Egypt's Omneya Abdel-Qawi proved she is in a class of her own when she crushed teammate Amnah El-Tarabolssi in the first-ever all-Egyptian final of the Women's World Junior Squash Championships. Inas Mazhar reports Despite only celebrating her 18th birthday seven days earlier, Abdel-Qawi is already a "veteran" of the WISPA World Tour, boasting two final and three semi-final appearances on the "senior" international circuit and current world ranking of 12. Abdel-Qawi claimed her first world title, beating El- Tarabolssi in straight sets in just 23 minutes. The final was a one-side game, with the top favourite taking the first game with ease -- not dropping a point. In the second, third seed El-Tarabolssi led 4-0, but Abdel-Qawi refocussed to take the next six points and then the game 9-6. The third game was fast and the young champion quickly wrapped up the match, and the long-awaited title, 9-0, 9-6, 9-4. It was a "first" on all counts: for Abdel-Qawi, for Egypt, and for women's squash -- an Egyptian victory, and an all- Egyptian semi-final line-up. Displaying power and domination, world number 12 Abdel- Qawi had crushed her opponent -- fifth seed Sara Badr -- 9-0, 9-4, 9-0, in just 29 minutes to reach her second successive final. The runner-up two years ago in Penang to Malaysia's Nicol David, the remarkable 18-year-old Abdel-Qawi had not conceded a game in the championship -- and reached the semi-finals of the event in Belgium in 1999 when at the age of 13. Third seed Amnah El-Tarabolssi, who was playing in her first final, had a significantly tougher ride to the final. Twice behind in games, El-Tarabolssi was 0-4 down to 9/16th seed Nehal Yehia in the fifth game of the other semi-final. She fought back, however, to clinch the match 5-9, 9-1, 5-9, 9-7, 9-7, in 52 minutes. It was one match too many for Yehia, who made her break- through in the event by upsetting Australia's number two seed Kasey Brown, then survived a five-game semi-final against England's Lauren Siddall. Abdel-Qawi, Egypt's first winner of the title in the event's 22-year history, received her trophy jointly from Jahangir Khan, president of the World Squash Federation (WSF), and Egypt's Minister of Youth Alieddin Hilal, as well as Mohamed El-Menshawi, president of the Egyptian Squash Federation. The world title crowns a remarkable association with the Women's World Junior Championships for Egyptian champion Omneya Abdel-Qawi. At just 11 years old, Abdel-Qawi made her debut for Egypt in the 1997 championships in Rio de Janeiro. Two years later, she reached the semi-finals of the individual event and led Egypt to a historic first-time team-title with victory over title-holders England in the final in Belgium. Then two years ago, in Malaysia, Abdel-Qawi was runner-up to Malaysia's Nicol David in the final in Penang. The singles' event now wrapped up, the team event begins. With Egypt boasting all four semi-finalists in the individual event, they entered the Sunday start as top favourites for the teams' title, with title-holders England seeded two. Teams were seeded from the third to the 16th as follows; Australia, India, Canada, Malaysia, Spain, New Zealand, Hong Kong, USA, Scotland, Germany, Wales, Ireland, Mexico and Switzerland. Singles results included: In the quarter-finals, the 9/16 seed Nehal Yehia overcame Australia's number two seed Kasey Brown in four games. Brown, who had been unwell the day before but struggled through to the last 16 after a lengthy five- game victory, took the opening game -- but then offered little further resistance as Yehia raced to a 2-9, 9-1, 9-0, 9-1 victory in 33 minutes. Yehia then met fellow 9/16 seed Lauren Siddall, the lone English representative in the quarter-finals, who ended unseeded Canadian Miranda Ranieri's great run with a 10-8, 9-5 8-10 6-9 9-1 victory in 58 minutes. Egypt's other surprise quarter-finalist was 9/16 seed Raneem El-Weleily, who upset England's 3/4 seed Suzie Pierrepont 9-4, 9-2, 4-9, 9-5 in 37 minutes. The Egyptian was less nervous than her opponent and played wonderful short balls, often wrong- footing the reigning European Junior Champion. El-Weleily then faced compatriot Sara Badr, a 5/8 seed who won a close and at times ill-tempered match against Australia's 9/16 seed Peta Hughes 9-5, 4-9, 1-9, 9-3, 9-1 in 57 minutes. Omneya Abdel-Qawi took just 16 minutes to dismiss Canada's Kyla Grigg 9-2, 9-0, 9-0. Abel-Kawy faced the only other non-Egyptian in the last eight -- India's 5/8 seed Joshna Chinappa, who needed to be at her very best to overcome 9/16 seed Charlie de Rycke. The 16-year-old Belgian was unable to convert game balls in both the first two games and after 53 minutes went down 10-9, 10-9, 4-9, 9-5 to Chinappa. The Egyptian play, needless to say, caused more than a bit of a stir. "With six Egyptian players in the quarter finals, this is the moment I've been waiting for 10 years," said Samiha Abul- Maged of Egyptian Squash Federation, after her girls had stormed into the quarterfinals. "Now all of Egypt can watch their girls on top. This is great for women's squash in Egypt and it is certain to increase the number of girls practicing the game." Abul-Maged is the official in charge of women's squash activities at the Egyptian Squash Federation. The tournament results, needless to say, are a historic event not only for the young girls, but also for Egyptian women, Egyptian sports, and Egyptian squash.
