Egyptian teenager Karim Ali Fathi caused a sensational upset in the inaugural Egyptian People Tournament when he beat second-seeded compatriot Omar Abdel Aziz in the opening round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Heliopolis Club in Cairo.
Experienced Aziz, the 27-year-old world No45 from Cairo, took the opening game. But 18-year-old Fathi, a qualifier coached in the UK by former England international Phil Whitlock, survived a lengthy second tie-break game before going on to close out the match 6-11, 16-14, 11-8, 11-8 and record one of the best wins of his career.
Fathi will now face another rising star of Egyptian squash Marwan El Shorbagy. The 18-year-old from Alexandria, who became the world junior champion in considerable style last month in Belgium, took just three games to dismiss Jordan's Ahmad Alzabidi 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 to earn a place in the Tour event's quarter-finals.
Event favourite Karim Abdel Gawad cruised into the last eight. The Cairo-based 20-year-old despatched Cairo-born Italian Amr Ramsy Swelim 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 and will now take on fellow countryman Wael Farag for a place in the semi-finals.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Egyptian People Tournament, Cairo, Egypt
1st round:
[1] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Amr Ramsy Swelim (ITA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-2
Wael Farag (EGY) bt Ahmed Hawas (EGY) 11-9, 11-13 ret.
Mazen Gamal (EGY) bt Omar Khaled Kheiralla (EGY) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7
[4] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [Q] Mohammed El Kamash (EGY) 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 11-5
[3] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [Q] Karim Ayman Elhammamy (EGY) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [Q] Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) 11-2, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8
Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
[Q] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt [2] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 6-11, 16-14, 11-8, 11-8
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Wael Farag (EGY)
[4] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) v Mazen Gamal (EGY)
[3] Ali Farag (EGY) v Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
[Q] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY)