RESULTS: Hurghada International, Hurghada, Egypt
Semi-finals:
[1] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [4] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 10-12, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 (38m)
[3] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt [2] Camille Serme (FRA) 11-13, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 (47m)
The Women's Hurghada International will climax in an unexpected all-Egyptian final after third seed Engy Kheirallah overcame Camille Serme, the second seed from France, in the semi-finals of the $26,200 WISPA World Tour squash event staged on an all-glass court sited on the Promenade in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
Kheirallah, the world No14 from Alexandria but now based in Cairo, recovered from a game down to beat the rising French star - ranked four places higher - 11-13, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 in 47 minutes.
The 28-year-old, supported by husband Karim Darwish, the world No4, was ecstatic: "I have never done really, really well in Hurghada and I am so happy to be in my first final here. Today my length was much better and I was really focussed and alert."
Kheirallah, a semi-finalist in 2006 and 2007, then revealed another element colouring the match: "She beat me at my own club in front of my friends in a WISPA, so today was revenge day. It was special!"
Serme affirmed what had been clear to see: "I played worse than yesterday as I am so tired. It was one match too much and I am mentally exhausted," added the 21-year-old, referring to the rigours of the European Team Championship which immediately preceded the Hurghada week.
Kheirallah will face Egyptian team-mate Omneya Abdel Kawy, the defending champion now one match away from her fourth title success since 2006.
Abdel Kawy had gone short too early in the first game against fourth-seeded compatriot Raneem El Weleily but recovered to win 10-12, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 in 38 minutes.
Kheirallah is marking the tenth final appearance of her career - while the 24-year-old top seed is celebrating her fourth WISPA Tour final appearance in 2010, but looking for her first title win this year.