Scott Sails Into Sunset Semis

Welshman Scott Fitzgerald sailed into the semi-finals of the Sunset Open when he beat fellow British qualifier Tom Pashley in the quarter-finals of the new PSA Tour event at the Bath & Racquet Club in Sarasota in the US state of Florida.

Fitzgerald, the resident club professional at the Sarasota club for the past two years, made his breakthrough in the first round when he despatched second-seeded American Robert McFadzean in four games.

In the quarter-finals, the experienced 25-year-old from Pontypool defeated English teenager Tom Pashley - an 18-year-old from Sussex celebrating his first appearance in a PSA Tour event - 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 in just 26 minutes.

Former world No80 Fitzgerald now takes on Dick Lau, the fourth seed from Hong Kong who battled to an 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-4 win over James Snell - another 18-year-old English qualifier, from Devon, who was also making his Tour debut.

There will be a surprise appearance in the other semi-final when South Africa Regardt Schonborn faces Canadian Robin Clarke. Schonborn, the No8 seed who is based at Trinity College in the USA, upset Canada's No3 seed Keith Pritchard 11-7, 11-7, 11-4.

Clarke, the favourite from Ottawa, saw off England's fifth seed Duncan Walsh 11-7, 11-2, 11-10 (2-0).

Quarter-finals:
[1] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt [5] Duncan Walsh (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 11-10 (2-0) (38m)
[8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) bt [3] Keith Pritchard (CAN) 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (43m)
[4] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [Q] James Snell (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-4 (48m)
[Q] Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) bt [Q] Tom Pashley (ENG) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (26m)