WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Chartres Open Squash Championship, Chartres, France

Quarter-finals:
[Q] Stephane Galifi (FRA) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 13-15, 15-13, 17-16, 16-17, 15-2
[7] Mohamed Hafiz (EGY) bt [3] Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 15-13, 15-9, 15-14
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [Q] Andrew Whipp (ENG) 15-10, 15-13, 14-17, 15-10
[2] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [5] Alex Stait (ENG) 15-13, 15-9, 15-14

French Final In Prospect In Chartres

The remarkable prospect of an all-French Chartres Open Squash Championship final was set up when qualifier Stephane Galifi and wildcard entrant Julien Balbo claimed dramatic and unexpected places in the semi-finals of the new PSA Tour event in the French city of Chartres.

In a finely-balanced quarter-final clash at the top of the draw, Galifi overcame Mexican Eric Galvez 13-15 15-13 17-16 16-17 15-2 - just twenty four hours after removing the Czech Republic's top seed Jan Koukal.

Galifi, at 269, the lowest-ranked of the 13 Frenchman in the PSA World Rankings, now meets Egypt's No7 seed Mohamed Hafiz, who upset France's third seed Jean-Michel Arcucci 15-13 15-9 15-14.

Following his first round defeat of Pakistan's sixth seed Arshad Iqbal Burki, Balbo beat English qualifier Andrew Whipp 15-10 15-13 14-17 15-10 to earn a semi-final meeting with Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema.

The in-form second seed, who won the Dutch Open title last week in The Hague, swept to his second successive straight games win with a 15-13 15-9 15-14 victory over fifth-seeded Englishman Alex Stait.