HSC Open QF: Agarwal Joins Mexican Trio In Semis

The semi-finals of the HSC Open – presented by Cotidie are set, with India’s Abhishek Agarwal joining a trio of Mexicans in the last four, as the top four seeds all safely made it through to the semis of the Challenger 5 level competition.

Agarwal is the No.3 seed for the tournament, and the Indian took on the local favourite Muhammad Hufaiza Ibrahim in the quarter finals, after the Pakistani had already knocked out a higher-ranked player to make it through to the last four. The pair were level after two games, but Agarwal then showed his class, and following a tie-break win in the fourth game 15-13, he wrapped the victory up, to advance to the semis.

He will now face No.2 seed Alfredo Avila in the last four of the competition after the Mexican defeated Argentina’s Jeremias Azana in an all-Americas clash, with the first game being crucial to his victory. Avila took it 13-11, before dropping just four points across the next two games as he clinched the victory in three.

The other semi-final will see top seed Arturo Salazar take on compatriot Alejandro Reyes for a place in the final of the Challenger 5 level event in Houston. Salazar got the better of Waqas Mehboob in straight games to reach the last four, while Reyes needed to go the distance against another Mexican, in No.6 seed Allan Nunez.

The semi-finals of the HSC Open – presented by Cotidie will take place on Saturday, July 2 at Houston Squash Club, and you can keep up to dat with the live scores from the event on the PSA World Tour’s website.

Quarter Final Results: HSC Open – presented by Cotidie
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [7] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-9 (26m)
[4] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt [6] Allan Nunez (MEX) 3-2: 11-9, 10-12, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4 (73m)
[3] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) bt Muhammad Hufaiza Ibrahim (PAK) 3-1: 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 15-13 (73m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Jeremias Azana (ARG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-3, 11-1 (21m)

Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, July 2
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) v [4] Alejandro Reyes (MEX)
[3] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) v [2] Alfredo Avila (MEX)