Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali was crowned the Under-13 champion at the US Junior Squash Open, while her compatriot Muhammad Harmas Ali Raja clinched the Under-11 title at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Mahnoor Ali defeated Egypt’s Linda Elsayed in a thrilling final, securing the first two sets 11-8 and 12-10 before dropping the third 5-11.
However, the 11-year-old staged a strong comeback, winning the fourth set 11-6 to claim the U13 title, making history as the first Pakistani to achieve this feat.
Ranked as the U13 Asian No. 2, Ali maintained an unbeaten record throughout the tournament, which featured over 1,200 players from more than 40 countries.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Harmas Ali Raja dominated the U11 final, defeating the USA’s Archibald Anolik in straight sets with identical scores of 11-8, 11-8, 11-8. Like Ali, Raja also maintained a flawless record during the competition. As of November 2024, Raja held the top spot in Pakistan’s U11 rankings.
Ali’s triumph capped an extraordinary year marked by international victories across Asia, Europe, and now North America. Her sponsors, the BARD (Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood) Foundation, hailed her success as “a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and hard work.”
