Harford Hops Into Clod Open In Milan

English qualifier Jonathan Harford claimed an unexpected place in the semi-finals of the Clod Open in Italy when he beat compatriot and fellow qualifier Adham Abou Taleb 11-5, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-8 in the quarter-finals of the new PSA Tour event at the Sporting Club in Milan.

The 22-year-old from Leeds will now take on Badr Abdel Aziz for a place in the final after the top-seeded Swede despatched England's unseeded Philip Nightingale 11-4, 11-3, 11-3.

Second seed Luca Mastrostefano leads local interest in the other half of the draw. The 26-year-old London-born Italian beat eighth seed Patrick Gaessler 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 and will now take on another German, fourth seed Andre Haschker, in the other semi-final.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) bt Philip Nightingale (ENG) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (33m)
[Q] Jonathan Harford (ENG) bt [Q] Adham Abou Taleb (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 10-11 (0-2), 11-8 (41m)
[4] Andre Haschker (GER) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-2 (36m)
[2] Luca Mastrostefano (ITA) bt [8] Patrick Gaessler (GER) 10-11 (0-2), 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (56m)