Teran Takes Tara In LA Opener

On course to win her fourth WISPA World Tour squash title in the USA this year, top seed Samantha Teran beat Canadian Tara Mullins in the first round of the Women's Epstein Becker & Green Los Angeles Open to claim a place in the last eight of the $20,000 event in its second year at Los Angeles Athletic Club in Los Angeles.

The world No20 from Mexico took just 28 minutes to overcome Mullins 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 and will now face Australian Donna Urquhart, the No6 seed, for a place in the semi-finals.

"It's very hard to finish the ball off on there and she likes to run - so that made it a hard game," Teran told www.squashsite.co.uk. "We've played each other so many times - whenever we're in a tournament together we always seem to be playing, but thankfully I usually win!"

US hopes are being led by second seed Latasha Khan. The seven-time US National champion from Seattle beat Welsh opponent Deon Saffery 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 - and now faces a quarter-final clash with Ireland's fifth seed Aisling Blake.

1st round:
[1] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Tara Mullins (CAN) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 (28m)
[6] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [Q] Stephanie Edmison (CAN) 9-1, 9-1, 9-1 (20m)
[4] Manuela Manetta (ITA) bt [Q] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 10-8, 9-5, 9-2 (34m)
[7] Suzie Pierrepont (ENG) bt [Q] Tina Rix (ENG) 9-4, 9-0, 9-4 (24m)
[8] Alana Miller (CAN) bt Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 9-2, 5-9, 9-1, 9-2 (43m)
[3] Louise Crome (NZL) bt [Q] Eman El Amir (EGY) 9-0, 9-5, 9-6 (36m)
[5] Aisling Blake (IRL) bt Karina Herrera Zuniga (MEX) 9-3, 9-1, 9-4 (26m)
[2] Latasha Khan (USA) bt Deon Saffery (WAL) 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 (26m)