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Kane Waselenchuk’s career numbers are more like video game statistics than real life accomplishments. He entered the 2011 US Open Racquetball Championships with an amazing International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 113 match win streak. He rarely if ever drops a single set of his best-of-five matches. He came in having won the US Open Championship a record six times (2003-2005, 2008-2010). Waselenchuk is the best player playing the game – and he is possibly (more like probably) the best to have ever splat a racquetball.
Waselenchuk easily defeated his first four opponents in this year’s US Open, giving up just 30 combined points while rolling out 132 for himself. His toughest test came in the championship match, where he met #2 seed Rocky Carson.
The 32-year old Carson has been playing the best racquetball of his career. He won the US Open in 2007 while Waselenchuk was serving a two year suspension. He nearly defeated Waselenchuk in January when he took him to the fifth set. Carson dominated his first four opponents, reaching the championship after giving up just 44 points while not dropping a set.
Waselenchuk and Carson met on Sunday afternoon in center stage at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. The US Open draws the biggest prize pool of any racquetball event in the United States. Top prize for the men’s open is $30k. Carson started hot, keeping Waselenchuk on the ropes and winning the first set 11-7. Waselenchuk bounced back, however, and proved that he is still the best player in the world, winning the next three sets 11-2, 11-4, 11-7. Waselenchuk hoisted the US Open trophy for the seventh time.
Meanwhile, the women’s pro championship (WPRO) was more unpredictable. #1 seed Rhonda Rajsich squared off in center stage against #2 seed Paola Longoria. The Californian Rajsich has won the US Open four times, however, lost to Mexican pro Longoria in the 2008 US Open championship. She did, however, defeat Longoria in last year’s US Open Championship. Longoria, who is just 22-years old and reigns from Mexico, is having another great year and is proving that she deserves to be the world’s top ranked female.
Both ladies easily made it to the championship match, with Rajsich dropping one set while Longoria didn’t drop any. Longoria’s quickness and deadly backhand were too much for Rajsich, as Longoria prevailed in straight sets 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, taking home her second US Open championship trophy and the $15,000 prize money that came with it.
Meanwhile, several Iowa players represented the state with victories at the US Open. Ottumwa’s Brian Crosser took 1st place with his partner, Travis Mettenbrink, in the Men’s 19+ Doubles. Classic Professional Racquetball Tour (CPRT) Pro Brad McCunniff (Cedar Falls) took 1st place in the Men’s 45+.
7 QC Players Compete at 2011 Spring Landmark Invitational
Story by Josh Paul
Peoria, Illinois, found itself home to seven racquetball players from the Quad Cities on March 4-5, resulting in awards for a few.
At the 2010 Spring Landmark Invite, the Quad Cities dominated the competition, taking 1st and 2nd in the Men’s A doubles (Phil Hart & Randy Puebla and Scott Kruse & Tom McDermott, respectively) and 1st in the Men’s B singles (Victor Allen).
Players that made this year’s 1.5 hour trip include: Dan Baker (A/B singles), Rick Berg (A singles), Lewis Holmes (A doubles), Scott Kruse (A singles/doubles), Tom McDermott (A doubles), Josh Paul (A/B singles), and Bob Schlichting (A doubles).
The event, usually held Friday – Sunday, was cut short a day due to a low player draw. Berg and Kruse earned wins Friday night in the “A” singles, while Baker won his “B” match. Baker, Holmes, Paul, and Schlichting found themselves out of their “A” league games by mid-afternoon on Saturday. 2nd round wins in the A singles league by Berg and Kruse set up a showdown between the two in the semifinals. After a hard fought game, Kruse was too much for Berg, as he took the first two matches in the best-of-three series.
Kruse was one of the more impressive players at the Landmark Invitational, playing for 1st place in both the A singles and doubles. His first match was against a tough competitor from Springfield. Kruse was outmatched against the open caliber opponent he was faced. He took 2nd in the Men’s A singles division. Kruse/McDermott found themselves ahead 14-11 in the first game when McDermott suffered a calf injury, severely limiting his mobility. They lost both games and took 2nd place. After losing his first three matches of the tournament, Paul was able to win three games in a row to win the prestigious Men’s “B” Consolation (AKA Loser’s) bracket. Kruse, McDermott, and Paul each were awarded with a cash prize for their respective finishes. |
