Egypt’s Marwan Tarek and Rowan Reda Araby clinched the respective men’s and women’s titles as action concluded today at the World Squash Federation Junior Championships in New Zealand ©WSF

Egypt’s Marwan Tarek and Rowan Reda Araby clinched the respective men’s and women’s titles as action concluded today at the World Squash Federation Junior Championships in New Zealand.

Araby, last year’s runner-up in Polish city Bielsko-Biała, upset the odds to beat top-seeded compatriot Hania El Hammamy 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre in Tauranga.

Tarek claimed an 11-9, 3-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-2 win over France’s Victor Crouin.

It is the fifth time in the history of the tournament that Egypt have achieved the men’s and women’s double.

Araby and El Hammamy had contested three British Junior Open finals since 2013, all of which were won by the latter.

But Araby made her breakthrough a year ago in Bielsko-Biała, beating her older rival for the first time in the semi-finals.

Spurred on by her most recent success, the 16-year-old charged to her straight-games victory over the world number 35 to become the seventh successive Egyptian winner of the women’s title.

"I am so happy," Araby, who is ranked 15 places lower than El Hammamy, said.

"I worked so hard for this title after coming second last year.

"It’s difficult playing another Egyptian, but there are no friends on the court and I worked hard to stay calm.

"I didn’t expect it to be 3-0.

"All the matches I play against Hania are normally close.

"This is just amazing."

Egypt's Rowan Reda Araby, right, beat compatriot Hania El Hammamy, left in the women's final ©WSF
Egypt's Rowan Reda Araby, right, beat compatriot Hania El Hammamy, left in the women's final ©WSF

Both men’s finalists pulled off upsets in the penultimate round, leaving the final devoid of the event’s top two seeds for the first time since 2004.

Tarek was facing Crouin for the first time since meeting the Frenchman in the British Under-13 Junior Open in 2012.

The match went the full distance with Crouin, bidding to become his country's first-ever world junior champion, twice drawing level after Tarek won the first and third games.

But after losing the first point in the decider, Tarek reeled off eight points in a row to seal his success. 

"I can’t think right now - I’m the world champion, I’m the world champion," the 17-year-old from Cairo said. 

"Dreams do come true.

Tarek revealed he was feeling the effects of his semi-final win against top seed Youssef Ibrahim, also of Egypt. 

"I wasn’t 100 per cent ready," he added.

"My body was weak but this is the World Championships and you have to survive."

The WSF World Junior Team Championships are due to start tomorrow with Egypt favourites to claim the title for the sixth consecutive time.