Manetta Masters Malik In Burning River Upset

Fourth seed Tegwen Malik crashed out of the Women's Burning River Cleveland Classic after losing to unseeded Italian Manuela Manetta in the first round of the new WISPA World Tour event at the Cleveland Racquet Club in Cleveland in the US state of Ohio.

Manetta raced to an early lead using a lot of variation to her game, leaving the usually nimble Malik looking uncomfortable when any explosive speed was called upon. After taking a lead in the third, the 23-year-old from Parma started looking a little shaky when victory was in sight.

A string of errors from Manetta gave the Welsh champion a 7-5 lead, and it looked as if the number four seed might survive after all. But a few nice holds and cross court flicks gave Manetta the match 9-2, 9-2, 9-7.

"I'm very happy with that win - it is my best to date," said the surprise quarter-finalist afterwards. "I've been trying to add more attack to my game - I guess it works!"

Manetta will now face seventh seed Latasha Khan after the seven-times US National champion was given a walkover by Amelia Pittock. The Australian was taken ill with a virus during the previous night.

England's eighth seed Rebecca Botwright produced a solid performance against Lisa Camilleri winning comfortably in three games. Camilleri was not looking her best after being up most of the night nursing compatriot Pittock.

Botwright will now face top seed Natalie Grainger after the top seed from the USA beat Canadian qualifier Alana Miller 9-5, 9-0, 9-5

"I feel I'm getting back to my best," said Grainger, who is playing in her first WISPA World Tour event since becoming a US citizen last month. "The top three in the world are in great physical shape so with a little more conditioning I'll be right in there."

Miller noted: "I just aspire to be half as good as she is with the racket, she's in a different class right now, but I'll go away and work hard."

1st round:
[1] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt [Q] Alana Miller (CAN) 9-5, 9-0, 9-5
[8] Rebecca Botwright (ENG) bt [Q] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 9-6, 9-3, 9-6
[3] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) bt [Q] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 9-2, 9-7, 9-5
[6] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt Orla Noom (NED) 9-1, 9-2, 9-1
[7] Latasha Khan (USA) bt Amelia Pittock (AUS) w/o
Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt [4] Tegwen Malik (WAL) 9-2, 9-2, 9-7
[5] Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) bt [Q] Peta Hughes (AUS) 9-2, 10-8, 9-7
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt Aisling Blake (IRL) 9-2, 9-0, 9-2