Second seed Mark Krajcsak is on course to reach the final of the Kish Persian Gulf Cup in Iran, but a trio of Frenchmen stand in the Hungarian's way of winning the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its fourth year at Kish Sports Centre at Kish Island.
The 28-year-old from Budapest ended Nathan Lake's run when he beat the English qualifier 11-2, 11-4, 11-7 in 30 minutes.
Krajcsak will now face Fabien Verseille, the fourth seed from Aix-en-Provence who ousted in-form Pakistani Muhammad Saqib Yousaf 11-5, 13-11, 11-5.
Top seed Yann Perrin offers Krajcsak's stiffest resistance in the lower half of the draw. The 2010 champion defeated Kuwait's Ammar Al-Tamimi 11-7, 13-11, 11-9.
The 26-year-old world No74 - ranked just three places higher than the Hungarian number one - will line up against fellow countryman Joan Lezaud in the other semi-final.
Lezaud, 26 and also based in Aix, was taken the full distance before overcoming Finn Matias Tuomi 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-6 in 47 minutes.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Kish Persian Gulf Cup, Kish Island, Iran
Quarter-finals:
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [Q] Nathan Lake (ENG) 11-2, 11-4, 11-7 (30m)
[4] Fabien Verseille (FRA) bt Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 11-5, 13-11, 11-5 (27m)
[3] Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-6 (47m)
[1] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-7, 13-11, 11-9 (44m)
Semi-final line-up:
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) v [4] Fabien Verseille (FRA)
[1] Yann Perrin (FRA) v [3] Joan Lezaud (FRA)
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