Bermuda resident David Palmer began the defence of his World Open squash title in Lahore, Pakistan, yesterday with a straight games victory over Mohammed Essam Hafiz, an Egyptian ranked outside the top 50.

The Australian was strapped heavily round the left thigh, but did not appear to be too hampered.

Palmer won the first round match 15-12 15-5 15-12, although it might have been a lot closer had not Hafiz reacted badly to narrowly losing the first game.

His line and length deserted him in the second, allowing the champion some cheap points.

In the third game, Hafiz showed he had the talent to make Palmer work hard and took a 10-6 lead, but he lost his way again after becoming disturbed by two refereeing decisions.

?I didn?t play very well,? third-seed Palmer reckoned. ?The court is good but the conditions are fast and control is not always easy.?

Britain?s world number one Peter Nicol had to fight much harder against another developing young Egyptian, Hisham Mohammed Ashour, who looked as though he might cause even more trouble than he did before Nicol triumphed 15-14 16-17 15-7 15-6.

?When you play someone with shots like that on a quick court it can take some time to adjust,? said Nicol.

?But I think I?ve done that. I?ve had a good match and I think I?ll start to play better now.?

The chances of Nicol and Palmer have been boosted by the absence of ex-champion Jonathon Power of Canada who is injured.

Several of those playing in this week?s World Open are expected in Bermuda next March for the $55,000 Bermuda Open, the most ambitious squash tournament ever held locally.

Palmer, who divides his time between training bases in Belgium and Bermuda, has thrown his weight behind the Island tournament, calling it ?one of the most exciting events to hit the World Tour in years?.