El Sherbini is the defending champion at the Professional Squash Association World Tour Platinum event, while she also triumphed in the gold version of the competition back in December.

The Egyptian star had received a bye in the first round, but was challenge by Gilis in her first match of the competition at the Black Ball Sporting Club.

El Sherbini twice earned a one game lead in the contest, only for Gilis to hit back on both occasions and force a decider.

The defending champion held her nerve in the fifth game to win a closely contested match 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8.

Hana Ramadan is now due to face the top seed in the third round, after winning an all-Egyptian tie 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 against Nadine Shahin.

Another Egyptian, second seed Nouran Gohar, enjoyed a strong start in the other half of the draw,overcoming Scotland’s Lisa Aitken 11-6, 11-6, 11-2.

Gohar is now set to face United States’ Olivia Fiechter, who earned a straight games 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 win over Canada’s Hollie Naughton.

Fourth seed Amanda Sobhy, of the United States, overcame her sister Sabrina 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 to reach the third round.

The American is next due to play India’s Joshna Chinappa after she came through a five-game match 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 14-16, 11-8 against Egypt’s Zeina Mickawy.

Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy and England’s Georgina Kennedy, who reached the semi-finals of the gold event in December, also secured victories today.

Third seed El Hammamy was an 11-4, 12-10, 11-7 winner over England’s Lucy Turmel.

The result sets up a tough third round match against Nour El Tayeb, who is continuing her comeback after a 14-month hiatus due to the birth of her daughter.

El Tayeb, who made her return four months ago, beat South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller 11-4, 11-8, 11-9.

Kennedy came through a tough match against Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, the English player eventually winning 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-2.

Her third-round opponent is due to be Egypt’s Salma Hany, a 11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7 winner against Donna Lobban of Australia.

England’s Sarah-Jane Perry secured an 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 win over Wales’ Emily Whitlock.

The fifth seed set up a match against Nada Abbas, who triumphed in another all-Egyptian encounter with Mariam Metwally 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 12-10.

New Zealand's sixth seed Joelle King also advanced from a match against Egypt’s Farida Mohammed, who retired from the contest due to a knee injury when trailing 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 11-13, 9-3.

King is next scheduled to play Belgium’s Nele Gilis in the third round, following her 12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3 win over America's Olivia Clyne.