Former Champion David Survives Five-Game Battle To Secure US Open Quarter-Final Berth

Three-time former champion Nicol David had to fight back from 2/0 down to overcome Egyptian Nour El Tayeb, the 2015 runner-up, to secure her anticipated place in the women's quarter-finals of the Delaware Investments US Open at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

The 33-year-old Malaysian was caught flat-footed in the first two games as El Tayeb, 23, dictated the play, hitting successive winners as David seemed powerless to resist the charge. But the experienced former world number one - who has 80 PSA World Tour titles to her credit - managed to turn the match around in the third and launch a comeback that was completed after 53 minutes when she sealed the 4-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 victory.

"I wasn't firing in the first game and a half and she made it very hard for me," said David, the champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014 now in her eighth successive quarter-final.

"I knew I had to fight all the way. I trained really hard over the summer during the off season and I wasn't going to go down without a fight - I pushed to the limit and I'm really pleased to win that 3/2.

"I didn't let up - I knew I wanted to keep going until the very end and that's what I did."

David will now take on Raneem El Welily in the quarter-finals, after the former world No.1 saw off the challenge of New Zealand's Joelle King, while current world No.1 incumbent Nour El Sherbini will take on Alison Waters after the Englishwoman edged Egyptian qualifier Salma Hany Ibrahim.

Waters required 63 minutes, and a fifth game tie-break, to get the better of the talented youngster, claiming the win at the second time of asking to come through 12-14, 11-1, 7-11, 11-4, 14-12.

"It was a tough game and it was hard to get into a rhythm," said Londoner Waters. "One game she was chopping it in and the next I was in front, so it was a case of trusting yourself.

"I just tried to keep hitting my targets and push until the end and luckily it was my day. I enjoyed it and was happy that it went the right way for me."

Unseeded James Willstrop, the former men's world No.1 from England, maintained his impressive run in Philadelphia after coming through a testing five-game battle in the second round of the second PSA World Series tournament of the 2016/17 season.

The world No.19, who produced a masterclass performance to eliminate Egypt's world No.3 Omar Mosaad in the first round, had to call on all his experience to get the better of a second Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar in a gruelling 70-minute encounter that saw the 23-year-old world No.20 playing with fearless attacking intent that unsettled the tall Englishman from the off.

But the 33-year-old showed why he's considered one of the finest squash tacticians around as he managed to counter everything Abouelghar threw at him to keep his tournament hopes intact.

"That was an hour and a bit of frantic intensity," said Willstrop. "Hats off to him, he made me work so hard.

"I couldn't get the ball off his racket in the middle area and he was playing excellent shots across me and that got me on edge. I had to play very, very well to beat him.

"I'm just so pleased to get through. I want to keep on playing - I don't want to stop. I feel in a bit of a groove so I was so pleased to get through at the end and hopefully I can keep progressing."

Willstrop will now go up against South African Stephen Coppinger for a place in the semi-finals after the 32-year-old - whose place at the tournament was cast in doubt due to Hurricane Matthew wreaking havoc in his current home state of Florida - came out on the winning side of a huge 82-minute match with Malaysian qualifier Nafiizwan Adnan.

Adnan secured one of the biggest wins of his career when he took out No.7 seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the first round - but his run came to an end as Coppinger powered through a series of dramatic exchanges in the fifth to secure his place in the last eight of a PSA World Series tournament for the first time since 2013.

"I'm lucky to be here in the first place, let alone be competing in a second match so I'm thrilled to get the win," said Coppinger.

"I have plenty to work on squash wise but I'm in there and that's what counts at this point. He's ranked below me and on paper I should have won easier - but what it says on paper and reality is different, so I'm just very pleased to win."

The winner of their encounter will face either world No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy or his younger brother Marwan Elshorbagy, the world No.7, after they came through their second round fixtures to set up a last eight head-to-head.

US Open image courtesy of www.squashpics.com