MANCHESTER, Sept 23: Nicol David suffered an unexpected scare in her bid to win a third successive British Open title during a five-game match against Natalie Grainger which led her to the quarter-finals.

The world No 1 from Malaysia overcame the world No 5 from the United States 9-3, 9-3, 7-9, 2-9, 9-0 in a contest in which David led by two games and 4-1 and looked like a comfortable winner but instead ran into trouble.

She next plays Tania Bailey, the fourth seed from England, while the other semi-final will be another tussle between the two Grinham sisters from Australia, Rachael and Natalie.

Rachael 's 7-9, 9-7, 9-6, 9-0 win over Vanessa Atkinson, the former world champion from The Netherlands, brought a three-hour two-part drama which bizarrely sandwiched a men's match and brought lengthy speculation about the rules involving delays.

Meanwhile both Frenchman, Thierry Lincoud and Gregory Gultier reached the semi-finals of the men's event, with Gaultier earning a meeting with Amr Shabana, the world number one from Egypt.

Shabana ended the title defence of Nick Matthew, the first English player to become champion for 75 years, in a fine four-game match in which he trailed 7-9 in the third game before accelerating to some of his best form.—AFP