Eleinen Shocks Asal At US Open To Make Maiden Platinum Semi

World No.13 Aly Abou Eleinen claimed the biggest win of his career to date after stunning world No.2 Mostafa Asal to reach the semi-finals of the Comcast Business US Open Championships in Philadelphia.

The unseeded Egyptian, a former University of Pennsylvania squash star, advanced to his maiden PSA Squash Tour Platinum semi following a sensational 11-7, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9 victory over 'The Raging Bull' at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.

The upset denies Asal a semi-final berth in a major Tour event for the first time since January last year - after 14 events!

Eleinen, 24, started the match in confident fashion, moving impeccably on the all-glass court and winning the length battle down both side walls on his way to a one-game lead.

Despite Asal stealing the momentum of the match after claiming a tense second-game tie-break, Eleinen regathered himself impressively, continuing to get his tactics spot on by twisting the big frame of Asal into the back two corners before playing in short with deadly accuracy.

Asal, who was erratic in his hitting throughout the 72-minute encounter, squandered a 7-4 lead in the third to fall 2/1 down, before Eleinen pounced again from 6-1 down in the fourth.

Despite the magnitude of the occasion, there were few nerves in the arm of Eleinen, with the 24-year-old sealing the momentous victory from 9-8 down with a trio of scintillating winners into the front left corner of the court.

"I'm super proud of myself," said Eleinen afterwards. "I had an opportunity in the fourth and I took it. I'm just overwhelmed with joy right now.

"I've been working so hard this season. I've been on the other side of these results so many times against these top guys. Today, it was actually really tough when I was ahead - I didn't want to start doubting myself. Last season, when I had those opportunities, I didn't really go for them, and I told myself this season that I would back myself up and go for it.

"I've just got to recover now and keep it going in the semi-finals."

Eleinen will now face current World Champion Diego Elias after the 'Peruvian Puma' overcame three-time US Open champion Mohamed ElShorbagy in straight games.

Elias, who captured the Platinum-level Qatar Classic title earlier this month, continued his recent rich vein of form to ease past the world No.9 by an 11-2, 11-9, 11-5 scoreline.

Meanwhile, in the women's draw, world No.2 Nouran Gohar and world No.3 Hania El Hammamy will renew their long-standing PSA Squash Tour rivalry after claiming respective wins over Belgian sisters Nele Coll and Tinne Gilis.

Current World Champion Gohar, still sporting strapping across her face after breaking her nose at the Qatar Classic, stretched her winning run over world No.5 Coll to 12 matches following a dominant three-game victory.

The three-time US Open champion had only ever dropped one game against the Belgian No.1 coming into the encounter, and she looked in control of the match from the first point to the last, securing an 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 victory after just 32 minutes on court.

After the match, Gohar said: "I tried to play with the big mask on, but it was really hard to do that, so this [strapping] was the best thing we could come up with. Playing without it would be ideal, but I can't do that.

"It's all about adapting to certain situations, things happen, so it's all about finding ways to work around them."

El Hammamy, meanwhile, advanced to her fourth consecutive semi-final of the 2024/25 season with a confidence-boosting 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 win over No.7 seed Gilis.

The No.3 seed will now face Gohar for the 27th time in her career and will be looking to overturn a four-match losing streak against 'The Terminator'.