Canadian Open Racquetball Classic Begins

The third Canadian Open Racquetball Classic began Thursday at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington, Ontario. The tournament is a full event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - the men's professional racquetball tour - and the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) tour, so the best racquetball players in the world are in Burlington this weekend.

Thursday was qualifying day for the main IRT draw of 16. The top eight seeds automatically qualify, and the other eight come from three qualifying rounds. The WPRO competition begins Friday.

In a re-match this year's Canadian Championship final hometown player Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.) got a measure of revenge as he beat Kris Odegard of Saskatoon, 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2, to qualify for the Round of 16 on Friday. Odegard beat Green to the Canadian Championship in Regina last May.

Earlier, Green defeated Patrick Patenaude (Montreal), 11-1, 11-3,11-4, in the second round of qualifying.

There are two other Canadians who still have a chance to make the Round of 16, as Vincent Gagnon (Longueuil, Que.) and Q8: Brian Istace (Calgary) are still playing their matches against Jason Thoerner (Peoria, Ill.) and Andres Herrera (Mission Viejo, Calif.), respectively.

The other Canadian men fell be the wayside in the third qualifying round. James Landeryou (Saskatoon) lost to Hiroshi Shimizu (Tokyo, Japan), 11-0, 11-8, 11-5, and former Canadian Junior Champions Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.) and Ryan Smith (Burlington, Ont.) both lost out.

Desrochers lost to Javier Moreno (Mexico), 11-1, 11-8, 11-6, while Smith fell at the hands of John Ellis (Stockton, Calif.), 11-4, 14-12, 12-10.

Also in the third round, Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio) defeated Mike Dennison (Cleveland, Ohio), 11-2, 11-2, 2-11, 12-10, and Juan Herrera (Columbia) lost to Travis Woodbury (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-5, 12-10, 11-1.

In the second qualifying round, Gagnon beat Anthony Herrera (Grand Junction, Col.), 10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6, and Desrochers defeated Rafael Filippini (Bonita,Calif.), 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2.

In two all Canadian second round matches, James Landeryou defeated Lee Connell (Saskatoon), 11-5, 11-6, 11-3, and Smith handily beat Anthony Barraco (Leamington, Ont), 11-0, 11-2, 11-1.

Three Canadians lost in round two, Josh Keil (Saskatoon) lost to Andres Herrera (Mission Viejo, Calif.), 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3. Earlier, Keil won when he beat German Herrera (Columbia), 11-2, 11-4, 4-11, 11-3, in the first qualifying round.

Also in round two, Mike Dennison (Cleveland, Ohio) defeated Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon), 3-11, 11-2, 11-4,11-9, and Travis Woodbury (Memphis, Tenn.) won his match over Mathieu Messier (Montreal) by forfeit.

Two matches in the third round of IRT qualifying are in progress with the Round of 16 and Quarter Finals to be played on Friday. The WPRO competitions begin Friday. The Canadian Open Classic continues through Sunday at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington.

RESULTS SUMMARY : SOMMAIRE DES RÉSULTATS

IRT Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday : 1 Épreuve éliminatoire de IRT - jeudi

Josh Keil (Saskatoon) d. German Herrera (Columbia), 11-2, 11-4, 4-11, 11-3

IRT Qualifying Round 2 - Thursday : 2 Épreuve éliminatoire de IRT - jeudi

Andres Herrera (Mission Viejo, Calif.) d. Josh Keil (Saskatoon), 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3
Travis Woodbury (Memphis, Tenn.) d. Mathieu Messier (Montreal) forfeit
Vincent Gagnon (Longueuil, Que.) d. Anthony Herrera (Grand Junction, Col.), 10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.) d. Rafael Filippini (Bonita, Calif.), 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2
James Landeryou (Saskatoon) d. Lee Connell (Saskatoon), 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.) d. Patrick Patenaude (Montreal), 11-1, 11-3, 11-4
Ryan Smith (Burlington, Ont.) d. Anthony Barraco (Leamington, Ont), 11-0, 11-2, 11-1
Mike Dennison (Cleveland, Ohio) d. Tim Landeryou (Saskatoon), 3-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-9

IRT Qualifying Round 3 - Thursday : 3 Épreuve éliminatoire de IRT - jeudi

Q2: Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio) d. Mike Dennison (Cleveland, Ohio), 11-2, 11-2, 2-11, 12-10
Q3: Hiroshi Shimizu (Tokyo, Japan) d. James Landeryou (Saskatoon), 11-0, 11-8, 11-5
Q4: Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Eric Desrochers (Ancaster, Ont.), 11-1, 11-8, 11-6
Q5: Juan Herrera (Columbia) d. Travis Woodbury (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-5, 12-10, 11-1
Q6: Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.) d. Kris Odegard (Saskatoon), 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2
Q7: John Ellis (Stockton, Calif.) d. Ryan Smith (Burlington, Ont.), 11-4, 14-12, 12-10
Q1: Jason Thoerner (Peoria, Ill.) vs. Vincent Gagnon (Longueuil, Que.), in progress
Q8: Brian Istace (Calgary) vs. Andres Herrera (Mission Viejo, Calif.), in progress

IRT Round of 16 - Friday : Round de 16 IRT - vendredi

Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.) vs. Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio)
Shane Vanderson (Cleveland) vs. Hiroshi Shimizu (Tokyo, Japan)
Ben Croft (Lake Bluff, Ill.) vs. Javier Moreno (Mexico)
Alvaro Beltran (Mexico) vs. Juan Herrera (Columbia)
Jason Mannino (San Diego) vs. Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.)
Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) vs. John Ellis (Stockton, Calif.)
Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.) vs. Q1
Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, MI) vs. Q8