Squash: Parke blames defeat on new seedings

Simon Parke, the England international and world No 5, blamed a controversial new seeding system for his surprise first-round defeat by Ireland's Derek Ryan in the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday.

Parke, who is making a comeback after chemotherapy for testicular cancer, lost 15-11, 15-11, 2-15, 15-11 to the world No 15.

Parke said he was a victim of the new system - which cuts the number of seeded players from 16 to 8 - brought in by the Professional Squash Association. As a result, highly ranked players often meet in the first round of events. Parke said: "I do not think it was needed - everyone wants to change it back."

The second seed, Rodney Eyles of Australia, struggled to beat Zarak Jahan Khan, of Pakistan, who is ranked just eight places below him.

"It's a product of the system that I met him in the first round but the way I look at it if I did not play him in the first round I would have met him in the second," said Eyles, after his 15-6, 8-15, 15-10, 7-15, 15-12 victory.