Mostafa Assal hopes to continue unbeaten run

The 17-year-old already has three PSA titles under his belt, having come up trumps in Mar del Plata Open, Regatas Resistencia Open and Paineiras Open. He had a magical month of May, with all three victories coming in it.

“I was exhausted during the Paraguay Open because of a tiring schedule. Apart from it, South America has been lucky for me, with couple (of gold medals) in Argentina and one in Brazil. But, I am focussed on continuing this fine run,” said Mostafa in an exclusive chat with DT Next.

Mostafa, the number two seed in the men’s juniors of the ongoing World Junior Championships here, took giant strides, climbing a whopping 473 places in a matter of two months. Speaking on his objectives for the rest of the season, the Cairo-born lad added, “I hope to win the Junior Worlds first and then I will shift my focus to climbing into the top 30 of the men’s category.” One might well be considered a rare species in Egypt if he or she does not take a liking for footballer Mohamed Salah. The winger carried the hopes of an entire nation on his shoulders and rattled various African defences to propel the ‘Pharaohs’ to the Football World Cup after a gap of 28 years. “We love him. He is patient and plays without pressure. He is never a showboat and that makes him stand out from the rest,” he replied with a beaming smile.

Commenting on his first trip to India, the British Junior Open 2018 champion asserted, “It’s a new experience and it’s a very nice place to visit. I just love the trees (laughs). I will be back here in November for a PSA tournament.”

Mostafa, who is Egypt’s top-ranked player in the U-17 and U-19 categories, plays Play Station 4 and FIFA during his off days. He is also a product of the Al Ahly Squash Club in Cairo, which is often referred to as the ‘Community of champions’. While he relishes wearing the club’s sportswear with its batch on the front, fans have already kept an eye on his name at the back because of his breath-taking performances. Having already moved into the top-100, the teenager has all the credentials to break bigger barriers and become the next big thing from his circle.