Defending Champion Asal Advances to El Gouna Quarters

Reigning El Gouna International champion Mostafa Asal advanced to the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Platinum event at the El Gouna Conference and Culture Center in Egypt after dispatching Joel Makin in straight games.

The world No.2 made it back-to-back wins against the Welshman, booking his place in the last eight by defeating Makin 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in 71 minutes.

"It was a tough battle," said third seed Asal. "Joel is an amazing player and he's such a warrior inside the court. I played my best squash today and I'm the defending champion here. Everyone is with me and I want to keep this title."

The Egyptian will now meet another 9/16 seed after Mazen Hesham upset fellow Egyptian Marwan ElShorbagy, the sixth seed, 11-2, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5.

Elsewhere, World Champion Nour El Sherbini eased into the quarter-finals after overcoming Alexandra Fuller. In her first meeting with the South African, Sherbini took just 26 minutes to secure her straight games win.

Belgian sisters Nele Gilis and Tinne Gilis also made it trough to the event's quarter-finals side-by-side for the first time. Nele upset seventh-seeded Egyptian Rowan Elaraby 9-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-6, while younger sibling Tinne - also a 9/16 seed - also removed a home hope in her 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 dismissal of Farida Mohamed.