Yorkshire rivals set up last four showdown

World No 1 Matthew saw off Egypt's Wael El Hindi 11-6 11-7 11-3 to book a quarter-final against fellow Englishman Peter Barker.

Willstrop overcame Australian David Palmer 11-1 9-11 11-2

11-3 to seal a last-eight encounter with No 3 seed Amr Shabana.

A win for both would see them meet at tomorrow's semi-final stage, providing a welcome rematch of the epic 2009 British Open final from which Sheffield's Matthew emerged victorious over his Leeds-based rival.

Following his win against El Hindi, Matthew, who only became the world's leading player in May, said: "I set my stall out from the word go to give him nothing, but not to be too negative.

"It's not an easy balance but I think I found it quite well.

"Wael started playing when he was snookered, when he was seven, eight points down. If he'd played like that from the start it would have been brutal."

For Willstrop, his victory over former world No 1 Palmer was somewhat overdue, after the Australian had proved to be his nemesis on a number of recent occasions.

The match was the 16th Tour meeting between the two players, but the first since March 2009. Palmer, the 10th seed, had won 11 leading in, with sixth seed Willstrop not having beaten him since September 2007.

"I played well but I had to play well," said the 26-year-old from Leeds.

"I don't think there are any reasons for what happened, apart from I played better. I mean he's played better than me enough times, so I'm happy to get one over him."

In the women's draw, Harrogate's Jenny Duncalf, top seeded for the event, reached the last eight after defeating Delia Arnold 11-3 11-2 8-11 11-7.

She said: ""The last two games were a bit of a struggle and I was happy to get rid of her in four."