Subramaniam, ranked 26 places lower than her Welsh opponent in the standings, produced a gritty display to advance to the last 16.

Evans, making her first Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour appearance of 2021, fought back to lead by two games to one only for 22-year-old Subramaniam to win the next two to complete an impressive 11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-6 success.

"Obviously I played very well in the first game, I was really warmed up and very comfortable," said Subramaniam.

"But in the second and third, I was giving her plenty of errors.

"She was not winning, I was just giving her points and it was very frustrating.

"From the fourth game on, I told myself I have the fitness, so I was just going to keep pushing the ball back even if I had the opportunity to volley.

"That worked well, the rallies were going longer, and I think she was feeling it too.

"It’s a good win, so I’m happy to be back."

Subramaniam will next face second seed Nouran Gohar of Egypt who got the better of compatriot Zeina Mickawy in straight games, winning 11-1, 11-9, 11-1.

England’s Lucy Turmel enjoyed a surprise 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 win over Olivia Clyne of the United States.

It was the world number 37’s first victory over a top 15 player as she booked her spot in the last 16 of a platinum event for the second time.

The 21-year-old will now take on another American in fourth seed Amanda Sobhy who came from a game down to beat Canada’s Danielle Letourneau 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-9.

Sobhy’s US teammate Olivia Fiechter upset the seedings with a 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 victory over world number 13 Nele Gilis of Belgium and she will play eighth seed Salma Hany of Egypt for a place in the quarter-finals.

Hany defeated South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller 11-13, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7, while New Zealand’s Joelle King and Egypt’s Rowan Elaraby were the other two women’s victors.

In the men’s event, Karim El Hammamy followed up his opening day upset of Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi with a 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 win against Egyptian teammate Zahed Salem.

Egypt’s fifth seed Karim Abdel Gawad, a two-time runner-up at this event, saw off compatriot Mohamed ElSherbini 11-9, 12-10, 6-11, while world champion and second seed Tarek Momen of Egypt began his tournament with a 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 success against Spain’s Iker Pajares Bernabeu.

Frenchman Gregoire Marche was also victorious as he upset the seedings to eliminate world number 10 Miguel Rodriguez.

The world number 15 ended a four-match losing run against the former British Open champion when he beat him at the CIB Black Ball Open two months ago and followed that up with a 11-7, 14-12, 11-4 victory.

Marche will now meet Germany’s Raphael Kandra who beat France’s Lucas Serme 11-6, 11-9, 11-4, while third seed Paul Coll of New Zealand and world number 41 Victor Crouin of France are also through courtesy of wins against Egypt’s Youssef Soliman and American Shahjahan Khan respectively.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow.