(updated 1-aug-10 19:14

Khalifa & Farag Set Up All-Egyptian World Junior Final

Amr Khaled Khalifa and Ali Farag will contest an all-Egyptian Men's World Junior Squash Championship final - but the top two seeds from Cairo survived their semi-finals of the World Squash Federation event in contrasting styles on the all-glass court at El Condado Shopping Mall in the Ecuador capital Quito.

Favourite Amr Khaled Khalifa had not dropped game in four rounds leading to the semis. But the 17-year-old was taken the full distance by unheralded compatriot Marwan El Shorbagy, the 9/16 seed from Alexandria who was hoping to keep the trophy in the family after his older brother Mohamed El Shorbagy won it for the last two years.

Khalifa took the opening two games, but 17-year-old El Shorbagy clinched a tie-break third game before going on to win the fourth to draw level.

But after 74 minutes it was top seed Khalifa who prevailed, winning 11-6, 11-1, 11-13, 9-11, 11-4 to make the final at his third attempt since 2008.

Second seed Ali Farag had an altogether easier ride in his bid to reach the climax in his maiden attempt.
Yet to drop a game in Quito, Farag despatched Pakistan's 9/16 seed Farhan Zaman 11-2, 11-4, 11-8 in just 23 minutes to ensure that the men's world junior championship trophy will remain in Egyptian hands for the fifth time since 2004.

 

RESULTS: World Junior Championship, Quito, Ecuador
Semi-finals:
[1] Amr Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt [9/16] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-6, 11-1, 11-13, 9-11, 11-4 (74m)
[2] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [9/16] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-2, 11-4, 11-8 (23m)