LAURA Massaro admits she is playing a fine balancing act as she chases more world glory while also attempting to break her Hong Kong Open duck.

The form player in women’s world squash is trying to win the Hong Kong Open for the first time in her career - and the Chorley star booked her place in tomorrow’s second round with a routine 3-0 victory over Christine Nunn.

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But with the World Championships beginning in Kuala Lumpur next week, Massaro knows the importance of not burning herself out.

“I have never won the Hong Kong Open and that is definitely something I want to tick off my list,” said the 32-year-old, who is back at a career high number two in the new world rankings released this week.

“It is a competition, for one reason or another, I haven’t done particularly well in over the years and that is something I would love to change.

“But, at the same time, it comes very close to the World Championships so it will be a fine balancing act.”

Massaro, who lives in Hoghton, would be happy for a few more straight-forward victories at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.

It took her just 26 minutes to beat Nunn, the Australian qualifier, racing to a 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 victory.

She now plays Heba El Torky tomorrow for a place in Friday’s quarter finals.

Massaro has already won the Macau Open, US Open and Qatar Classic this season and should she add the Hong Kong Open to the collection, or reach the final, she will have little rest before the World Championships - a title she won back in 2013.

“I go in to every game and every competition looking to do my best but, at the same time, the World Championships have to be my main focus,” added Massaro.

“It is not worth going all out to win in Hong Kong but then have nothing left to give at the Worlds.

“So I will have to see how it goes.”

Massaro, who has already revealed she would love to be world number one, has closed the gap on Raneem El Welily at the top of the PSA Women’s World Rankings - while also rising above Malaysian superstar Nicol David for the first time in her career. While El Welily has maintained her grasp on the Women’s world number one ranking for a fourth consecutive month, Massaro has closed to within 300 points of the Egyptian - thanks largely to winning back-to-back PSA World Series titles for the first time in her career with those successes in the US Open and the Qatar Classic.

“I’ve said before that I want to be number one in the world,” added Massaro. “I probably have never been so close to achieving it but, at the same time, I have never been so far away.

“When Nicol was number one, she was miles ahead but now it is a lot closer between the top players.

“Now I’m above her in the rankings for the first time which is a great achievement for me. I am back up to two in the world but I would love to be number one.”