HULL (United Kingdom), May 24: World number one Nicol David had to deal with a weather-damaged programme, a difficult start, and a dangerously hard-hitting opponent on Friday before reaching the semi-finals of the British Open in defence of her title.

David also had to save a game ball in the first game of a 13-11, 11-8, 11-1 win over Joelle King, the tall sixth seeded New Zealander, who had moments early on when it seemed she might be able to bully the champion into trouble.

The biggest influence on the match however was the English rain and wind, which forced the day’s play away from the all-glass court erected outdoors on Hull City’s football pitch and into a nearby club with conventional plaster courts.

That required a third change of conditions in three matches, disrupting the players’ preparation and rhythm, which for a while appeared to place David under more pressure.

“It was like day and night,” said David, comparing the warmish indoor court with the chilly outdoor atmosphere the evening before. “But we have to deal with what we are given.

“It’s difficult but at the same time everyone is on the same boat. It’s a matter of whoever handles it better. You have to put your game together, but it’s easier said than done.”

For the first quarter of an hour it seemed that King might do it better.

She struck the ball heavily, threatened to dominate the centre of the court with her long reach, and took an early lead.

David tried to move the ball around, and contained King’s attacks well, but for a while her accuracy was not as she would have liked. At 7-9 and 10-11 it seemed she might be slipping into difficulties.

However she played a long and patient attritional rally up and down the backhand wall on that vital game ball and was rewarded when King put a backhand volley down.Two more errors followed from King, and suddenly the match was transformed.

David relaxed and grew in confidence, and when she did that she showed how much she has improved as a creative player.

She began to make the ball cling more to the walls, she mixed the short and the long games nicely, and she struck the ball from the front to the back with increasing disguise.

After pulling away from 7-6 to 9-6 in the second game, she was in charge, and the third game became a procession. King had done enough to show that she might soon become a serious threat but not quite enough to impose that threat right now.

“I got confidence from that first game,” said David.

“It gave me the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. In the end I was really pleased with my match.”

David will continue her bid for a fifth British Open title with a semi-final against the winner between Kasey Brown, the 12th-seeded Australian, and Alison Waters, the fourth-seeded Briton.

Results:

Friday: Women’s quarter-final: Nicol David (MAS x1) bt Joelle King (NZL x6) 13-11, 11-8, 11-1. Thursday: Men’s: Second round: Borja Golan (ESP x8) bt Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4; Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY x6) 13-15, 4-11, 11-9, 11-6, 13-11; Ramy Ashour (EGY x1) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-2, 11-4, 11-9; James Willstrop (ENG x3) bt Simon Rosner (GER) 11-9, 11-1, 11-6. Women’s: Second round: Jenny Duncalf (ENG x8) bt Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 14-12, 11-4, 11-4; Raneem El Weleily (EGY x3) bt Madeline Perry (IRL x11) 11-7, 12-10, 11-5; Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY x14) bt Nour El Sherbini (EGY x5) 16-14, 11-7, 11-8; Laura Massaro (ENG x2) bt Dipika Pallikal (IND x15) 6-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6.—AFP