Blatchford Progresses In Dayton

US teenager Olivia Blatchford progressed unexpectedly to the quarter-finals of the Women's EBS Dayton Open - but the success was at the expense of injured compatriot Latasha Khan in the first round of the $21,350 WISPA World Tour squash event at Dayton Squash Centre in Dayton, in the US state of Ohio.

"Feeling something had been wrong for a while with her upper left leg - quadriceps area - Latasha thought it felt good enough to play our event and not withdraw, but in the first game she knew something was seriously hurting her and the feisty American qualifier Olivia Blatchford played hard to win the first game 11- 3," said tournament organiser Charlie Johnson.

"Not wanting to disappoint the crowd, Latasha tried to continue but it was just too painful. She retired after losing the first three points of game two."

Blatchford, a 17-year-old qualifier from New York, will now face Miranda Ranieri, the eighth seed from Canada who also overcame a fellow countrywoman, qualifier Carolyn Russell, 11-1, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10.

In another national clash, top seed Kasey Brown was stretched to four games before beating fellow Australian Amelia Pittock 11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8.

The world No12 from New South Wales will now face Canadian Alana Miller, the sixth seed, for a place in the last four.