Top seed Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan claimed his anticipated place in the semi-finals of the Hibiscus Gardens Open in Australia - but the 25-year-old Malaysian was taken the full distance before overcoming local hope Jamie McErvale in a 59-minute marathon in the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at Hibiscus Gardens Squash Centre in Brisbane.
It was after a 75-minute first round clash with Indian qualifier Mahesh Mangaonkar that Adnan, ranked 36 in the world, faced Queenslander McErvale. The unseeded 20-year-old - ranked more than 130 places lower - opened up a two-game lead.
But Adnan regained the upper hand to come through 9-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 to make the last four.
The Malaysian favourite will face New Zealand qualifier Evan Williams. The 22-year-old from Wellington, who ousted third seed Dick Lau in the opening round, maintained his giant-killing run by defeating Kuwait's higher-ranked Ammar Al-Tamimi 11-3, 11-8, 11-5.
Australian Rex Hedrick created the biggest shock in the top half of the draw. The unseeded world No85 from Melbourne despatched Malaysian Muhd Asyraf Azan, the No2 seed ranked 20 places higher, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5.
Hedrick will now face another Malaysian for a place in the final. Ivan Yuen, the fourth seed from Kuala Lumpur, defeated Kiwi qualifier Paul Coll 11-5, 12-10, 11-7.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Hibiscus Gardens Open, Brisbane, Australia
1st round:
[2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (23m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 (43m)
[Q] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Justin Beard (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 (37m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Leo Au (HKG) 5-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-6 (59m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt [3] Dick Lau (HKG) 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 11-3 (46m)
Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-1, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8 (45m)
Jamie McErvale (AUS) bt [Q] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 5-11, 11-9, 14-12, 11-5 (56m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-2 (75m)
Quarter-finals:
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (62m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Paul Coll (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (35m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 (37m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Jamie McErvale (AUS) 9-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 (59m)
Semi-final line-up:
Rex Hedrick (AUS) v [4] Ivan Yuen (MAS)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v [Q] Evan Williams (NZL)
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