| Karim Gawad | |
| Fullname: | Karim Abdel Gawad |
| Nickname: | The Baby Faced Assassin |
| Residence: | Cairo, Egypt |
| Birth Date: | 30 July 1991 |
| Birth Place: | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Weight: | 72kg (159lb) |
| Turnedpro: | 2008 |
| Retired: | Active |
| Plays: | Right Handed |
| Coach: | Hisham El Attar |
| Racquet: | Harrow |
| Event: | Men's singles |
| Highest Ranking: | No. 1 |
| Date Of Highest Ranking: | May 2017 |
| Current Ranking: | No. 10 |
| Date Of Current Ranking: | December 2021 |
| Worldopenresult: | W (2016) |
| Titles: | 13 |
| Finals: | 18 |
| Updated: | July 2020 |
Karim Gawad (born 30 July 1991) is an Egyptian professional squash player. 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 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 compatriot Ali Farag but Gawad became the first unseeded player since Rodney Martin in 1991 to reach the world championship 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 | 5–11, 11–6, 11–7, 2-1 (retired) | ||||
| Runner-up | Chicago, USA | 10–12, 6–11, 6–11 |