QF: Asal in three after a massive 37m opener against Zakaria.

[1] Mostafa Asal (Egy) 3-0 [6] Mohamad Zakaria (Egy) 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 (62m)

A monster 37-minute opening game goes the way of Mostafa Asal.

A game littered with energy-sapping two-minute-plus rallies, traffic issues in the middle of the court, and several interactions with the match referee, it’s ultimately Asal who moves a game up on Zakaria.

After the brutal 37-minute opening game, Asal always looked the stronger of the two players, with the attacking options of Asal ultimately outpowering Zakaria, who began to struggle physically as the contest progressed.

Through to the semi-finals goes the two-time defending champion.

Asal : “Zakaria’s a challenging young kid. I remember when I was 19 and I was having a successful time, you want to win and push everyone. It’s a good mentality.

“The first game was a bit of mind games. He’s trying to show to me that he’s strong. I was also trying to give him a little bit as well, you know, that I’m stronger. It’s a new challenge, a new test.

“Someone who’s 19, they’re coming at you, just like what Ali Farag and the other boys would have felt when I was coming through.

‘It was a fun challenge.”