In an epic five-game encounter which lasted for 1 hour 13min, the world number 36 triumphed 15-13, 14-12, 13-15, 9-11, 11-6 to set up a second round tie with the United States’ world number five Amanda Sobhy.

World number one Nour El Sherbini of Egypt is also in the top half of the draw, and will face Olivia Fiechter of the United States in the second round after the world number 20 saw off Switzerland’s Nadia Pfister in straight games 11-7, 11-5, 11-2.

Egyptian Nouran Gohar is the world number two and defending champion from 2019 at the British Open, after last year’s event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic - and she will face compatriot Zeina Mickawy in the second round after her victory over Canada’s Nicole Bunyan 12-10, 11-8, 11-8.

Wales’ Emily Whitlock, who has reached the last four at three events this month including a semi-final appearance at last week’s Manchester Open, secured safe passage from the first round with a straight games win against Finland’s Emilia Soini 11-6, 11-8, 11-4.

She will face compatriot Tesni Evans, the world number 11, tomorrow.

Sixteen first round matches were held which largely went according to the world rankings script, including home favourites Lucy Turmel and Jasmine Hutton progressing on the Glass Court in straight sets against France’s Enora Villard and Switzerland’s Cindy Merlo respectively.

In the men’s competition, there was an upset in the all-English clash on the Glass Court as wildcard entry Nick Wall came from a game behind to defeat world number 26 Daryl Selby and set up a tie with fourth seed Marwan ElShorbagy of Egypt in the second round.

The third seed and world number four Paul Coll of New Zealand will be up against Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim, ranked 18^th in the world, in the second round as the Manchester Open semi-finalist saw off France’s Sebastien Bonmalais 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5.

World number 39 George Parker of England recorded a first victory at the British Open as he beat compatriot Sam Todd 11-7, 11-7, 13-11, and will now face the eighth seed Mostafa Asal of Egypt in the second round.

In the longest men's match of the day, lasting for 100 minutes on the side courts, France’s Lucas Serme lost the first game but recovered to defeat Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9 in five games.

In another match that went the distance, Mathieu Castagnet of France came from two games down to avoid an upset against India’s Ramit Tandon, winning 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 to set up a clash against seventh seed and newly crowned Manchester Open champion Diego Elias of Peru.

Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi won the first two games against the US’ Shahjahan Khan before being pegged back to two apiece, but the world number 38 triumphed in the decider 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 10-12, 11-6.

Sixteen second round matches are scheduled to take place in the men’s and women’s tournaments tomorrow, with the eight seeded players all entering the draw.