Karachi:All of the three Egyptian women competing in the USD18,000 Serena Hotels – Pakistan Open Women’s Squash Championship 2018 quarterfinals won their respective matches to secure three of the four semifinal slots for their country in DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex, Creek Club on Friday.
Top seed Yathreb Adel dropped a set before beating seventh seeded Malaysian Rachel Arnold by 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 score in 34 minutes.
Another third seeded Egyptian Zeina Mickawy defeated France’s 9/16 seed Enora Villard by 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 12-10 score in 45 minutes.
Second seeded Egypt’s player Nadine Shahin took only 27 minutes to dispatch sixth seed from Japan Satomi Watanabe in straight sets by 11-6, 11-3, 14-12 score in 27 minutes.
Fifth seeded Malaysian Sivasangari Subramaniam is the only non-Egyptian player to qualify for semifinals after she pulled an upset against fourth seed Liu Tsz-Ling of Hong Kong recording 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 6-11, 11-4 victory in 27 minutes.
However, Egyptians weren’t lucky enough in the lucrative USD53,000 Golootlo – Pakistan Open Men’s Squash Championship as only one survived Egyptian player survived the quarterfinal hurdle while facing compatriot.
Favorite Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt defeated compatriot Mazen Gamal by 11-9, 11-7, 11-1 score in 29 minutes.
Fourth seeded Malaysian Nafiizwan Adnan elbowed out his compatriot Ivan Yuen by 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 score after a 69-minute clash.
Fifth seeded Mexican player Arturo Salazar dispatched 9/16 seed Mostafa Asal of Egypt by 11-5, 11-2, 11-7 score in 31 minutes.
Peruvian second seed Diego Elias sent seventh seed Karim El Hammamy of Egypt packing for home after recording 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 victory in 35 minutes.
Karim Abdel Gawad will face Nafiizwan Adnan while Arturo Salazar will take on Diego Elias for a place in the summit clash.
The women’s semifinals will be played between Yathreb Adel and Zeina Mickawy, and Sivasangari Subramaniam and Nadine Shahin.