NEW DELHI: Leander Paes made a shock first round exit from the $325,000 Mercedez Benz Cup tournament in Los Angeles on Tuesday when he succumbed to unheralded Eric Taino of the US. Paes, ranked 129 in the ATP ranking list, went down to the 24-year-old left-handed rival, ranked a lowly 644 in the world 6-7 (4-7), 1-6.

Paes, the top ranked doubles player in the world, will partner Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman in the doubles where they will take on Paul Kilderry and Andrew Florence of Australia in the first round.

Deepali goes out

MUMBAI: The lone Indian girl in fray, Deepali Anvekar bowed out of the second round (individual) of tenth World Junior (girls) Squash Championship at Antwerp on Monday. Deepali, who played Englishwoman Nicola Clark with strappings on both thighs, lost 3-9, 0-9, 2-9.

Pia Abraham, Vaidehi Reddy and Supriya Balsekar met with mixed luck in the plate matches played among first round losers. Pia sidelined Adelaine Legeay of France 8-10,9-4, 6-9, 9-7, 9-5. Vaidehi subdued English girl Lauren Selby 9-7, 5-9, 3-9, 9-2, 9-1, but Supriya lost to Kira Petersen of Denmark 6-9, 4-9, 5-9.

E Bengal rout FCI

CALCUTTA: East Bengal thrashed Food Corporation of India 3-0 in their Super Division Football League match here on Tuesday. East Bengal medio Renedy Singh struck two goals while Ghana-recruit Abu Idrisiu scored once.