World number one Farag was given an early scare as world junior champion Asal got off to a flying start on his way to winning the opening game 11-6.

Farag’s experience came to the fore as he absorbed his opponent’s pace and won the next three games 11-3, 11-2, 11-8 to come through the contest in exactly one hour.

Farag will face seventh seed and defending champion Fares Dessouky in arguably the pick of the last eight matches, after Dessouky triumphed in an all-Egyptian affair against Omar Mosaad 11-2, 11-9, 11-6.

Fellow Egyptian and world number 18 Zahed Salem reached the quarter-finals of a PSA World Tour Platinum event for the first time in his career after defeating Mathieu Castegnet of France 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.

Salem will face fellow Egyptian in third seed and world champion Tarek Momen in the next round after Momen beat France’s Gregoire Marche 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9.

Fourth seed Paul Coll of New Zealand was also a four game winner in the third round today as he beat France’s Gregory Gaultier 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4.

Coll will meet sixth seed Marwan ElShorbagy in the next round after Egypt’s ElShorbagy beat compatriot Youssef Ibrahim 12-10, 11-7, 11-4.

Joel Makin of Wales, the eighth seed, was also a straight games winner beating Mazen Hesham of Egypt 11-7, 12-10, 11-5.

Makin will play Mohamed ElShorbagy in the quarter-finals, after the second seed from Egypt beat India’s Saurav Ghosal 12-10, 11-9, 11-2.

The quarter-finals are scheduled to take place on the Glass Court at the Black Ball Sporting Club tomorrow.