KAMPALA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Foreign players have continued to show dominance as the 2017 Uganda International Badminton Open Championship reached the crucial stage on Saturday.
In the men's singles, three foreign players have qualified for the semifinals, while two have made it to the semis in the women's singles.
Uganda's Edwin Ekiring qualified for the semifinals after he stopped Egypt's Ahmed Salah 21-16, 24-22 in the men's singles. Ekiring will face Jordan's Ahmad Aishannik in the next stage.
The tournament's top seed Georges Julien Paul also qualified for the semifinals after he beat Jordan's Mohd Naser Mansour Nayet 21-13, 14-21, 21-14. The Mauritius player stopped Uganda's Brain Kasirye 21-6, 21-19 in the second round. He will now face Italy's Rudolf Dellenbach in the semifinal.
Two Ugandan women players Bridget Shamim Bangi and Aisha Nakiyemba also qualified for the semifinals.
Bangi who will face Egypt's Menna Eltanany, by defeating Zambia's Ogar Siamupanga 21-14, 21-15, while Nakiyemba saw-off another Egyptian player Doha Hanny 21-14, 21-15.
In the men's doubles, Ekiring and Daniel Mihigo also qualified for the semifinals to face Aatish Lubah/Georges Julien Paul of Mauritius.
The event sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation, has attracted players from Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Jordan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Egypt, France and Italy.
