The home favourite reached the final of the tournament back in 2016 and she took a step closer to the title decider by beating Letourneau 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 at the Grand Central Terminal.

Sobhy made her comeback from a ruptured Achilles at the same event last January after a 10-month absence.

She spent much of 2018 working her way back up the world rankings having dropped from a career-high position of six down to 28.

"I love it [the home crowd] so much," said Sobhy.

"I don’t really get that many home tournaments, but when I do, I appreciate it.

"It is nice to get going.

"There are always a lot of emotions playing a home tournament and now that I am back, I might put a bit of pressure on myself.

"At the end of the day, I am just here to enjoy it because last year I was on the long road back, so I just kind of told myself to enjoy it and whatever happens, happens and I am going to give it my best."

Sobhy will next go up against world number three Nour El Tayeb, the 2018 runner-up, after the Egyptian defeated Scotland’s Lisa Aitken 11-6, 11-0, 11-4.

Sobhy’s compatriot, Olivia Blatchford Clyne, also booked her third round spot as she overcame Belgium’s Nele Gilis 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 13-11.

The New York-born player will play defending champion Nour El Sherbini for a place in the last eight after the world number two beat fellow Egyptian Hania El Hammamy 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7.

Two-time runner-up Laura Massaro of England was also in action today as she defeated Yathreb Adel 11-3, 11-6, 12-10, avenging her loss to the Egyptian in November’s Hong Kong Open.

She will line up against Egypt’s Salma Hany in round three, while Wales’ Tesni Evans and England’s Alison Waters will go head-to-head in an all-British battle.

Evans overcame England’s Millie Tomlinson 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 and Waters beat compatriot Emily Whitlock 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6.

World number two Ali Farag booked his place in the quarter-finals of the men’s tournament as he edged a highly-entertaining fixture against England’s Daryl Selby.

The 26-year-old took the win by a 15-13, 12-10, 13-11 scoreline, but was up against it at times against an impressive Selby, who was unable to capitalise on any of his seven game balls throughout the 57-minute encounter.

New Zealand’s Paul Coll, the world number seven, awaits Farag in the last eight after his match with Saurav Ghosal was cut short due to a calf injury to the Indian player.

Egyptian duo Tarek Momen and Omar Mosaad also claimed wins on day five, beating France’s Gregoire Marche - 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-9 - and Scotland’s Greg Lobban - 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 - respectively to reach the quarter-finals.

The entirety of the women’s third round is due to be played tomorrow.

Also set to be contested are the first two men's quarter-finals.