Pakistan’s rising squash players, Mahnoor Ali and Harmas Raja, registered historic victories at the US Junior Open Squash Championships, held here at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center on Tuesday.
Third-seeded Mahnoor delivered a spectacular performance in the final as she outclassed Egypt’s top-seed Linda Elsayed 3-1 with scores of 11-8, 12-10, 5-11 and 11-6 to become the first Pakistani female player to win the Girls’ Under-13 title at the US Junior Open.
On her way to a historic victory, Mahnoor showcased dominance in the semi-finals with a commanding 3-1 win over Xyan Yin of Hong Kong.
Taking to Instagram, Mahnoor termed his title-victory a ‘dream come true’ as she shared a picture of herself posing with the trophy.
“It’s a dream come true, and words can hardly describe the emotions I’m feeling right now,” wrote Mahnoor.
“This victory is not just mine—it’s a win for Pakistan squash and for all young girls striving to make their mark. I hope this inspires others to believe in their dreams and work hard to achieve them,” she added.
She credited her success to her coaches, Adil Atlas Khan in Pakistan and Kama Khan at the K2 Squash Club in the USA.
“A huge thank you to my coaches: Adil Atlas Khan (Pakistan) for his relentless support and guidance back home. Kama Khan (USA) for being there every step of the way during this tournament. Not only did he train me on the court, but he also prepared me mentally and tactically to face the world’s best.”
Meanwhile, in the Boys' Under-11 category, Harmas Raja showcased exceptional skill, clinching the title with a straight-sets victory over USA’s Archibald Anolik (11-8, 11-8, 11-8).
Harmas was in an exceptional form throughout the tournament, including his dominant 3-0 win against the USA’s Lukas Daly in the semi-finals.
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
