Shabana Tested By Shorbagy In Hurghada

Amr Shabana is one match away from his sixth successive Tour final appearance - but the world number one from Egypt was fully tested by teenage compatriot Mohamed El Shorbagy in the men's quarter-finals of the Hurghada International, the $61,250 5-star PSA Tour squash event in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

World champion Shabana, who this month celebrated 25 successive months at the top of the world rankings, survived two tie-break games before beating unseeded Shorbagy, just 17 years old, 11-5, 11-10 (4-2), 6-11, 11-10 (2-0) in 54 minutes.

The youngster clearly impressed his 'elder statesman': "He is one of the players who are going to go up very fast, because he is only 17," Shabana told www.squashsite.co.uk . "He is an amazing player, and I had to play very well today to beat him."

Shabana will now meet his third successive Egyptian in the event when he takes on Karim Darwish for a place in the final. Third seed Darwish was taken the full distance by Mohammed Abbas before beating his fifth-seeded compatriot 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-10 (4-2), 11-4 in 80 minutes.

The favourite in the women's $26,200 WISPA World Tour event had a much easier time in her quarter-final. Rachael Grinham, the Australian going for her fourth title in five years, despatched Italian Manuela Manetta 9-6, 9-1, 9-1 in just 34 minutes.

It took the same time for Egyptian number one Omneya Abdel Kawy to earn her place in the last four. The third seed from Cairo ended the courageous run of 15-year-old qualifier Nour El Tayeb, winning 9-3, 10-8, 9-2.

The Kawy/Grinham clash will be the pair's fifth meeting in successive Hurghada Internationals since 2004. But after contesting the last four finals - with the Australian prevailing in all but one - it will be their first meeting in the Red Sea resort event's semi-finals.

Men's quarter-finals (top half of draw):
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-5, 11-10 (4-2), 6-11, 11-10 (2-0) (54m)
[3] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [5] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-10 (4-2), 11-4 (80m)

Women's quarter-finals (top half of draw):
[1] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [7] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 9-6, 9-1, 9-1 (34m)
[3] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 9-3, 10-8, 9-2 (34m)