KUALA LUMPUR: France’s Gregory Gaultier upset second seed and defending champion Nick Matthew of England to qualify for the final in the Tournament of Champions squash championships in New York on Wednesday.

World No. 4 Gaultier battled for 94 minutes before winning 11-8, 10-12, 13-11, 11-3. He will face world No. 1 and top seed Ramy Ashour of Egypt for the title.

Ashour also had a hard time against fourth seed James Willstrop of England before prevailing 5-11, 11-8, 12-10, 10-12, 11-4 in 74 minutes.

In the women’s competition, world No. 11 and top seed Madeline Perry of Ireland failed to reach the final. She lost 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6 to third seed Kasey Brown of Australia.

It was sweet revenge for world No. 13 Brown as she had lost in straight sets to Perry in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in August.

Brown will face fourth seed Natalie Grinham of Holland in the final.

The 34-year-old Natalie, a mother of a two-year-old boy, only needed 27 minutes to get the better of her 36-year-old sister Rachael 11-9, 11-2, 11-7.

Semi-final results

Men: Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt James Willstrop (Eng) 5-11, 11-8, 12-10, 10-12, 11-4; Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Nick Matthew (Eng) 11-8, 10-12, 13-11, 11-3.

Women: Kasey Brown (Aus) bt Madeline Perry (Irl) 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6; Natalie Grinham (Ned) bt Rachael Grinham (Aus) 11-9, 11-2, 11-7.

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