RESULTS: CIMB Malaysian Open Squash Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [5] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 (81m)
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt [3] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (65m)
[4] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [6] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (41m)
[Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt [8] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7 (40m)
Women’s quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Camille Serme (FRA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 (29m)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 3-11, 11-4 (36m)
[Q] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [8] Laura Massaro (ENG) 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 11-4, 13-11 (51m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (35m)
Nicol David and Mohd Azlan Iskandar kept hopes of a local double alive in the CIMB Malaysian Open after straight games quarter-final victories in their home country's biggest international squash event at The Curve Shopping Mall in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
World number one Nicol David, looking for her eighth final appearance in a row and her sixth successive title, eased to an 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 win over rising French star Camille Serme to reach the semi-finals of the women’s $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold event.
The 26-year-old from Penang will now face England's fourth seed Alison Waters, the world No4 from London who ousted Egypt's fifth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy 11-5, 11-3, 3-11, 11-4.
But there will be unexpected Egyptian interest in the other women's semi-final after qualifier Raneem El Weleily extended her giant-killing run in KL with an 11-7, 7-11, 7-11, 11-4, 13-11 win over England's eighth seed Laura Massaro.
El Weleily had earlier upset Australia's No3 seed Rachael Grinham to reach the last eight.
Two-times champion Mohd Azlan Iskandar reached the semi-finals of the men's $52,500 PSA World Tour 5-star event after overcoming Pakistan's sixth seed Aamir Atlas Khan 11-7, 11-8, 11-2.
But the 28-year-old from KL – who won the title in 2007 alongside Nicol David – will have a tough battle against another Pakistani when he faces left-hander Farhan Mehboob.
The 21-year-old qualifier from Peshawar followed his major first round upset over second-seeded Australian Cameron Pilley by beating Germany's Simon Rosner, the No8 seed, 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7 to reach the semi-finals for the first time.
And there was further Australian disappointment in the top half of the draw when 2007 runner-up Stewart Boswell failed to make the last four. An inspired performance from seventh seed Tarek Momen saw the 22-year-old Egyptian fight back from two games down to beat Boswell, the third seed, 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 in 65 minutes to claim his first successful Malaysian Open run.
Momen will now face fellow countryman Mohamed El Shorbagy after the top seed from Alexandria – in his maiden appearance in the event - disappointed the local crowd by defeating Malaysian star Ong Beng Hee, the fifth seed who won the title in 2000, 2005 and 2008, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 after an 81-minute marathon.
Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v [7] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) v [4] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS)
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [4] Alison Waters (ENG)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)