US Open - Carson has chance to defend title, to face Waselenchuk

Top seed Rocky Carson will have a chance to defend his US Open title, as he beat Shane Vanderson, 5th seed, in three straight games, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5. It seemed like an upset might be in the making, when Vanderson came back in game one to take a lead at 8-6. However, Carson recovered, and ran the next five points to take that game and pave the way for the rest of the match.

Vanderson was using effective lob serves that were nicking the right wall, making Carson's service returns difficult. For his part, Carson used a variety of serves, Zs and lobs to both sides.

Afterwards Vanderson said Carson "played awesome, and kept me off balance."

Carson's goal was "to make it so ugly that [Vanderson] would play even uglier," because "I know what he's capable of, and there's a reason why he was in the semis."

Kane Waselenchuk said he was "here to make history," and he stayed on track to his goal of tying Sudsy Monchik's record of 4 US Open titles by defeating Jack Huczek, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5. Huczek will have to wait another year to win his first US Open title, the only prize in racquetball that has eluded him.

Huczek said it "felt like I was always behind the ball," and Waselenchuk "played tough. Hats off to him."

Waselenchuk tried to "put pressure on" Huczek, because "he's so quick that he gets to everything." Also, Waselenchuk thought Huczek wasn't playing his best today.

Waselenchuk drove serve for much of the match. Huczek tried to counter with drive serves of his own, although he was called for foot faults twice.

In all three games, they were close until mid-game. Huczek even led early in games one and three. But Waselenchuk brought a little something extra, often setting up points with a drive serve to Huczek's backhand, to pull ahead and finish off each game.

Men's Pro Semi-finals (seeding)

(1) Rocky Carson d. (5) Shane Vanderson, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5
(11) Kane Waselenchuk d. (2) Jack Huczek, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5

Men's Pro Finals (seeding)

(1) Rocky Carson d. (11) Kane Waselenchuk

Follow the bouncing ball....