Mostafa Asal, the reigning El Gouna International champion, continued his title defence by dispatching Joel Makin 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday.
The World No.2 made it back-to-back wins against the Welshman, who have gone toe-to-toe in some brutal clashes recently.
Asal booked his place in the last eight by defeating Makin 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 in 71 minutes.
“It was a tough battle,” Asal said. “Joel is an amazing player and he’s such a warrior inside the court. I played my best squash today and I’m the defending champion here. Everyone is with me and I want to keep this title.”
Asal’s quarter-final opponent will be fellow Egyptian Mazen Hesham in a repeat of their last eight clash at the World Championships, where Asal fought back from 9-5 down in the fifth game to win.
Asal will be joined in the last eight by three-time winner Mohamed ElShorbagy, who defeated World No.13 Fares Dessouky 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5.
Elsewhere, World Champion Nour El Sherbini eased into the quarter-finals after overcoming Alexandra Fuller in straight games in 26 minutes.
Next up for El Sherbini is a fixture with Belgium’s Tinne Gilis, who has taken El Sherbini to five games in two of their previous four matches to date.
Men’s Third Round Results – Bottom Half: El Gouna International 2023
[3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt Joel Makin (WAL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (71m)Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt [6] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-1: 11-2, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5 (37m)
[5] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-9 (63m) [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt Fares Dessouky (EGY) 3-1: 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5 (58m)Women’s Third Round Results – Bottom Half: El Gouna International 2023
Salma Hany (EGY) bt Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-2 (44m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 3-1: 9-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-6 (58m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 (40m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (26m)Men’s Quarter-Final Draw – Top Half: (To be played 30 May)
[1] Diego Elias (PER) v Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) [8] Victor Crouin (FRA) v [4] Ali Farag (EGY)Women’s Quarter-Final Draw – Top Half: (To be played 30 May)
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)Tesni Evans (WAL) v [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)