Canadian men fall at Canadian Open Racquetball Classic

There no Canadian men left in the draw at the at the second Canadian Open Racquetball Classic at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington, Ontario, as Mike Green, current Canadian Champion, and Ryan Smith, current Canadian Junior Champion, both lost in the round of 16 on Friday.

The Canadian Open Racquetball Classic is a Tier 1 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - the men's professional racquetball tour, and also features the top Canadian women's players.

Green of Burlington, Ontario, the reigning Canadian Champion, lost to racquetball legend Cliff Swain of Boston, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6, in the Round of 16. Swain has announced this is his last year on the IRT despite still being ranked number 2 at the age of 40.

Smith lost to Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.), the number 1 IRT player and defending Canadian Open Racquetball Classic champion, 11-1, 11-6, 11-1, in the Round of 16. Huczek has won the first two IRT events this season.

Huczek advanced to the semi-finals later on Friday by beating Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.), 10-12, 11-6, 11-2, 11-5, in the quarter finals.

Swain wasn't so lucky, as he fell to Shane Vanderson, 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7 in the quarters.

The other quarter final matches between Jason Mannino (San Diego) and Mexican Augstin Tristan (Mexico) and between Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) and Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.) were to be played later Friday night.

In women's play, the top seeds all won. Top seed Jennifer Saunders from Winnipeg defeated Denise Haynes of Clare, Nova Scotia, 15-12, 15-12, and second seed Christie Van Hees of Calgary beat Frederique T. Lambert of Montreal, Que., 15-1, 15-3.

Third seed Josée Grand'Maître of Longueuil, Que. defeated Claudia Courcy of Sherbrooke, Que., 15-3, 15-2, and Linda Ellerington of Shields, Sask. defeated Genevieve Brodeur of Sherbrooke, Que., 15-6, 15-9.

On Saturday in the semi-finals, Saunders will play Ellerington, and Van Hees will play Grand'Maître.

Play continues in the Canadian Open Racquetball Classic through Sunday at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club in Burlington.

For more information see the Racquetball Canada website : www.racquetball.ca, or the IRT website : www.irt-tour.com, or contact Evan Pritchard, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Racquetball Canada at evan333@mts.net, or Adrian Webb, Canadian Open tournament director at (519) 575-3370.

RESULTS SUMMARY : SOMMAIRE DES RÉSULTATS

Round of 16 - Friday : IRT Hommes vendredi

Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio) d. Andy Hawthorne (Akron, Ohio), 11-7, 11-2, 7-11, 11-3.
Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.) d. Jason Thoerner (Peoria, Ill.), 11-3, 11-7, 11-8.
Jason Mannino (San Diego) d. Ben Croft (Lake Bluff, Ill.), 11-3, 11-3, 11-1.
Cliff Swain (Boston) d. Mike Green (Burlington, Ont.), 11-4, 11-6, 11-6.
Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) d. Sudsy Monchik (USA), 11-4, 1-11, 11-3, 11-9.
Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.) d. Hiroshi Smimizu (Japan), 12-10, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9.
Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, MI) d. Ryan Smith (Burlington, ON), 11-1, 11-6, 11-1.
Augstin Tristan (Mexico) d. Alvaro Beltran (Mexico), default

Quarter-finals - Friday : Quart de finale IRT Hommes vendredi

Shane Vanderson (Dublin, Ohio) d. Cliff Swain (Boston), 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7.
Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, MI) d. Chris Crowther (Riverside, Calif.), 10-12, 11-6, 11-2, 11-5.
Jason Mannino (San Diego) vs. Augstin Tristan (Mexico) - later Friday night
Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) vs. Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.) - later Friday night

Semi-finals - Saturday : Demi finale IRT Hommes samedi

Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) vs. Rocky Carson (Laguna Niguel, CA) or Mitch Williams (Pueblo, Col.)
Shane Vanderson (Cleveland) vs. Jason Mannio (San Diego) or Augustin Tristan (Mexico)

Women's Quarter-finals - Friday : Quart de finale Femmes vendredi

Jennifer Saunders (Winnipeg) d. Denise Haynes (Clare, Nova Scotia), 15-5, 15-5.
Christie Van Hees (Calgary) d. Frederique T. Lambert (Montreal), 15-4, 15-11.
Josée Grand'Maître (Longueuil, Que.) d. Claudia Courcy (Sherbrooke, Que.) , 15-5, 10-15, 11-9.
Linda Ellerington (Shields, Sask.) d. Genevieve Brodeur (Sherbrooke, Que.), 15-12, 15-3.

Women's Semi-finals - Saturday : Demi finale Femmes samedi

Jennifer Saunders (Winnipeg) vs. Linda Ellerington (Shields, Sask.)
Christie Van Hees (Calgary) vs. Josée Grand'Maître (Longueuil, Que.)