Unseeded Egyptian Yasser El Halaby burst into the final of the Rochester ProAm Squash Championship after upsetting fourth-seeded compatriot Ahmed Maged Hamza 11-7 11-10 11-7 in the semi-finals of the PSA Tour event in New York.
In only his second month back as a PSA member after taking three years out, El Halaby made his breakthrough after despatching Colombia's No2 seed Bernardo Samper in the first round.
The US-based Egyptian, in his second PSA Tour final, will now face another Colombian in the final. Top seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez beat Australia's third seed Ben Gould 8-11 11-10 11-7 11-9 to celebrate his third appearance in a PSA Tour climax.
RESULTS: Rochester ProAm Squash Championship, New York, USA
1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Armando Olguin (MEX) 11-2, 11-4, 11-5
[Q] Ryan Donegan (USA) bt [6] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9
[3] Ben Gould (AUS) bt [Q] Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5
[Q] Imran Khan (Riaz) (PAK) bt [5] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) 11-9, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6
[8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) bt Manuel Fregoso (MEX) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4
[4] Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) bt [Q] Neil Hitchens (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4
Lefika Ragontse (BOT) bt [7] Patrick Bedore (CAN) 11-3, 5-11, 11-0, 3-11, 11-6
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt [2] Bernardo Samper (COL) 3-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-6
Quarter-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [Q] Ryan Donegan (USA) 10-11 (3-5), 11-1, 5-11 ret.
[3] Ben Gould (AUS) bt [Q] Imran Khan (Riaz) (PAK) 11-6, 11-10 (3-1), 11-8
[4] Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) bt [8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-3, 11-3, 11-10 (3-1)
Semi-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [3] Ben Gould (AUS) 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 11-9
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt [4] Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) 11-7, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7