Shocks Shake NSC Series In KL

There will be unexpected line-ups in the two finals of the NSC Series No8 Championships in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur tomorrow after Ireland's Aisling Blake became the only top seed to reach a finale of one of the Tour events at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Blake, second seed in the women's $16,000 WISPA World Tour event, was made to battle for 85 minutes before overcoming fourth-seeded Malaysian Low Wee Wern 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8 to reach the sixth final of her career.

Her surprise opponent will be England's Lauren Siddall, the fifth seed from Yorkshire who stunned favourite Sharon Wee in the quarter-finals before ousting another local player Siti Munirah Jusoh, the No8 seed from Malaysia, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-0.

The 24-year-old is celebrating her fifth WISPA final - and is one win match away from her second Tour title this year.

Both top seeds in the men's $10,000 PSA World Tour event bowed out at the quarter-finals stage. Egyptian favourite Omar Abdel Aziz crashed out in five games to local hero Muhd Asyraf Azan, the seventh seed. But Azan was unable to follow up this success, going out 11-3, 11-13, 11-7, 13-11 in the semi-finals to third seed Nicolas Mueller.

Swiss star Mueller is now in his seventh Tour final - and looking for his fourth PSA title of the year!

Egyptian qualifier Karim Abdel Gawad downed Pakistan's No2 seed Yasir Butt in the quarters - but he was unable to match Steve Finitsis in the semis as the unseeded Australian battled to an 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8 win to notch up his 10th PSA Tour final appearance.

Men's Semi-finals:
[3] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [7] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-3, 11-13, 11-7, 13-11 (65m)
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8 (45m)

Women's Semi-finals:
[2] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt [4] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8 (85m)
[5] Lauren Siddall (ENG) bt [8] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-0 (32m)