Madeline Perry outpoints Omneya Abdel Kawy (photo © 2006 Alex Wan)

Ireland's Madeline Perry upset the women's seedings in the CIMB KL Open – but confirmed the latest WISPA World Tour rankings – when she beat eighth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy in today's (Wednesday) first round of the WISPA Gold event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The unseeded 29-year-old from Craigavon in Northern Ireland - who rose to a career-high No10 in the February world rankings, ahead of Kawy - fought back from a game behind to overcome the Egyptian 5-9 10-8 9-3 7-9 9-3 in 61 minutes.

Perry now faces former world No1 Rachael Grinham after the third seed from Australia had to overcome a two-game deficit before beating Welsh qualifier Tegwen Malik 9-10 5-9 9-4 9-1 10-8 in an 81-minute marathon.

Nicol David defeated Shelley Kitchen in four games (photo © 2006 Alex Wan)

Local favourite Nicol David needed four games to take her expected place in the last eight.  The 22-year-old world No1 from Penang beat New Zealand qualifier Shelley Kitchen 9-6 9-5 4-9 9-4 in 39 minutes – and will now face Annelize Naude after the unseeded Dutch player was given a walkover through to the quarter-finals when her Australian opponent Amelia Pittock, a lucky loser following the late withdrawal of England's fifth seed Vicky Botwright, was forced to pull out of the event as a result of a stomach upset.

There was another withdrawal on the opening day when sixth seed Linda Elriani was struck down by a fever and unable to play her match against unseeded English compatriot Jenny Duncalf.

In the men's event, three Egyptians survived the first round – including two brothers Hisham Mohd Ashour and Ramy Ashour.  Hisham, the seventh seed, recovered from a game down to beat France's Jean-Michel Arcucci 4-11 11-10 11-5 11-3 in 38 minutes, while younger brother Ramy, the world junior champion, took one minute longer to overcome compatriot Omar Mosaad, a qualifier, 11-3 11-7 9-11 11-5.

Both brothers will now face local opposition for places in the semi-finals.  Hisham Ashour will take on top seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the 2003 champion who beat English qualifier Lee Drew 8-11 11-1 11-6 11-7, while eighth seed Ramy will meet second seed Ong Beng Hee, the 11-7 11-4 11-5 victor over Englishman Mark Heather.

Madeline Perry gets advice from Shelley Kitchen. (photo © 2006 Alex Wan)

RESULTS:        CIMB KL Open Squash Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Women's 1st round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt [Q] Shelley Kitchen (NZL)     9-6, 9-5, 4-9, 9-4 (39m)
Annelize Naude (NED) bt Amelia Pittock (AUS)             w/o
[4] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)    9-6, 9-6, 9-3 (31m)
Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [6] Linda Elriani (ENG)         w/o
Madeline Perry (IRL) bt [8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) 5-9, 10-8, 9-3, 7-9, 9-3 (61m)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) bt [Q] Tegwen Malik (WAL) 9-10, 5-9, 9-4, 9-1, 10-8 (81m)
[7] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [Q] Engy Kheirallah (EGY)    9-5, 9-5, 9-6 (28m)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt Sharon Wee (MAS)        9-1, 9-2, 9-4 (22m)

Men's 1st round:
[1] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] Lee Drew (ENG)    8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-7 (41m)
[7] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5, 11-3 (38m)
[4] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-10 (2-0), 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (40m)
[5] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Stacey Ross (ENG)         11-9, 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-4 (65m)
[6] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt Timothy Arnold (MAS)      11-4, 11-3, 11-9 (27m)
[3] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt [Q] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND)11-5, 10-11 (3-5), 11-5, 11-6 (42m)
[8] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Omar Mosaad (EGY)    11-3, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5 (39m)
[2] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt Mark Heather (ENG)       11-7, 11-4, 11-5 (34m)