Serme, the current world number three, battled to a 11-6, 12-14, 14-12 success to ensure she kept hold of top spot in Group A.

The Frenchwoman did not have it all her own way but she managed to prevail in three games at the Dubai Opera House.

"I’m very happy, I saw myself winning, then losing, then winning again, so anything could have happened,” said Serme.

"I guess we’ll know more about what’s going to happen after the second group match, but it’s already better than last year, last year I only won one match, so it’s positive and I’m going to give it everything tomorrow."

Elsewhere, two-time champion Nicol David of Malaysia's hopes of progressing to the semi-finals are on a knife edge after she was beaten in straight games by second seed Nour El Sherbini in Group B.

The Egyptian player, the reigning world champion, swept aside David 11-6, 11-9 in just 21 minutes as she bounced back from a surprise defeat to England's Sarah Jane Perry.

In the men's competition, Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the world number one, is also on the brink of an early exit.

Gaultier had lost just one match all year until he came up against James Willstrop, with the Englishman prevailing 11-9, 11-4.

Marwan Elshorbagy of Egypt moved into top spot in Group A as he overcame Gemany’s Simon Rösner.

World number seven Elshorbagy needed three games to get past his German opponent, who caused a shock by ousting world champion Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt yesterday, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6.

Gawad, the top seed, responded to the surprise loss in the best possible way as he beat 2010 finalist Nick Matthew of England 11-7, 11-6 to keep his hopes of progressing to the last four alive.