Collegiate Rivalry Set To Be Tested In Oklahoma Final

Former US collegiate rivals Julian Illingworth and Yasser El Halaby will contest the final of the Osso/Bone & Joint Oklahoma City Open after coming through four-game semi-finals in the $10,000 PSA Tour squash event at the Santa Fe Club in the US city of Oklahoma.

Top seed Illingworth, a former Yale graduate, beat Bernardo Samper, the sixth seed from Colombia, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7 to reach the third PSA Tour final of his career.

The 24-year-old from Portland will be seeking his maiden Tour title - and keen to avenge the defeat by El Halaby in his last PSA final, at the Baltimore Cup in Baltimore in November.

Egypt's second seed Yasser El Halaby recovered from a game down to despatch Sweden's Badr Abdel Aziz, the No8 seed, 10-11 (2-4), 11-6, 11-7, 11-7.

The only four-time winner of the men's national intercollegiate squash championship, Princeton graduate El Halaby is celebrating his seventh PSA Tour final appearance - and looking for his fourth title.

Semi-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [6] Bernardo Samper (COL) 11-5, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7
[2] Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt [8] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) 10-11 (2-4), 11-6, 11-7, 11-7