RESULTS: Qatar Classic, Doha, Qatar
Quarter-finals:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [7] Kasey Brown (AUS) 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (39m)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [13] Joelle King (NZL) 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6 (49m)
[4] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [8] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 12-10, 9-11, 14-16, 11-7, 11-5 (49m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [6] Laura Massaro (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (36m)
Nour El Tayeb produced her third successive giant-killing conquest in the Women's Qatar Classic when she beat 13th seed Joelle King to reach the semi-finals of the $74,000 WISPA World Tour squash event at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha.
The 17-year-old from Egypt - who recorded career-first wins over compatriots Omneya Abdel Kawy, the No3 seed, and Nour El Sherbini, the 16th seed, to make the quarter-finals of a WISPA Gold event for the first time - defeated New Zealander King 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6 in 49 minutes.
"I haven't played on this court before, but I coped well with it - it suits my game as shots to the front stay in, it's a bit dead in the corners," the world No35 from Cairo told www.squashsite.co.uk after her shock win over the Kiwi ranked 15 places higher.
"I can't believe I won - quarter-finals of the Qatar Classic is huge for me. I'd only looked at the points and prize money for the first round!"
Next in line for the exuberant teenager is Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is seeded to win her 50th Tour title in Doha.
"Tomorrow I play Nicol David - the pressure is off, I'll just try to enjoy myself and see how good the world number one is," added El Tayeb.
David defeated Australian Kasey Brown 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 in 39 minutes.
Defending champion Jenny Duncalf celebrated her 28th birthday with an 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 victory over England team-mate sixth seed Laura Massaro.
"I feel pretty good at the moment," said the second seed from Harrogate. "I've been playing bunches of tournaments. I've been away from home for a couple of months. I guess I'm in a 'playing matches mode' at the moment, but at the moment, I keep on winning.
"It's nice to be out on this court. My victory last year here was a great platform for me - it got me to world number two.
"And it would be a great birthday gift if I could go back home with a trophy!"
Duncalf will meet Tour rival Rachael Grinham in a repeat of last year's final. The 33-year-old fourth seed from Australia was fully stretched by Raneem El Weleily before prevailing 12-10, 9-11, 14-16, 11-7, 11-5 in 49 minutes over the 21-year-old eighth seed.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [4] Rachael Grinham (AUS)