KUALA LUMPUR: A first Malaysian men's finalist in seven years is guaranteed at the Ohana Malaysian Open after Ivan Yuen and Ng Eain Yow set-up a semi-final meeting on Thursday.
National junior S. Sivasangari, meanwhile, remains on course for the women's title with her path eased following the shock exit of second seed Rachel Arnold in the quarter-finals.
Ivan saw off an early challenge by teammate Sanjay Singh by saving three game points in the opening game to win 12-10, 11-5, 11-3 in the quarter-finals, while 2016 world junior champion Eain Yow wore down higher-ranked Mazen Gamal of Egypt 13-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-1.
Azlan Iskandar was the last Malaysian finalist at the tournament when he won his third Malaysian Open title in 2010.
But with the top two seeds Alan Clyne and Nafiizwan Adnan out of the running, Ivan has a great chance to become the third Malaysian winner of the tournament after Azlan and Ong Beng Hee.
National champion Ivan, who has not won a PSA Tour title since November 2015, did not want to look past Eain Yow for now.
"I would definitely love to end my title drought but I just want to take it one step at a time and not think too far ahead," said Ivan, who has six career PSA Tour titles to his name, at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
"I have to play this match first and it's not going to be easy. In squash anything can happen at any time and I'm just looking forward to the game."
The other men's semi-final sees 2015 Asian champion Leo Au of Hong Kong take on unseeded Egyptian Mazen Hesham, who claimed his second seeded scalp by beating Joshua Masters of England 11-6, 11-7, 11-7.
Sivasangari is the only Malaysian left in the women's draw after eliminating fellow national junior Aifa Azman 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 to book a semi-final meeting with Japan's Satomi Watanabe.
Satomi produced the biggest shock of the event when the Japanese junior ousted World No 50 Rachel, the National Championships runner-up this year, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Top seed Zeina Mickawy of Egypt had little trouble overcoming Scotland's Alison Thomson to set up a last-four meeting with South African Milnay Louw.
RESULTS:
Men's q-finals: Mazen Hesham (Egy) bt Joshua Masters (Eng) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7; Leo Au (HK) bt Christopher Gordon (US) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8; Ivan Yuen (Mas) bt Sanjay Singh (Mas) 12-10, 11-5, 11-3; Ng Eain Yow (Mas) bt Mazen Gamal (Egy) 11-6, 11-7, 11-3.
Women's q-finals: Zeina Mickawy (Egy) bt Alison Thomson (Sco) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6; Milnay Louw (Rsa) bt Lee Ka Yi (HK) 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3; S. Sivasangari (Mas) bt Aifa Azman (Mas) 11-9, 11-4, 11-3; Satomi Watanabe (Jpn) bt Rachel Arnold (Mas) 11-6, 11-7, 11-3.