Hong Kong’s Simmi Chan runner-up at Under-23 World Squash Championships
Chan beaten by Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt – and qualification rules could deny her a place in senior world championships next month
Hongkonger Simmi Chan Sin-yuk had to settle for the runner-up spot after falling just short in the women’s final at the inaugural Under-23 World Squash Championships in Pakistan on Thursday.
Seeded No 4 in Karachi, Chan met her match when she was faced with the tournament’s top seed Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt and was beaten in straight games, going down 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 in just over 28 minutes at the DHA Creek Club in Karachi.
Aboelkheir’s victory meant that the Egyptian was entitled to a place in the qualifying tournament for next month’s senior world championships in Chicago, although her rank of 14th in the world means that the 19-year-old is expected to make the cut for the main draw automatically.
The Post has been told that the right to play in the qualifiers would not pass instead to Chan in the event of Aboelkheir already having a spot.
Chan, 22, was also not in a seven-player list submitted by Hong Kong’s squash association for the regional section of the qualifiers, to be played in Kuala Lumpur next week.
Ranked No 72 in the world, Chan received a bye in the first round in Pakistan before beating South Africa’s Savannah Ingledew in straight games, then Akari Midorikawa of Japan to reach the semi-finals. The Columbia University student edged out Yee Xin Ying of Malaysia 3-2 to secure her final spot.