Karim Abdel Gawad

Last updated
Karim Abdel Gawad
Karim Abdel Gawad 2017.jpg
Nickname(s)The Baby Faced Assassin
CountryFlag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
Residence Cairo, Egypt
Born (1991-07-30) 30 July 1991 (age 33)
Alexandria, Egypt
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
Turned Pro2008
RetiredActive
PlaysRight Handed
Coached byHisham El Attar
Racquet usedHarrow
Men's singles Squash pictogram.svg
Highest rankingNo. 1 (May 2017)
Current rankingNo. 10 (December 2021)
Title(s)13
Tour final(s)18
World Open W (2016)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Cairo Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Chicago Singles
World Team Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Marseille Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Washington D.C. Team
Last updated: July 2020.

Karim Abdel Gawad (born 30 July 1991 in Alexandria) is a professional squash player who has represented Egypt. He is a former world champion and world number 1.

Contents

Career

In November 2016, he won the 2016 World Open Squash Championship in Cairo in Egypt against Ramy Ashour. He became the third Egyptian to win the World Championship after Amr Shabana and Ashour. He reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 1 in May 2017. [1] [2]

In 2020, he suffered a major injury during the final of the 2020 Manchester Open. He damaged his heel, which eventually led to ten months out of squash and his world ranking plummeted as a result. [3]

In May 2023, he reached the final of the 2023 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, after defeating second seed Diego Elías in the quarter final and third seed Mohamed El Shorbagy in the semi final. [4] In the final he lost to compatriot Ali Farag but Gawad became the first unseeded player since Rodney Martin in 1991 to reach the world championship final. [5] It completed a remarkable comeback from the injury he suffered the previous year.

Titles and Finals

Major Finals (11)

Major tournaments include:

Year/SeasonTournamentOpponentResultScore
2016 Hong Kong Open Ramy Ashour Loss (1)9-11 11-8 6-11 11-5 6-11
2016 PSA World Championships Ramy Ashour Win (1)5-11 11-6 11-7 2-1 (retired)
2016 Qatar Classic Mohamed El Shorbagy Win (2)12-10 15-13 11-7
2017 Tournament of Champions Grégory Gaultier Win (3)6-11 11-6 12-10 11-6
2017 El Gouna International Grégory Gaultier Loss (2)6-11 8-11 7-11
2018Black Ball Open Ali Farag Win (4)11-6 13-11 7-11 11-8
2019 El Gouna International Ali Farag Loss (3)9-11 10-12 3-11
2018-19 PSA World Tour Finals Mohamed Abouelghar Win (5)12-10 11-6 5-11 8-11 12-10
2019Egyptian Open Ali Farag Win (6)11-6 11-8 11-8
2019-20 PSA World Tour Finals Marwan El Shorbagy Loss (4)6-11 5-11 3-11
2022-23 PSA World Championships Ali Farag Loss (5)10-12 6-11 6-11

World Open final appearances

OutcomeYearLocationOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner 2016 Cairo, Egypt Flag of Egypt.svg Ramy Ashour 5–11, 11–6, 11–7, 2-1 (retired)
Runner-up 2023 Chicago, USA Flag of Egypt.svg Ali Farag 10–12, 6–11, 6–11

Major World Series final appearances

Qatar Classic

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner 2016 Flag of Egypt.svg Mohamed El Shorbagy 12–10, 13–15, 11-7

Hong Kong Open

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up 2016 Flag of Egypt.svg Ramy Ashour 11–9, 8–11, 11–6, 5–11, 11-6

Al-Ahram International

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Winner 2016 Flag of Egypt.svg Ali Farag 11–4, 11–7, 11-5 [6]

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References

  1. "PSA Player Profile". Archived from the original on 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
  2. "SquashInfo Player Profile" . Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  3. ""Four Months in a Wheelchair" – Gawad Discusses Return From Injury Hell". PSA World Tour. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  4. "2023 World Championship draws". PSA. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  5. "FINALS : Sherbini and Farag retain titles". World Squash. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  6. "PSA World Tour, Al-Ahram: Gawad and El Welily crowned champions". Archived from the original on 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
Sporting positions
Preceded by PSA Young Player of the Year
2013
Succeeded by