Mahesh reaches semis of Maharashtra State PSA Open

Unseeded Mahesh Mangaonkar maintained home interest in the new Maharashtra State PSA Open when he dismissed Egyptian qualifier Fares Mohamed Dessouki in four games to claim an unexpected place in the semifinals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event, here today.
Fresh from beating the number two seed earlier, Fares traded point for point in the opening game. Mahesh was taking the ball early and at 10-all won two sweet points to win the first game 12-10.
In the second, Fares came out strong and Mahesh was forced into making a few errors due to the attack of the Egyptian teenager who also showed a magnificent arsenal of shots to keep the crowd at the edges of their seats.

Mahesh didn't give in easily and picked up some unbelievable shots on full stretch but Fares attacked better at 8-8 to win 11-9 at the Bombay Gymkhana. With Fares beginning to tire in the third, the 19-year-old Mumbaikar regained the lead.
The fourth game always had one winner and Mahesh was literally the last man standing on the day. The 14-12 9-11 11-8 11-1 victory after 77 minutes takes world No.88 Mahesh through to meet fourth seed Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry.
The world No.45 from Cairo, also 19, removed Indian No.2 Harinder Pal Sandhu 12-10 11-9 11-8.

The other semi-final will be an all-Egyptian affair between unseeded Zahed Mohamed and third seed Ali Anwar Reda. Reda, who upset top seed Ong Beng Hee in the first round, beat Indian hope Ravi Dixit 11-8 11-5 11-5.

French underdog Johan Bouquet made an excellent start against Reda, taking the opening game. But the world No.40 from Cairo ultimately proved to be too strong for Bouquet, ranked more than 60 places lower, winning 7-11 11-7 11-6 11-1.
Results: Quarter-finals
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt Ravi Dixit (IND) 11-8 11-5 11-5 Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) 7-11 11-7 11-6 11-1.
Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 12-10 11-9 11-8.
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Fares Mohamed Dessouki (EGY) 14-12 9-11 11-8 11-1.