New Zealand Open 2023 – Semi-Finals: Preview & How to Watch Live

8 December 2023

We’ve reached the semi finals stage in the Barfoot & Thompson/Lucino Vanities New Zealand Open 2023 as today’s four matches will decide who will be moving onto the finals.

Play starts at 18:00 (GMT+13) with action available to watch on SQUASHTV. Alternatively, you can keep track of the live scores here.

For more information on the New Zealand Open, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women’s Open – Semi-Finals

Lucino Vanities New Zealand Men’s Open – Semi-Finals

Nele Gilis v Aifa Azman

Belgian No.1 seed Nele Gilis survived a scare in the quarter finals, coming back from two games down to defeat England’s Lucy Beecroft.

Malaysia’s Aifa Azman had a more comfortable time in her last eight match, winning in straight games against Hong Kong’s Ka Yi Lee.

The two semi-finalists have met once before at the 2022 Malaysia Open, where Gilis won in three games to progress to the semi-final in a competition she eventually won.

Paul Coll v Victor Crouin

Home favourite and No.1 seed Paul Coll has yet to drop a game so far in the tournament, dispatching India’s Velavan Senthilkumar and France’s Auguste Dussourd in straight games.

No.4 seed Victor Crouin came back from two games down to win his first match against Raphael Kandra, but faired better in the quarter finals where he defeated his fellow countryman Gregoire Marche in three games to earn his semi-final spot.

The two players have faced each other six times before, with Coll the victor in five of the occasions. Their most recent match was in last month’s Hong Kong Open, where the New Zealander won 3-1.

Tesni Evans v Tinne Gilis

In her first tournament this season, Wales’ Tesni Evans has only dropped one game so far, defeating Cheng Nga Ching in straight games before beating Hong Kong’s Tomato Ho in the quarter final.

Belgium’s Tinne Gilis has won both of her matches in three games, getting past Saskia Beinhard and Tsz-Wing Tong.

The Welshwoman and the Belgian have faced each other twice on the World Tour. In the 2020 Egyptian Open and the 2023 British Open, with Gilis winning on both occasions.

Joel Makin v Marwan ElShorbagy

Wales’ Joel Makin has won both his matches in three games so far in Tauranga, beating Scotland’s Rory Stewart and France’s Baptiste Masotti.

England’s Marwan ElShorbagy defeated David Baillargeon in straight games in round two, but had more difficulty in the quarter final, going 2-1 behind against his fellow countrymen Patrick Rooney before coming back to win 3-2.

ElShorbagy has the better head-to-head record, winning three of their five matches, but Makin has been victorious in the last two meeting in a row, most recently at the Paris Squash where the Welshman won 3-1.