Men's top seeds lose in semi-finals at Canadian Racquetball Championships

The #1 seeds in Men's Open Doubles - Eric Desrochers and Pedro Castro lost in the semi-finals at the 2013 Canadian Racquetball Championships in Langley, B.C., but they did not go quietly as 4th seeds Lee Connell and Francis Guillemette needed three games, two of which went into extra points before they defeated the top seeds, 15-10, 16-18, 13-11.

The other semi-final was not nearly as close, as 2nd seeds Mike Green and Coby Iwaasa defeated 6th seeds Samuel Murray and Tommy Murray, 15-3, 15-6.

Thus, the Men's Final will feature a team without a National Championship in Connell and Guillemette against one with a player who has won seven Canadian doubles titles in Green and the rising young gun in Iwaasa, who at 16 is the current Canadian U18 and U16 Champion in singles.

Women's Division

In women's action, defending champions Jennifer Saunders and Josée Grand'Maître won again on Monday, as they beat 3rd seeds Frédérique Lambert and Michele Morissette, 15-6, 15-4. Also, 2nd seeds Brigitte Richard and Christine Richardson defeated Valerie Fallu and Alexis Iwaasa, 15-7, 15-4.

That gives Saunders and Grand'Maître two wins and no losses with both Lambert and Morissette and Richard and Richardson on one win and one loss. Fallu and Iwaasa have no wins and two losses.

Depending on how matches go on Tuesday, a tie-breaking formula may be needed to determine the National Champion, although the defending champs have their fate in their own hands, as if they win, they will repeat as National Champions.

The Canadian Racquetball Championships have the doubles competitions on the first three days and then singles competitions on the last four days.

2013 Canadian Racquetball Championships
Langley, B.C.
(with seeding)

Men's Open

Semi-finals - Monday

4 Lee Connell & Francis Guillemette d. 1 Eric Desrochers & Pedro Castro, 15-10, 16-18, 13-11
2 Mike Green & Coby Iwaasa d. 6 Samuel Murray & Tommy Murray, 15-3, 15-6

Final - Tuesday

2 Mike Green & Coby Iwaasa v. 4 Lee Connell & Francis Guillemette

Quarter finals - Monday

1 Eric Desrochers & Pedro Castro d. 8 Kurtis Cullen & Tanner Mattson, 15-4, 15-6
4 Lee Connell & Francis Guillemette d. 5 Nathaniel Husulak & Barret Husulak, 15-1, 11-15, 11-0

6 Samuel Murray & Tommy Murray d. 3 Tim Landeryou & James Landeryou, 15-7, 15-6
2 Mike Green & Coby Iwaasa d. 7 Hugo Laprise & Sebastian Juteau, 15-12, 15-8

Women's Open

Round 2 - Monday

1 Jennifer Saunders & Josée Grand'Maître d. 3 Frédérique Lambert & Michele Morissette, 15-6, 15-4
2 Christine Richardson & Brigitte Richard d. 4 Valerie Fallu & Alexis Iwaasa, 15-8, 15-9

Round 3 - Tuesday

1 Jennifer Saunders & Josée Grand'Maître v. 2 Christine Richardson & Brigitte Richard
3 Frédérique Lambert & Michele Morissette v. 4 Valerie Fallu & Alexis Iwaasa

Follow the bouncing ball….

Rajsich & Rojas win US Team Qualifying Divisions

Rhonda Rajsich successfully defended her US Team Qualifying title at the USA Racquetball (USAR) Ektelon Nationals in Fullerton, California on the weekend. She beat Jacqueline Paraiso in the semi-finals, 15-12, 15-9, and Janel Tisinger in the final, 15-12, 15-7.

Tisinger was a surprise finalist as she beat last year's runner up Cheryl Gudinas in the other semi-final, 15-7, 12-15, 11-10.

Men's Division

West Coast guys were the cream of the crop in the Men's Division of US Team Qualifying at the USAR Ektelon Nationals in Fullerton, California. And not just anywhere on the West Coast but specifically from Stockton, California, as Marco Rojas defeated David Horn in the final, 15-5, 15-6, after they both defeated East Coasters in the semi-finals.

In those semi-finals, Horn beat Mauricio Zelada from Columbia, Maryland, 15-11, 15-2, while Rojas defeated Mike Harmon from Sarasota, Florida, 15-12, 15-9.

USAR National Singles Championship - US Team Qualifying
May 16-19, 2013, Fullerton, California

Women's Division

Semi-finals

Rhonda Rajsich d. Jacqueline Paraiso, 15-12, 15-9
Janel Tisinger d. Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 12-15, 11-10

Final

Rhonda Rajsich d. Janel Tisinger, 15-12, 15-7

Men's Division

Semi-finals

Marco Rojas d. Mike Harmon, 15-12, 15-9
David Horn d. Mauricio Zelada, 15-11, 15-2

Final

Marco Rojas d. David Horn, 15-5, 15-6

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria completes 2nd undefeated season

Paola Longoria completed a second consecutive undefeated women's pro racquetball season Sunday by defeating fellow Mexican Samantha Salas Solis, 11-8, 11-1, 11-5, to win the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) division at the USA Racquetball (USAR) Ektelon Nationals in Fullerton, California. Longoria, the #1 LPRT player, hasn't lost on tour since May 2011.

Longoria's now won 33 women's pro events in her career and has a .750 winning percentage in final appearances (33 wins in 44 finals). That percentage is third behind Michelle Gould with .953 and Shannon Wright at .760.

LPRT Ektelon Nationals
May 16-19, 2013, Fullerton, California
(seeding)

Final

(1) Paola Longoria d. (3) Samantha Salas Solis, 11-8, 11-1, 11-5

Follow the bouncing ball….