DUBAI: World number one Mohamed Elshorbagy made a whirlwind start to his bid to win the World Series finals after the 25-year-old Egyptian triumphed 11-4, 11-6 in a physically explosive battle with Mathieu Castagnet, the seventh-seeded Frenchman on Tuesday.

The bustling Alexandrian was always in control against Castagnet, even though the movement and dynamism of the rallies took the crowd’s breath away.

Once the Frenchman made a point blank interception from within six feet of the front wall, but even that was not enough to get the ball away for a winner.

Elshorbagy next plays Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the fifth-seeded Colombian, who scored his first ever win over Nick Matthew, the 35-year-old three times former world champion from England, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9. Matthew, who contemplated retirement after the British Open two months ago, still looked hampered by the ankle injury which has troubled him for nearly a year.

There was an upset in Group ‘B’ when the lowest ranked player in the eight-player field — Cameron Pilley of Australia — edged fourth-seeded Egyptian Omar Mosaad 11-7, 5-11, 11-6 in a game that saw more of tactics playing the upper hand for close to an hour.

Second seed Gregory Gaultier of France steamed past sixth-seeded German Simon Rosner 11-2, 11-9 in the other Group ‘B’ match.

The other world number one, Nour El Sherbini, by contrast, was beaten.

The 20-year-old who recently won both the world and British Open titles, lost 12-10, 17-15 in an entertaining high speed encounter to her fellow Egyptian Raneem El Welily in Group ‘B’ of the women’s section.

It was not a major surprise, for Welily was the world’s top ranked player herself for a spell last year, and her creative style suited the shorter best of three games format very well. El Sherbini can still qualify if she wins her next two matches.

Later Nicol David, who could win this title for a third successive time despite the women’s event’s three-year absence — began with an enterprising 11-6, 13-11 win over Amanda Sobhy, the first American to reach the world’s top eight.

David adapted well to the requirements of the shorter format, attempting more forays to the front than usual, and denying Sobhy a crucial game point at 10-11 in the second game with the help of a skilful volley drop shot.

The women’s game’s most successful player next faces another former world number one, Laura Massaro who produced a performance full of good movement and bold shot selection to win 11-7, 13-11 against Nouran Gohar, the world junior champion from Egypt.

In the opening match of the tournament, Frenchwoman Camille Serme defeated Omneya Abdel Kawy of Egypt 11-9, 13-11 in 23 minutes.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2016