India's top squash player Dipika Pallikal Karthik was stunned by qualifier Mariam Metwally of Egypt in the first round of the Wadi Dagla Open, a PSA world tour event, in Cairo on Monday.
Dipika squandered a two-game advantage to go down 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 8-11 to the Egyptian in a dramatic opening round match of the squash event which is being held alongside the men's world championship.
The seventh seeded Indian, who is ranked 19 in the PSA list, was surprised by the determined approach of the 31st-ranked Egyptian.
Still with two games in the kitty, Dipika seemed well on course but a minor slip turned into a slide and the Egyptian made the best of the situation to carve out the win in just under an hour.
India’s challenge ended with Dipika's exit.
Image: India's Dipika Pallikal
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
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