At Philadelphia's Drexel University Daskalakis Athletic Center, the Peruvian lost the opening set against Egypt's Gawad before bouncing back to lead 2-1.

Gawad levelled the PSA World Tour Platinum clash in the fourth game before world number seven Elias secured only a second major PSA semi-final spot of his career in the deciding game, running out a 4-11, 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7 winner.

It was a first career victory against Gawad for Elias at the sixth time of asking, and sets up a semi-final meeting with world number one Ali Farag.

Egypt's Farag received a walkover to the last four when Colombian Miguel Rodriguez withdrew from the tournament with a calf injury.

"I'm just so happy with my performance today," said Elias.

"I think I like this place - it was my first quarter-final here and now my first semi-final.

"I'm feeling really confident, now I have to recover. 

"I always have good matches with Ali, so I want to be at 100 per cent to play well and have another great match with him.”

Raneem El Welily and Nour El Tayeb set up an all-Egyptian semi-final clash in the women's semi-finals.

The duo will meet in a repeat of the 2017 US Open final, which El Tayeb won in five games.

World number one El Welily booked her last-four spot with an 11-6, 14-12, 11-8 win against England's Sarah-Jane Perry.

El Tayeb needed just 26 minutes to see off compatriot Rowan Elaraby 11-6, 11-2, 11-7.

The quarter-final matches of the men's and women's draw will conclude tomorrow, with top seed and defending champion Mohamed ElShorbagy taking on New Zealand's Paul Coll.