Egyptian duo Ramy Ashour and Mohamed Elshorbagy were eliminated from the British Open semis after losing to Gregory Gaultier and Nick Matthew respectively on Saturday.

Ashour failed to defend the title he won last year after Gaultier, whom he defeated in the 2013 final, claimed a 3-1 victory.

Frenchman Gaultier, the world number one, won the first two games 11-7 and 12-10. Ashour had the upper hand in the third, winning 11-3, but his in-form opponent settled the tie in his favour with a 11-7 victory in the final game.

World number three ElShorbagy slumped to a 3-2 loss to world number two Matthew in a thrilling affair.

Shorbagy won the first game but Matthew clawed his way back with a 14-12 win in an exciting 36-minute game.

The Egyptian won the third and the Englishman won the fourth, with Matthew claiming a 11-8 victory in the decider to reach the final following a 104-minute thriller.

"I was running on fumes for the last two hours of that match, and it only lasted an hour and a half," Matthew said following the game, according to the tournament's official website.

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