KUALA LUMPUR: Nicol David made the perfect start to her Tournament of Champions campaign by overcoming Canadian qualifier Samanthan Cornett in New York on Sunday.
Eight-time world champion Nicol endured a testing first game before running out an 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 winner in 27 minutes over Samantha, who defeated former Malaysian national player Low Wee Nee in the qualifying round.
World No 6 Nicol, who won the Tournament of Champions in 2014, will face New Zealand's ninth-ranked Joelle King later on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.
Joelle, who defeated Egypt's Heba El Torky 11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4, won the last time she faced former World No 1 Nicol at the China Open last September.
Nicol said she was happy with her opening match of the tournament after posting her second win over Samantha in as many meetings.
"Played solid to beat Samantha Cornett at my opening match at the @ToCSquash. Onto 2nd round against Joelle King tomorrow evening," Nicol posted on Twitter.
Earlier, she said after her first round win: "She's a very fair and true player, so I was making sure I played tight squash today.
"There's a great buzz coming here to New York to play in this venue (Grand Central Station) and I felt good today."