Egypt's Ramy Ashour is one of 12 players hoping to break into the top eight of the PSA Road to Dubai standings ©squashpics.com

The battle to fill the four remaining places at the men’s Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Series Finals is wide open heading into this month’s El Gouna International in Egypt, the final event of the 2015-2016 season.

Following last month’s British Open in Hull, several players have come into contention for a coveted berth at the season-ending tournament, which sees only the top eight players in the Road to Dubai standings come together in one of the sport's most lucrative events.

Only the top four players in the current rankings - Egyptians Mohamed Elshorbagy and Omar Mosaad, France’s Grégory Gaultier and England’s Nick Matthew - are assured of their places. 

A dozen other players, including Egypt’s Ramy Ashour, Colombia’s Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Australia’s Cameron Pilley, are set to fight for the remaining spots in the Egyptian tourist resort from April 24 to 29. 

After coming second behind compatriot Elshorbagy at the British Open, three-time world champion Ashour now finds himself just 40 points - the equivalent of a semi-final finish - outside of the last qualification spot currently occupied by Pilley.

"It’s a very special event with the top eight players playing together at the same time," said Ashour.

"It’s very explosive, when you’re playing the best eight players in the world; that can be overwhelming.

"Playing it in Dubai as well is very special - I think the PSA are doing a great job trying to put us in different areas of the world and that is interesting.

"If I could make it, I would be very happy.

"I’m just going to play my squash and, whatever happens, I’ll be happy."

The top eight players will come together at the PSA World Series Finals
The top eight players will come together at the PSA World Series Finals ©Road to Dubai

Following Matthew's withdrawal from the El Gouna International through injury, Ashour is now seeded to face Gaultier in the semi-finals.

Victory for the Frenchman would end Ashour's hopes of competing in Dubai.

Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly and Egyptian trio Marwan Elshorbagy, Tarek Momen and Karim Abdel Gawad all find themselves chasing Pilley.

A quarter-final finish or better, and a first round exit for Pilley or seventh-ranked German Simon Rösner, is likely to give them a chance of making the cut.

The PSA World Series Finals are due to take place from May 24 to 28.

Players will initially compete in a round-robin format for a place in the semi-finals.

An equivalent women's competition will also be held.