Pakistani trio advance to Australian Junior squash semi-finals

Published April 15, 2025
Mehwish, Sehrish and Mahnoor Ali advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Junior Open after winning their respective quarter-finals on Tuesday. — Photo via author
Mehwish, Sehrish and Mahnoor Ali advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Junior Open after winning their respective quarter-finals on Tuesday. — Photo via author

Pakistan dominated the squash courts in Melbourne as sisters Mehwish, Sehrish and Mahnoor Ali advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Junior Open on Tuesday.

Top seed Mehwish is looking to defend her U-17 title after setting up a semi-final with Australian Tina Ma, who won the U-15 title at last year’s edition of the Australian Junior Open.

Mehwish won her quarter-final in straight games after dominating Hong Kong’s Maeghan Wang 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre.

Over in the U-15 category, second seed Sehrish will face Olivia van Zon in the semis after thrashing Chelsea Paule 11-2, 11-3, 11-1 in the quarter-finals.

Sehrish is top ranked in Pakistan in the Women’s U-15 category as of March 2025, followed by sister Mahnoor, who often plays above her age category and sets up a sibling showdown with Sehrish.

Like her older sisters, top seed Mahnoor remains undefeated throughout the tournament and won today’s quarter-final in three straight sets. She obliterated New Zealand’s Meriam Ibrahim 11-1, 11-0, 11-3, and will face Elizabeth Wang in the semis.

The 12-year-old is currently the No. 1 ranked women’s squash player in Pakistan as of March, with Mehwish at No.5 and Sehrish at No. 14.

Meanwhile, Nouman Khan lost to Elijah Rolls in Monday’s Round of 16 after failing to score a single point.

Opinion

Editorial

Diplomatic resolve
Updated 30 May, 2026

Diplomatic resolve

Iran, too, must engage seriously and provide credible assurances about its nuclear programme if it wants sanctions relief and a more stable relationship with the outside world.
Weaponising water
30 May, 2026

Weaponising water

CLIMATE Minister Musadik Malik’s warning against what he described as “water aggression” indicates ...
Rabies toll
30 May, 2026

Rabies toll

EVERY year, rabies, the deadliest zoonotic disease, kills more than 59,000 people worldwide. In Pakistan, it is one...
Pressure politics
Updated 28 May, 2026

Pressure politics

The attempt to connect the Iran conflict with the Abraham Accords makes little sense.
Eid’s true spirit
Updated 27 May, 2026

Eid’s true spirit

Pakistan celebrates Eid while grappling with economic strain that continues to weigh heavily on ordinary households.
Cotton crisis
Updated 29 May, 2026

Cotton crisis

We need a coherent long-term cotton strategy or else, Pakistan might lose a key pillar of its export economy.