HONG KONG, Nov 30: Vanessa Atkinson celebrated becoming squash world number one for the first time on Wednesday with a rampaging start to the defence of her World Open title.

The second-seeded Dutchwoman needed less than half an hour to overcome Raneem El Weleily, the 16-year-old Egyptian qualifier, 9-4 9-3 9-4.

It followed Atkinson’s capture of the world’s richest title, the Qatar Classic on Sunday, a success which propelled her to the top spot almost a year after becoming world champion.

Atkinson could be toppled from top spot if she loses Saturday’s semifinal to the impressively in-form Nicol David.

The third-seeded British Open champion from Malaysia is trying to become the first Asian woman to win the World Open title, and she wasted no time in setting about the job.

David needed only 20 minutes to win her first round 9-0 9-4 9-0 against Engy Kheirallah, the world number 24 from Egypt.

“I think I’ve improved tactically, technically and physically,” said David, quickly turning away from self-aggrandisement to focus on the job in hand.

It was left to her coach Liz Irving to eulogise over the 22-year-old. “I have not seen anyone since Susan Devoy (the four times former World Open champion from New Zealand) who can apply herself mentally so well as Nicol does,” she said.

One whose application has sometimes been questioned, though his talent has never been in doubt, is Jonathon Power.

The former world champion from Canada hit the ball with such dazzling accuracy, artistry and disguise on Wednesday that he overwhelmed Ong Beng Hee, the first home man to win the Malaysian Open, by 9-3 9-1 9-6.

Power now misses a chance to face his compatriot Graham Ryding, because the 14th-seeded player lost to Australia’s Stewart Boswell 8-11 11-10 11-7 11-3.

Women’s singles (1st round): Isabelle Stoehr (France) bt Lauren Briggs (England) 9-3 9-5 5-9 9-2; Vanessa Atkinson (Netherlands) bt Raneem El Weleily (Egypt) 9-4 9-3 9-4; Natalie Grinham (Australia) bt Rebecca Botwright (England) 9-1 9-0 9-3; Laura-Jane Lengthorn (England) bt Suzie Pierrepont (England) 9-4 9-4 6-9 9-4; Linda Elriani (England) bt Amelia Pittock (Australia) 9-3 9-1 9-4; Tania Bailey (England) bt Karen Kronemeyer (Netherlands) 9-0 9-0 9-4; Nicol David (Malaysia) bt Engy Kheirallah (Egypt) 9-0 9-4 9-0; Alison Waters (England) bt Tamsyn Leevey (New Zealand) 5-9 9-5 9-3 9-3; Vicky Botwright (England) bt Kasey Brown (Australia) 9-4 9-0 9-3.

Men’s singles (1st round): Stewart Boswell (Australia) bt Graham Ryding (Canada) 8-11 11-10 11-7 11-3; Jonathon Power (Canada) bt Beng Hee Ong (Malaysia) 11-3 11-1 11-6; Karim Darwish (Egypt) bt Mansoor Zaman (Pakistan) 11-9 9-11 11-4 11-3; Anthony Ricketts (Australia) bt Peter Barker (England) 11-7 11-7 11-9; Mohammad Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (Egypt) 8-11 11-3 11-5 11-10; David Palmer (Australia) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (Netherlands) 11-9 11-5 11-6; Nick Matthew (England) bt Mohammed Abbas (Egypt) 11-8 11-2 10-11 11-5; James Willstrop (England) bt Wai Hang Wong (Hong Kong) 11-10 11-6 11-8.—Reuters