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 (20m)

[17/32] Jacob Alexander (AUS) bt Tom de Mulder (BEL) 10-8, 9-0, 9-6 (34m)

Paul Rodrigues (RSA) bt [17/32] Nelson Chan (HKG) 9-5, 6-9, 10-8, 9-4 (63m)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Clay Blackiston (USA) 9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (25m)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt Alex Domenick (USA) 9-5, 9-1, 9-0 (42m)

[17/32] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Wian Louwrens (RSA) 9-3, 9-4, 9-2 (32m)

[17/32] Alex Ingham (ENG) bt Lukas Burkhart (SUI) 9-0, 9-1, 9-0 (47m)

[9/16] Leo Au (HKG) bt Paramit Singh (IND) 9-0, 9-1, 9-6 (31m)

[9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt Micah Franklin (BER) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (22m)

Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt Nasser Al-Hussaini (KUW) 9-5, 9-0, 9-5 (30m)

Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) bt [17/32] Florian Silbernagl (GER) 9-7, 4-9, 9-5, 9-6 (53m)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Aaron Fyfe (AUS) 9-6, 9-0, 9-3 (31m)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Roberto Rodriguez (GUA) 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (18m)

Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) bt [17/32] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) 9-10, 9-7, 9-6, 4-9, 9-4 (93m)

Mohammed Al Tawari (KUW) bt James Earles (ENG) 9-4, 9-1, 9-6 (31m)

[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY) 9-10, 9-1, 9-3, 7-9, 9-8 (67m)

[9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Robert Maycock (BER) 9-2, 9-0, 9-5 (27m)

[17/32] Aditya Jagtap (IND) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 9-0, 9-4, 7-9, 10-8 (52m)

Keegan Burkhart (NZL) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 10-8, 9-4, 9-6 (40m)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Rick Penders (NED) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 (25m)

[5/8] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Choy Kit Lun (HKG) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1 (18m)

[17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Nosherwan Khan (PAK) 3-9, 9-1, 4-9, 9-6, 9-2 (74m)

[17/32] Mohd Sayed Mahmoud Aly (EGY) bt Thomas Mattsson (USA) 9-0, 9-6, 9-1 (25m)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Norman Junge (GER) 9-3, 9-10, 9-5, 9-5 (73m)

[9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Josh Larkin (AUS) 9-4, 9-3, 9-6 (36m)

Antoine Petrucci (FRA) bt [17/32] Cameron Jamieson (NZL) 9-6, 9-2, 9-4 (55m)

Reinhold Hergeth (RSA) bt Kah Wah Cheong (MAS) 9-5, 9-6, 9-3 (35m)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Roman Svec (CZE) 9-2, 9-6, 9-4 (34m)

27-Jul-08, 1st round:

Paul Rodrigues (RSA) bt Jake Kelly (CAY) 9-1, 9-7, 9-0 (52m)

Nicholas Sisodia (USA) bt Claudio Merlo (SUI) 9-6, 5-9, 9-2, 9-5 (56m)

Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Durosimi Moses Adebola (NGR) w/o

Amar Gupta (CAN) bye

Simon Summers (AUS) bt Dario Bosch (SUI) 9-5, 9-0, 9-7 (51m)

Clay Blackiston (USA) bt Esetang Akpan Esetang (NGR) w/o

James Earles (ENG) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 9-7, 9-3, 9-2 (46m)

Muhammad Yassim (MAS) bt Wang Jun Jie (CHN) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (35m)

Karan Malik (IND) bt Luke Sims (AUS) 9-4, 9-4, 9-2 (41m)

Adam Perkiomaki (USA) bt Dominik Penkov (SUI) 9-3, 1-9, 9-3, 9-2 (49m)

Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) bt Ahmad Al-Randi (KUW) 10-8, 9-1, 9-4 (43m)

Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Shen Jia Qi (CHN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (27m)

Tomas Toth (SVK) bt Christopher Hanson (USA) 9-0, 4-9, 9-0, 9-1 (60m)

Arjun Gupta (CAN) bye

Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY) bt Meng Xiaomin (CHN) 9-3, 9-0, 9-0 (35m)

Nasser Al-Rashid (KUW) bt Bradley Soutar (AUS) 10-8, 9-6, 4-9, 9-7 (66m)

Abhishek Pradhan (IND) bt Alain Osman Mudeen (CAY) w/o

Oliver Holland (ENG) bt Kale Wilson (TRI) 9-1, 9-4, 9-0 (35m)

Muhammad Zul Azri (MAS) bt Cameron Stafford (CAY) 9-3, 9-0, 9-1 (35m)

