Seeds Safely Through In New York

The top eight seeds successfully negotiated their way past first round opponents in the Women's Carol Weymuller Open at the Heights Casino in New York, USA.

Top seed Natalie Grainger, the US champion who is aiming for her fifth WISPA World Tour squash title this year on home soil, cruised to a 9-4, 9-2, 9-1 win over Mexican Samantha Teran.

"I felt really comfortable and tried to work the rallies," said the world No4 from Washington DC. "She struggles a bit with my game. I varied the pace and put the ball into the spaces."

Grainger, runner-up in the WISPA Gold event last year, is expected to meet England's Vicky Botwright in the final: The second seed battled for 48 minutes to overcome compatriot Dominique Lloyd-Walter 9-6, 9-5, 9-5.

"Dom played really well, I knew it was going to be tough," said the 30-year-old from Manchester. "I played her game to start with - but once I stepped forward it was better."

But Botwright will first have to face England team-mate Jenny Duncalf in the quarter-finals. Fifth seed Duncalf, winner of their last meeting in the World Open in Madrid, removed English qualifier Lauren Briggs 9-1, 9-4, 9-0.

"I'm glad to have started the tournament with a 3/0 win," said the 25-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire. "I played quite well - she's a pretty steady player. I felt that I mixed it up quite well. I like the tournament and it's great to be back here in Brooklyn."

1st round:
[1] Natalie Grainger (USA) bt Samantha Teran (MEX) 9-4, 9-2, 9-1
[7] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Isabelle Stoehr (FRA) 10-8, 9-5, 9-4
[4] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [Q] Annelize Naude (NED) 9-1, 9-2, 9-6
[8] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Manuela Manetta (ITA) 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 (48m)
[6] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG) bt Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 1-9, 7-9, 9-6, 9-7, 9-6 (92m)
[3] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [Q] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 9-1, 5-9, 9-4, 9-6 (40m)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) bt [Q] Lauren Briggs (ENG) 9-1, 9-4, 9-0
[2] Vicky Botwright (ENG) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 9-6, 9-5, 9-5 (48m)