Seeds Slide In Baltimore

It was not a good day for higher-ranked players in the first round of the Baltimore Cup, with no fewer than five of the eight seeds falling at the first hurdle in the PSA Tour event in Baltimore, USA.

Laurent Elriani led a comprehensive French collapse. The No3 seed went down 11-8, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9 to unseeded Welshman Rob Sutherland - who goes on to meet David Phillips, a Canadian qualifier who dismissed Australia's No7 seed Paul Davis 11-4, 11-7, 11-1.

World University Champion Chris Ryder continued his run of recent good form with a surprisingly comfortable three game victory over fifth seed Julian Balbo, of France.

This guarantees an English semi-finalist as Ryder now faces Ben Garner, the newly-installed head squash professional at the Baltimore Country Club who beat his predecessor Lefika Ragontse 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.

1st round:
[1] Joey Barrington (ENG) bt [Q] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4 (70m)
[Q] Luke Margan (AUS) bt [8] Ian Power (CAN) 11-5, 11-1, 6-11, 11-7
[4] Raj Nanda (AUS) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-7, 10-11 (2-4), 2-11, 11-4, 11-8
Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt [5] Nicholas Kyme (BER) 11-10 (3-1), 3-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8
[Q] David Phillips (CAN) bt [7] Paul Davis (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-1
Rob Sutherland (WAL) bt [3] Laurent Elriani (FRA) 11-8, 7-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-9
[Q] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [6] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-3, 11-5, 11-9
[2] Ben Garner (ENG) bt Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6