RESULTS: The Soho Square World Open, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Farah Abdel Meguid (EGY) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (27m)
[11] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt [Q] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 (23m)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [7] Natalie Grinham (NED) 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 13-11 (64m)
Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [13] Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-8, 12-10, 11-3 (27m)
[3] Alison Waters (ENG) bt [Q] Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (EGY) 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 (21m)
[16] Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (38m)
[6] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Sarah Kippax (ENG) 11-5, 5-11, 11-2, 11-6 (33m)
[14] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Tenille Swartz (RSA) 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 14-12 (43m)
[10] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (28m)
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5 (49m)
[15] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (28m)
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [Q] Tania Bailey (ENG) 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 (46m)
[9] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Annelize Naude (NED) 9-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-4 (48m)
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-3, 13-11, 11-1 (38m)
[12] Engy Kheirallah (EGY) bt Joelle King (NZL) 2-11, 12-10, 11-8, 12-10 (53m)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bye
Natalie Grinham, four times a finalist in the last six years, failed to make the second round of the Soho Square Women's World Open Squash Championship after going down in five games on the opening day of main draw action in the richest ever WISPA World Tour squash event in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Soho Square at Sharm El Sheikh.
The seventh seed from the Netherlands was making only her second Tour appearance since the birth of her son Keiran in May. After four close games, Grinham looked set to advance when she reached 10-5 in the decider against 20-year-old Low Wee Wern.
But the young Malaysian kept it steady, held her nerve and got the better of some long, tense rallies to finally edge home 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 13-11 after 64 minutes.
"I hadn't played her before, but I knew her fitness wouldn't be back yet - although her shots certainly are," the world No20 from Penang told the official website www.sohosquareworldopen.com/2010 later. "I had to just keep running.
"At 5-10 in the fifth, I just had to keep it going and stay patient. I thought that if I didn't go for a winner she might, and she did make four mistakes. This is my best World Open performance."
Her next opponent claimed the day's other upset. Unseeded Isabelle Stoehr beat Mexico's 13th seed Samantha Teran 11-8, 12-10, 11-3 to become the second French player in the last sixteen.
"I hope I can continue it against Isabelle," added Low Wee Wern. "I've never played her before either."
Defending champion Nicol David successfully negotiated her first hurdle as she bids to win a record-equalling fifth title. The world number one from Malaysia beat 18-year-old Malaysian qualifier Farah Abdel Meguid 11-2, 11-3, 11-5.
2nd round line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [11] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)
[3] Alison Waters (ENG) v [16] Annie Au (HKG)
[6] Natalie Grainger (USA) v [14] Vanessa Atkinson (NED)
[5] Madeline Perry (IRL) v [10] Kasey Brown (AUS)
[4] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [15] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [9] Camille Serme (FRA)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [12] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
For all the latest information, check out the official website: www.sohosquareworldopen.com/2010