Ramy Ashour has withdrawn from the Windy City Open ©Getty Images

Three-time world champion Ramy Ashour has become the second high profile withdrawal from squash's Windy City Open.

The Egyptian world number five, who won the world crown in 2008, 2012 and 2014, has had to pull out of the event in Chicago due to ongoing issues with a hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old has made just five appearances on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour since his world title win in 2014, with the injury bringing a premature end to three of those competitions.

He hasn't made a competitive appearance since November.

World champion Gregory Gaultier has already withdrawn from the tournament
World champion Gregory Gaultier has already pulled out of the tournament ©Getty Images

Frenchman Gregoire Marche moves up in the draw to occupy the space vacated by Ashour and will face Hong Kong’s Max Lee in the first round while France's Mathieu Castagnet rises up the seedings to take the number eight spot.

He will take on Ali Farag of Egypt in the first round.

Ashour follows France's world champion Gregory Gaultier in withdrawing from the tournament after he failed to recover from an ankle injury sustained during last month’s J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York City. 

Gaultier was previously a four-times runner up at the World Championships but got his hands on the top prize in Seattle last year, when he beat Egypt’s Omar Mosaad in the final.