The last thing you need after a 35-hour plane journey is a tough five-setter against a rangy and powerful Egyptian on the top of his game.

But that?s exactly what ninth seed and crowd favourite John White had to put up with just over 24 hours after arriving from New Zealand for his opening round match in the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters squash tournament yesterday.

On an opening day short on upsets at the Jessie Vesey Sports Centre, White had to be at his mercurial best in coming from behind against Mohammed Abbas to avoid the ignominy of an early exit.

A Commonwealth Games contender who took an exhibition game-rich detour via New Zealand arrived here only on Saturday and looked fatigued and off his best in the opening three games.

He eventually overcame his determined and gritty African opponent 11-7, 8-11, 11-13, 11-1, 11-9 thanks, in particular, to a 15-point run that took him from two games to one down, to 4-0 up in the decider.

?When you?re tired ? or even when you?re fresh ? he is a really tough guy to play,? said White, who had injected his trademark humour into exchanges with the referee ? although only once he was back in the lead.

?It?s really great to get the win and I?m looking forward to my rest day.?

White?s position as favourite looked a little precarious in the first game, requiring a perfectly executed slide by the Australian-born Scot to seal the point at game ball.

Abbas then began to take advantage of a fatigued opponent, claiming the second before needing five game points to finish off the third 13-11.

A perceived dodgy call at the start of the fourth caused the Egyptian to lose concentration and he was 5-1 down to a reinvigorated White before he knew what was happening.

A couple of nicks later and Abbas basically tanked the game (11-1) to save some energy for a deciding fifth.

White now had his game back together and used both his unrivalled power and superior shotmaking to push his nose firmly in front.

Abbas briefly rallied from 8-2 but even though he pegged White back to eventually lose 11-9, he never could quite keep up with the more experienced player back at full power.

The conqueror of Bermudian Nick Kyme in last month?s Commonwealth Games now faces the unenviable task of taking on tournament favourite Amr Shabana in tomorrow?s next round.

The Egyptian reigning world champion disposed of Englishman Joey Barrington in the tournament?s opening game at BHS 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.

Shabana never really looked like he got out of third gear in the victory, although wouldn?t admit as much afterwards.

?You can?t just chill out in these games,? said the affable African.

?If you don?t play 100 percent against any of these guys you are going to find yourself in trouble.

?You just have to play no-risk squash and try to get through the early rounds as quickly as possible so you are fresh for the tougher rounds later on.?

In other games, last year?s top seed Thierry Lincou took the best part of an hour to get past a whinging Adrian Grant 11-3, 13-11, 11-6.

In a game featuring myriad lets and nowhere near the entertainment factor of the previous White encounter, Lincou pushed and edged his way past the Englishman into a second round encounter with Australian Stuart Boswell.

In the final match on the all-glass court, rising star Nick Matthew disposed of his fellow Englishman Mark Chaloner ? here because of the late withdrawals of two Pakistan players for visa reasons ?10-12, 11-2, 11-6, 13-11 in a rugged and hard-fought affair.

Another eight matches are to be played today, with four at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association and four more on the showcourt, split into two sessions.

Comfortably the highlight of the day will be Kyme?s mouthwatering battle with Bermuda resident David Palmer at 7.30p.m. Tickets are all but sold out for what should be a noisy affair as the Bermudian number one will take a shot at a world-class player for the third year in a row in front of a crazed partisan crowd.

Other first round ties of note see Commonwealth Games gold medallist Peter Nicol taste action for the first time against Johnathan Kemp while 2004 champion here Lee Beachill plays Australian Dan Jenson.