Illingworth Tested By Gaessler In Losone

US champion Julian Illingworth was taken the full distance by Patrick Gaessler before beating the German qualifier in a tie-break to reach the semi-finals of the Losone Swiss Classic in Switzerland.

After a tight battle all the way, it was 22-year-old Gaessler, from Stuttgart, who had the upper hand all the way through the fifth game to reach match-ball at 10-8. But Illingworth hung in and recovered to record a morale-boosting 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-10 (3-1) victory in 69 minutes.

The fifth seed from Portland will now meet Eric Galvez, the top seed from Mexico who ended the brave run of Switzerland's 'young gun' Nicolas Mueller. The 17-year-old recently-crowned European Junior Champion managed to stay with the favourite well into the third game - but then the Mexican's high-tempo game started to tell physically on his younger opponent as he went on to win 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 in 48 minutes.

Brazil's defending champion Rafael F Alarcon is one match away from his second successive final appearance at the Squash Center in Losone after beating Australia's Tony James 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-3, 11-3.

The 29-year-old second seed from Sao Paulo now meets England's Scott Handley. The fourth seed from Oxfordshire beat Sweden's No7 seed Badr Abdel Aziz 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 (48m)
[5] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Patrick Gaessler (GER) 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-10 (3-1) (69m)
[4] Scott Handley (ENG) bt [7] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3 (33m)
[2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt Tony James (AUS) 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-3, 11-3 (34m)