Kandra leads the way as quartet endorse the seedings at Racquet Club Pro Series
By MICHAEL CATLING – Squash Mad Reporter
The top four seeds eased through to the semi-final stage of the Emerson Racquet Club Pro Series in St Louis, Missouri, after recording straight games victories in the first event of the 2014 PSA US Pro Squash Series.
German second seed Raphael Kandra was taken to tie-breaks in all three games against the seventh seed Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari but retained his composure to progress 12-10, 12-10, 12-10 after 70 minutes.
The 23-year-old left-hander will now meet Qatari 19-year-old Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi, after the number two seed ousted Spaniard Alejandro Garbi Caro 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 in 47 minutes.
In the bottom half of the draw, world number 53 Nasir Iqbal remains on course for a sixth PSA Tour final since February 2013 following a straight game win over sixth seed Sebastiaan Weenink.
Iqbal, who will compete in the Atlanta Open next week, endorsed his status as the top seed with a hard-fought 11-9, 11-7, 12-10 success over the Dutch number two.
The Pakistan ace will now face Mexican Arturo Salazar in the last four. The number three seed, whose last PSA title came at the IV Torneo Internacional Sporta in May 2011, romped past first round giant-killer Reiko Peter 11-4, 11-9, 11-5.
Semi-final Draw:
[2] Raphael Kandra (GER) v [4] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[1] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [3] Arturo Salazar (MEX)
Quarter-Final Results:
[2] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [7] Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 12-10, 12-10, 12-10 (70m)
[4] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 (47m)
[3] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Reiko Peter (SUI) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 (31m)
[1] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [6] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-9, 11-7, 12-10 (45m)
Pictures by Steve Cubbins (SquashSite)