Krajcsak Crashes Into European Semis In Saarbrucken

Mark Krajcsak, a 9/16 seed, became the first ever Hungarian to reach the semi-finals of the European Individual Squash Championships when he beat France's Gregoire Marche in the men's quarter-finals in the 10th staging of the European Squash Federation event at the Tennis & Squash Centre in Saarbrucken, Germany.

The 26-year-old from Budapest made his breakthrough in the last 16 round, upsetting experienced Frenchman Renan Lavigne, a 5/8 seed ranked 31 in the world, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 2-11, 11-7.

Later in the day, world No46 Krajcsak had enough in reserve to defeat fellow 9/16 seed Gregoire Marche 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.

Marche, the 20-year-old world No83 from Aix-en-Provence, had earlier pulled off the biggest upset in the men's event by beating England's 3/4 seed Jonathan Kemp - ranked 21 in the world - 11-7, 3-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5.

Krajcsak now faces top seed Gregory Gaultier, the five times winner of the title who is expected to reach the final for the seventh year in a row. Gaultier despatched Swiss star Nicolas Mueller 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.

Defending champion Thierry Lincou will contest the other semi against surprise opponent Olli Tuominen. Second-seeded Frenchman Lincou ended domestic interest in the event by overcoming Germany's 5/8 seed Simon Rosner 11-5, 14-12, 11-9, while flying Finn Tuominen, a 5/8 seed, upset Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, a 3/4 seed and a semi-finalist the last two years, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.

England's Tania Bailey claimed an unexpected place in the last four of the women's event after upsetting France's 3/4 seed Isabelle Stoehr, the 2008 champion, 11-8, 11-7, 11-0.

Bailey, a former world No4 who has now slipped to 33 in the rankings after a series of injury woes, will now face England team-mate Jenny Duncalf, the top seed.

Duncalf, winner of the title in 2006 and 2007, crushed Dutch opponent Orla Noom 11-0, 11-2, 11-2.

A fierce battle can be expected in the other semi-final between former world champion Vanessa Atkinson and rising French star Camille Serme - who have already faced each other three times before in ESF competitions, with Atkinson 2/1 ahead.

Second seed Serme, the 21-year-old world No10 from Paris who is expected to reach the final for the first time, beat Annelize Naude, a 5/8 seed from the Netherlands, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4, while 3/4 seed Atkinson, also from the Netherlands, downed England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.