National Championships

Championnat National

1997 - Winnipeg, Manitoba

From Canadian Racquetball, vol. 1, no. 4

This past May Winnipeg played host to the 1997 Canadian National Championships. It has been over 20 years since the Nationals were last contested in Winnipeg. The game has changed a lot in this span. The racquets are bigger, the ball is faster, the competition is stiffer and the game is played at a much higher level. One more change took place as Racquetball Canada joined the rest of the World and adopted the 1 serve rule in the open divisions. The host committee made a commitment to making this an event rather than just a tournament. Coming on the heels of a major flood that wreaked havoc on the whole of Manitoba, the attitude and spirit of this committee speaks volumes as to the commitment towards hosting the "Best Nationals Ever". Many will agree that it was one to remember.

Opening night featured a sponsor doubles night with the local Canada's National Team. Also, there was a Racquetball trade show with all the major companies in the game being represented. The atmosphere was refreshing with Canada's players being the first to see next year's product fines. There were racquet demos, product giveaways, company parties and also some tough racquetball thrown in.

THE WOMENS' DIVISION

Christie Van Hees wanted to deliver a message to her fellow competitors. The message: I'm number one! Van Hees lost in the '96 final and from that point forward she has been tearing up the competition. Christie played serve and shoot racquetball in winning the women's title over fellow British Columbia native Debbie Ward by scores of 11-2,11-4 and 11-2.

QUARTER FINAL UPSET

Debbie Ward had what will probably be remembered as the tournament of her fife. After missing the Tournament of the America's due to an injury, Debbie came to play, and play she did! In the quarter finals she disposed of defending National Singles Champion Josée Grand'Maître. Debbie is better known as a doubles specialist and was a huge underdog going into the match. Using a strong power game she pulled off a stunning 3 game victory to move to the semi's. By the same token Christie Van Hees reeled off a straight 3 game victory over Amanda Mac Donald to advance.

THE SEMIS

The semi's had Ward facing Lucie Guillemette and Van Hees facing off against Lori-Jane Powell. Ward against Guillemette promised to be a struggle. The athletic Guillemette has been a top player for the last few years. What she really needs is to win one of these semi final matches to bring her game to the next level. This match was even until Ward came through with the clutch shots to advance. The final score was 11-8 in the fifth as Ward advanced to her first Canadian singles final. Powell is a former Canadian champion and always seems to give Van Hees tough matches. Before the crowd got comfortable this one was over as Van Hees steamrolled Lori-Jane in three games.

THE FINALS

The stage was set for a battle between the 2 hard hitting ladies from BC. In the Championship match Van Hees established her serve early on and never really let Ward get started. Most of the rallies were short with Van Hees punctuating the finish with power roll-outs from the forehand and the backhand. Ward tried a couple different serves but nothing worked as Van Hees romped to her first Canadian title. "it was one of the best matches of my life," proclaimed the elated 19-year old champion.

THE QUARTERS

With action heating up in the quarters, the best match of this round pitted Jacques Demers against Mike Green. Green, after a 2 5 tournament season, controlled the match winning the first two games and was leading match point to 6 in the third. Green opened the door by missing two easy forehand set-ups for the match. Demers jumped right through by stealing game 3 and winning the fourth and fifth in a remarkable 5 game comeback win. Mike Ceresia avenged a loss early on in the season to Brian Istace by dismissing him in 4 games; Simon Roy advanced to the semi finals for the 10th straight year by eliminating Kelly Kerr; and the Greenfeld Express rolled into the semis by eliminating Andrew Kane in 3 games.

Ceresia celebrates his victory over Greenfeld
Photo courtesy of Rene Strelesky

THE SEMIS

The semis had Greenfeld facing Demers and Ceresia versus Roy. Greenfeld, always very comfortable in the confines of his home club played another solid match against Demers. The match was close but Greenfeld had the answers as he advanced to his fifth straight final in three close games. Simon Roy and Mike Ceresia are doubles partners and good friends until the ref says 0 serves 0 in their singles matches. Roy is a pure shooter while Ceresia is a scrambler. Ceresia overcame a 2 games to 1 deficit to win in five games.

THE FINALS

The stage was set. Sherman against Mike! The 2 most dominant players in Canada going head to head once again. What was really on the fine? For Greenfeld it was a chance for him to show off his talent to the home crowd and an opportunity to win that elusive 10th Canadian singles title on his home turf. For Ceresia it was an opportunity to give Greenfeld something to remember. Ceresia had lost the 1994 World Singles Title to his long time rival and also played second fiddle to Greenfeld for years. Both had a lot to prove. Who would be the Champion?

Ceresia won the first game. However, an inspired Greenfeld leapt out to an 8-0 lead in game 2 while the partisan crowd chanted 'Sher-man, Sher-man'. Ceresia silenced the crowd by scoring 4 points in a row to win game 2, 11-1O. Greenfeld never recovered as Ceresia relentlessly won game 3 by a score of 11-2. The new champion explained after the match, "the second game was critical because if he gets the momentum he's hard to stop." Greenfeld was shell shocked and stated, "Mike returned serve very well and kept the rallies short."

THE DOUBLES

In the doubles Vicki Shanks and Debbie Ward defeated Lucie Guillemette and Josée Grand'Maître in 5 games. Meanwhile Simon Roy and Mike Ceresia defeated Tom O'Brien and Mike Green in 3 games to win the respective doubles crowns. Ceresia became the first male to win singles and doubles in the same year since Wayne Bowes did it in the seventies.

A special thank you to club manager Ron Brown, Brent Jervis of the Manitoba Racquetball Association, Al Lasko who designed a first-class program under extremely trying circumstances, and the throng of volunteers who came together to make this year's event a winner. It was truly a "Nationals to be remembered".