France’s Johan Bouquet became the only unseeded player to reach the semi-finals of the 5th Annual Betty F Griffin Florida State Open Squash Championship when he beat Englishman Reuben Phillips in the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at the Lifetime Athletic Club in Boca Raton in the US state of Florida.
The 29-year-old from Toulouse (pictured) despatched wildcard Phillips 6-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 and will bid for a place in the final when he takes on Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman.
The 20-year-old No.2 seed from Peshawar survived the loss of the first game to beat experienced Mexican Eric Galvez 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6.
Egypt’s Hisham Mohd Ashour, the flamboyant older brother of World No.1 Ramy Ashour who is making his Tour comeback in Florida after a seven-month break, continued his fine run with a straight games win over Canadian qualifier Graeme Schnell.
The former World No.11 from Cairo now faces top seed Alfredo Avila, the World No.62 from Mexico who was severely tested by Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi before overcoming the Qatari teenager 12-10, 12-10, 11-13, 11-2.
Quarter-finals:
[1] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 12-10, 12-10, 11-13, 11-2
[4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Graeme Schnell (CAN) 11-5, 13-11, 11-4
Johan Bouquet (FRA) bt [WC] Reuben Phillips (ENG) 6-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-5
[2] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Alfredo Avila (MEX) v [4] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[2] Farhan Zaman (PAK) v Johan Bouquet (FRA)