Daniel Hutchines (LUX) bt Yannick Bregnard (SUI) 9-1, 9-1, 9-1 (22m)

Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 9-6, 9-7, 9-1 (27m)

Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt Miroslav Celler (SVK) 9-1, 9-5, 9-5 (44m)

Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Shedara Femi (NGR) w/o

Ryan McConvey (CAY) bye

2nd round:

Paul Rodrigues (RSA) bt Nicholas Sisodia (USA) 4-9, 9-7, 9-4, 9-5 (51m)

Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Amar Gupta (CAN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (19m)

Clay Blackiston (USA) bt Simon Summers (AUS) 10-9, 9-5, 9-7 (52m)

James Earles (ENG) bt Muhammad Yassim (MAS) 9-1, 9-4, 9-3 (46m)

Karan Malik (IND) bt Adam Perkiomaki (USA) 9-5, 9-6, 9-5 (26m)

Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) 9-5, 9-3, 9-4 (36m)

Arjun Gupta (CAN) bt Tomas Toth (SVK) 9-7, 3-9, 9-4, 9-1 (61m)

Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY) bt Nasser Al-Rashid (KUW) 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-2 (35m)

Abhishek Pradhan (IND) bt Oliver Holland (ENG) 9-5, 9-5, 9-5 (36m)

Muhammad Zul Azri (MAS) bt Daniel Hutchines (LUX) 3-9, 9-4, 9-2, 4-9, 9-0 (49m)

Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 9-1, 9-0, 10-8 (22m)

Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Ryan McConvey (CAY) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 (17m)

Indians Excel In Early
World Championship Encounters

Indian players triumphed on the opening day of action in the World Junior Men's Squash Championship as three promising prospects - all younger than 17 - battled through two rounds to take their place in the 128-man third round draw in the biennial World Squash Federation championship in Switzerland.

A record 163 players from 37 countries entered the individual championship which reaches its final in Zurich on 1 August.  The event is followed by the World Junior Men's Team Championship, from 2-7 August.

Karan Malik, aged 16, from Chennai, beat USA's Adam Perkiomaki 9-5, 9-6, 9-5 to earn a third round place against England's 5/8 seed Joe Lee - while Abhishek Pradhan and Mahesh Mangaonkar, both only 14 years old and from Mumbai, despatched Oliver Holland (England) and Ryan McConvey (Cayman Islands), respectively, in straight games to join compatriots Ravi Dixit, Paramit Singh, Aditya Jagtap and Vikram Malhotra in the third round.

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan, a semi-finalist in the individual championship in 2004 and 2006, is the event's top seed.  The 17-year-old from Peshawar faces New Zealander Alex Grayson in his opening match today (Monday) in Zurich.

3rd round line-up:

[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Alex Grayson (NZL)

Hugo Varela Campo (ESP) v Philip Tran (DEN)

Gustav Runersjo (SWE) v Lucas Serme (FRA)

[17/32] Kelly Shannon (CAN) v Alejandro Suarez (VEN)

[17/32] Todd Harrity (USA) v Joonas Honkanen (FIN)

Thakabi Moholo (RSA) v Antonio de la Torre (GUA)

Felipe Bueno Almeida (ECU) v Ravi Dixit (IND)

[9/16] Wael Farag (EGY) v Sam Fenwick (WAL)

[9/16] Mohd Shoaib Hassan (PAK) v Raphael Kandra (GER)

Zbynek Standera (CZE) v Noah DaBell (BER)

Tom de Mulder (BEL) v Patrick Miescher (SUI)

[17/32] Jacob Alexander (AUS) v Alberto Matteazzi (ITA)

[17/32] Nelson Chan (HKG) v Kevin Davey (IRL)

Andrew Schnell (CAN) v Paul Rodrigues (RSA)

Michael Ernst (NED) v Clay Blackiston (USA)

[5/8] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) v Shamlan A Ali (KUW)

[5/8] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) v Nicholas Sachvie (CAN)

Daniel Mekbib (CZE) v Alex Domenick (USA)

Wian Louwrens (RSA) v Daniel Cueva Mosquera (ECU)

[17/32] Evan Williams (NZL) v Arjun Gupta (CAN)

[17/32] Alex Ingham (ENG) v Casper Grauballe (DEN)

David Haley (WAL) v Lukas Burkhart (SUI)

Paramit Singh (IND) v Fausto Gomez (ESP)

[9/16] Leo Au (HKG) v Sam van Brusselen (BEL)

[9/16] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) v Johan Detter (SWE)

Micah Franklin (BER) v Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA)

Nasser Al-Hussaini (KUW) v Tim van der Pluijm (NED)

Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) v Dean Russell (RSA)

[17/32] Florian Silbernagl (GER) v Fung Ji Yang (HKG)

Mauricio Sedano (GUA) v Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY)

Aaron Fyfe (AUS) v Alan Tighe (IRL)

[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Daniel Prato (VEN)

[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Ondrej Uherka (CZE)

Luis Pedro Flores (GUA) v Li Zhi Yuan (CHN)

Rudi Rohrmuller (GER) v Laurens Mostmans (BEL)

[17/32] Lucas Vauzelle (FRA) v Ville Hiltunen (FIN)

[17/32] Matthew Hopkin (AUS) v James Earles (ENG)

Mohammed Al Tawari (KUW) v Kristian Nielsen de Silva (DEN)

Daniel Pascual Martinez (ESP) v Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY)

[9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Wilfredo Arcia (VEN)

[9/16] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) v Francisco Alvaro Asimbaya (ECU)

Colm Dolan (IRL) v Robert Maycock (BER)

Fred Reid (CAN) v Matt Domenick (USA)

[17/32] Aditya Jagtap (IND) v Jo Wen Ng (MAS)

[17/32] Hywel Robinson (WAL) v Keegan Burkhart (NZL)

Dimitri Diamadopoulos (ITA) v Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)

Truls Olterman (SWE) v Rick Penders (NED)

[5/8] Adrian Waller (ENG) v Muhammad Zul Azri (MAS)

[5/8] Joe Lee (ENG) v Karan Malik (IND)

Alex Christensson (SWE) v Choy Kit Lun (HKG)

Marc ter Sluis (NED) v Nosherwan Khan (PAK)

[17/32] Farhan Zaman (PAK) v Lau Ulrik Kiehn (DEN)

[17/32] Mohd Sayed Mahmoud Aly (EGY) v Robin Schreurs (BEL)

Bryan Bonilla (GUA) v Thomas Mattsson (USA)

Marco d'Adam (ITA) v Norman Junge (GER)

[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) v Danish Atlas Khan (PAK)

[9/16] Vikram Malhotra (IND) v Fahad Al-Ramezi (KUW)

Josh Larkin (AUS) v Abhishek Pradhan (IND)

Antoine Petrucci (FRA) v Orlando Rodriguez Ordonez (ECU)

[17/32] Cameron Jamieson (NZL) v Mikael Siren (FIN)

Adam Murrills (ENG) v Kah Wah Cheong (MAS)

Reinhold Hergeth (RSA) v Jonas Daehler (SUI)

Theodore Anderson (IRL) v Roman Svec (CZE)

[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Damian Arosa Rodriguez (ESP)
 

Aamir Atlas Khan Heads Record
World Championship Field

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan has been nominated as top seed in the 2008 World Junior Men's Squash Championship, in which a record 163 players from 37 countries will compete in Zurich from 28 July to 1 August. 

The biennial World Squash Federation event will be followed in the Swiss city by the World Junior Men's Team Championship, from 2-7 August.  With teams for the first time from the Cayman Islands, China, Ecuador and Guatemala, the team championship boasts a record entry of 32 nations.

China, hosts of the 2008 Olympic Games, are making notable progress in the world of Squash:  The nation made its international debut in the World Junior Women's Championships in Hong Kong in 2007 after hosting its maiden Tour event in Shanghai in 2004.

A semi-finalist in the individual championship in 2004 and 2006, Aamir Atlas Khan will be hoping that it will be third time lucky in Zurich.  The 17-year-old from Peshawar faces New Zealander Lui Syder in the 128-man third round draw.

If successful, Khan would become only the third Pakistani to win the title - but the first since his legendary uncle Jansher Khan lifted the trophy in Australia in 1986, before going on to win the senior World Open crown for a record eight times!

Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy, also 17, is the No2 seed, while Switzerland's Nicolas Mueller and Frenchman Gregoire Marche - who contested the 2008 European Junior Championship final - are third and fourth seeds, respectively.

Nicolas Mueller will lead home interest in the event.  The 18-year-old from Hirzel, near Zurich, became the first Swiss player to win the European Junior title in 2007.

With the top four seeds reflecting the strength of squash in Asia, Africa and Europe, Pan American interest in the event will be led by USA's Todd Harrity and Canadian Kelly Shannon - both 17/32 seeds - while Oceanian eyes will be on New Zealander Evan Williams and Australians Matthew Hopkin and Jacob Alexander, also 17/32 seeds.

As a result of the unprecedented entry list, two early 'feed-in' rounds have been introduced - with most team players entering the fray at the third round stage.