Karim Abdel Gawad claimed the sixth PSA World Tour title of his career after overcoming fellow Egyptian Ali Farag in the final of the inaugural Egyptian People Tournament, the PSA Challenger 10 squash event at the Heliopolis Club in Cairo.
For the second time in the tournament, the 20-year-old favourite dropped the opening game as Farag, the third seed from Cairo, bid to record the first ever win over his fellow countryman.
But Alexandria-born Gawad fought back to take the next two games before Farag again reclaimed the upper hand to draw level.
World No38 Gawad was able to reassert his authority in the decider, however, and kept his lower-ranked opponent at bay to record his 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 victory.
The title triumph marks not only Gawad's first of the year, but his first Tour success on home soil.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Egyptian People Tournament, Cairo, Egypt
Final:
[1] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [3] Ali Farag (EGY) 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8