The might of Egyptian squash was evident after day three of the VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Squash Championships in Poland where three of the country's young men battled through to the quarter-finals of the World Squash Federation event in the city of Bielsko-Biała, while compatriots claimed slots in all four of the women's quarter-finals.
16-year-old Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid, a 9/16 seed from Cairo (pictured celebrating above), produced the day's only significant upset at the nine-court Enjoy Squash club when he downed Jordanian Mohammad Al Sarraj, a 5/8 seed, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 to claim an unexpected last eight place.
The youngest quarter-finalist will now face lone Pakistani Israr Ahmed for a place in the men's semi-finals. The 3/4 seed from Lahore ended the run of unseeded compatriot Abbas Shoukat when he beat his Peshawar opponent 11-6, 12-10, 11-4.
Egyptian favourite Saadeldin Abouaish survived a tough test to earn his anticipated place in the last eight - twice coming from behind to see off Iranian Sajad Zareian 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7 in 64 minutes.
Abouaish (seen celebrating above), bidding to win his first major junior title, moves ahead to meet Benjamin Aubert, the 5/8 seed who carries French hopes single-handedly into the final stages after defeating Indian Adithya Raghavan 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 in just 28 minutes.
Hopes of Indian success now rest with Velavan Senthilkumar, also a 9/16 seed. The 18-year-old from Chennai stopped Pakistan's surprise last 16 survivor Kashif Asif, winning 5-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3.
Senthilkumar next takes on Malaysian hope Eain Yow Ng, the No.2 seed who took a step nearer to a second successive semi-final berth after beating unseeded Tom Walsh 13-11, 11-5, 11-3, thereby ending English interest in the event.
All top eight seeds came through the third round of the women's championship - with firm favourite Nouran Gohar, the defending champion and world No.5 from Egypt, leading the way by beating unseeded compatriot Zeina Mickawy 11-6, 11-5, 11-3.
Gohar lines up in the quarter-finals alongside fellow countrywomen Hania El Hammamy, Rowan Reda Araby and Amina Yousry, all of whom had comfortable straight games' victories.
England's Amelia Henley became the only European to make the last eight after surviving a 56-minute battle with Belgian Tinne Gilis (both pictured above), winning 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 in a repeat of the 2016 European Junior Championship final.
Malaysian hopes rest with two players, Andrea Lee and Sivasangari Subramaniam. Lee, a 5/8 seed from Kuala Lumpur, also needed 56 minutes to overcome Japan's Satomi Watanabe 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-3.
Subramaniam, a 3/4 seed from Kedah, survived a tough opener against Céline Walser before seeing off the 9/16 seed from Switzerland 17-15, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7.
RESULTS: VDC Dental-Care WSF World Junior Championships, Bielsko-Biała, Poland
Men's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) v [5/8] Benjamin Aubert (FRA)
[3/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK) v [9/16] Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid (EGY)
[3/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY) v [5/8] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND)
Women's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [5/8] Eleanor Epke (NZL)
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v [5/8] Amina Yousry (EGY)
[3/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) v [5/8] Andrea Lee (MAS)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [5/8] Amelia Henley (ENG)
Men's 4th round:
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) bt [9/16] Sajad Zareian (IRI) 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7 (64m)
[5/8] Benjamin Aubert (FRA) bt Adithya Raghavan (IND) 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 (28m)
[9/16] Marwan Tarek Abdelhamid (EGY) bt [5/8] Mohammad Al Sarraj (JOR) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (49m)
[3/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK) bt Abbas Shoukat (PAK) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (33m)
[3/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY) bt [9/16] Victor Crouin (FRA) 11-4, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7 (48m)
[5/8] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt [9/16] Charlie Lee (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (30m)
[9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) bt Kashif Asif (PAK) 5-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (35m)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 13-11, 11-5, 11-3 (31m)
Women's 3rd round:
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (25m)
[5/8] Eleanor Epke (NZL) bt [9/16] Zoe Foo Yuk Han (MAS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 (19m)
[5/8] Amina Yousry (EGY) bt [9/16] Casey Wong (USA) 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 (23m)
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [9/16] Céline Walser (SUI) 17-15, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7 (38m)
[3/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) bt [9/16] Marina Stefanoni (USA) 11-9, 11-4, 11-0 (23m)
[5/8] Andrea Lee (MAS) bt [9/16] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-3 (56m)
[5/8] Amelia Henley (ENG) bt [9/16] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (56m)
[2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt [9/16] Hiu Lam Lui (HKG) 11-6, 11-2, 11-2 (21m)
