Egypt’s World #10 Fares Dessouky has withdrawn from the Optasia Championship with injury
The Egyptian got the better of current World #1 Mostafa Asal in his opening match in the just-concluded Black Ball Open, and had match balls against eventual finalist Tarek Momen in the quarter-finals, playing on despite receiving treatment for an oblique tear and a recommendation not to play on.
Dessouky will be out for around a month, meaning he will also miss the Canary Wharf Classic and the British Open.
Wales’ Joel Makin moves to Dessouky’s place in the draw as #8 seed, Patrick Rooney takes Makin’s place as a 9/16 seed against Eain Yow Ng, and France’s Auguste Dussourd comes in to play Saurav Ghosal in the first round.