England’s James Willstrop (left) has reached the semi final of a PSA World Series tournament for the first time in two years ©PSA

England’s James Willstrop reached the semi final of a Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Series tournament for the first time in two years at the US Open at Drexel University in Philadelphia today.

The 33-year-old, currently ranked 19th in the world, beat South African Stephen Coppinger to reach the last four.

The former world number one has failed to reach the latter stages of one of the PSA Tour’s high profile events since undergoing surgery on a potentially career-ending hip injury in the summer of 2014.

Willstrop has showed some signs that he is regaining his best form this week beating World number three Omar Mosaad of Egypt in round one.

The Englishman was superb once again today in the 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3 win over Coppinger, which took him just under an hour.

"I feel great right now - it’s such a pleasure to be out here at the US Open and to reach a semi-final again feels very good," said Willstrop.

“I played well against Omar [Mosaad] in the first round but it was a completely different type of test again today.

"Stephen puts so much pressure on you and he was getting onto everything I played - so I had to think of ways to switch him and move him around.

"I had to be very clear in what I was doing to open up the spaces and at 1-1 there it was becoming a real battle - it was definitely a tough, tough match."

Standing between Willstrop and a place in the final is Egypt's Mohamed Elshorbagy, the world number one.

The 25-year-old defeated his younger brother, Marwan Elshorbagy, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10.

Raneem El Welily, front, struggled to beat third seed Nicol David in the women's competition ©PSA
Raneem El Welily, front, struggled to beat third seed Nicol David in the women's competition ©PSA

In today's women’s action Egyptian duo Raneem El Welily and Nour El Sherbini will square off in the semi-finals after they came through their respective quarter final matches.

El Sherbini dominated Alison Waters of England 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, while El Welily struggled to overcome third seed Nicol David of Malaysia, the eight-time world champion.

David took the first game of the match before El Welily levelled the match in the second and eventually went on to win 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 in 57 minutes.

"I’m so, so happy to win," said El Welily.

"There were so many points when I didn't think I was going to make it - she was playing so well.

"I think I was always behind and she was controlling it so I just had to dig deep and keep on pushing to stay on court as long as I could.

"I was so happy to finish that fourth game because I don’t think I could have played a fifth one.

"I don’t know how I turned it around - I’m so happy to be in the semi finals."