Bremer Schlüssel: Top Four Seeds Advance To Semi-Finals In Germany

All top four seeds progressed through to the semi-finals of the Bremer Schlüssel 2023 yesterday as quarter final action concluded at the Achim-Baden Fitness & Squash Centre.

A battle between the No.4 and No.5 seeds was up first on quarter finals day as India’s Mahesh Mangaonkar took on Switzerland’s Yannick Wilhelmi. The score reached 1-1 with both players playing good squash and determined to pull ahead. Mangaonkar managed to do just that in game three to win 11-4 and place one foot in the last four. He then closed out a tight fourth game 13-11 to advance.

He will face top seeded Egyptian Mazen Gamal, after the World No.63 overcame Israel’s Daniel Poleshchuk in straight games. Gamal took two close games to set up a 2-0 lead, winning 18, 11-9. The resistance from Poleshchuk faded in the third game as Gamal ran out comfortable winner, 11-3.

The match of the day came from Egypt’s Yassin Elshafei and England’s James Peach as they traded blows, both showcasing their amazing speed and skill. Elshafei took the opening two games to lead 2-0 and looked sure to be booking his place in the semi-finals promptly. Peach had other ideas as he started to mount his comeback, he took games three and four both 11-6 to force a decider. Elshafei bounced back well and got back to his game plan to sneak the fifth 11-8 and move into the semis.

He will be up against another Englishman in the semi-finals as he will face No.2 seed Simon Herbert. The World No.69 was up against last year’s runner up Viktor Byrtus for a spot in the last four and after taking game one 11-9 was pegged back by the Czech as he equalised. Herbert got back to winning ways however and confidently marched to the finish line winning 11-4, 11-7 in the last two games.

Semi-final action starts at 17:00 (GMT+2) and you can watch the action live here:

Results: Bremer Schlüssel 2023 – Quarter Finals
[1] Mazen Gamal (EGY) bt [7] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 (41m)
[4] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [5] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-1: 11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 13-11 (62m)
[3] Yassin Elshafei (EGY) bt [8] James Peach (ENG) 3-2: 11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 6-11, 11-8 (52m)
[2] Simon Herbert (ENG) bt [6] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7 (51m)

Draw: Bremer Schlüssel 2023 – Semi-finals
[1] Mazen Gamal (EGY) v [4] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)
[3] Yassin Elshafei (EGY) v [2] Simon Herbert (ENG)