 Karim Abdel Gawad at the 2017 Men's World Team Squash Championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | The Baby Faced Assassin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  Egypt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Cairo, Egypt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 30, 1991 Alexandria, Egypt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 72 kg (159 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned Pro | 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | Active | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right Handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Hisham El Attar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Racquet used | Harrow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (May, 2017) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | No. 10 (December 2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour final(s) | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Open | W (2016) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last updated: July 2020. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Karim Abdel Gawad (born July 30, 1991, in Alexandria) is a professional squash player who has represented Egypt. He is a former world champion and world number 1.
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 Ramy 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 Ali Farag but Gawad became the first unseeded player since Rodney Martin in 1991 to reach the world final.[5] It completed a remarkable comeback from the injury he suffered the previous year.
Major tournaments include:
| Year/Season | Tournament | Opponent | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2018 | Black 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 |
| 2019 | Egyptian 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 |
| Outcome | Year | Location | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Winner | 2016 | Cairo, Egypt | Ramy Ashour |
5–11, 11–6, 11–7, 2-1 (retired) |
| Runner-up | 2023 | Chicago, USA | Ali Farag |
10–12, 6–11, 6–11 |
| Outcome | Year | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Winner | 2016 | Mohamed El Shorbagy |
12–10, 13–15, 11-7 |
| Outcome | Year | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 2016 | Ramy Ashour |
11–9, 8–11, 11–6, 5–11, 11-6 |
| Outcome | Year | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Winner | 2016 | Ali Farag |
11–4, 11–7, 11-5[6] |
