Nicol David's squash world title defense got off to an anxious start Tuesday as she had to claw back from a game down before putting away first-round opponent Rachael Grinham of Australia. One of the game's all-time greats, David has already won a record eight world championships but has seen her game falter of late, surrendering the top rank last September after a historic nine-year run. The Malaysian, 32, who is now ranked No. 5, started crisply in Kuala Lumpur to take the first game 11-4. But the experienced Grinham — the 2007 world champ — battled back to take the next two games and put the hometown hero's title hopes in jeopardy. "Rachael got a string of points from the second game and that caught me off guard," said David, who upped the tempo and obliterated the tiring Grinham down the stretch, winning the last two games 11-1, 11-2. "I figured I had to do something extra and readjusted my approach in the final two games. I attacked more and got into my groove after that." David is seeking to win the PSA World Championship on home soil in Malaysia for the first time after falling short twice before. David acknowledged before the tournament that her days of squash dominance may be over, and on Tuesday remarked on what is being seen as one of the most competitive women's championship events in years. "It's tough. You don't always play a former world champion in the first round, but I have got the court feeling and am already looking forward to the next round to play my best squash," she said after her 46-minute victory. David moved on to face Alison Waters of England, who went 1-1 against David last year. Waters beat Heba El Torky 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, limiting Egypt to six players in the second round. They include Nour El Sherbini, the 2013 finalist and British Open winner last month. El Sherbini beat Donna Urquhart of Australia in straight games, and lined up Annie Au of Hong Kong, who was taken to five games by India's Dipika Pallikal. Nouran Gohar and Nadine Shahin also set up a second-round meeting. Eighth-seeded Gohar, world junior champion last year, defeated Coline Aumard of France 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, while Shahin got past Jenny Duncalf of England 11-6, 11-7, 11-9. European champion Camille Serme of France advanced after accounting for Hong Kong qualifier Joey Chan 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-4. The fourth-seeded Serme, who hasn't won on the world series since upsetting Laura Massaro of England in the British Open final nearly a year ago, will next play Sarah-Jane Perry of England. Perry won against Olivia Blatchford of the United States 11-4, 11-6, 11-6.
