IRT - California Open: Quarter final results

Jose Rojas is continuing the excellent play that saw him win a World Junior title last month, and it's got him into the semi-finals of the California Open on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT). Friday, he defeated sixth seed Shane Vanderson in the quarter finals, 11-6, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6, and earlier beat fourth seed Jason Mannino in the Round of 16.

Rojas had to qualify for the main draw, and it's the first time a qualifier (not named Kane Waselenchuk) has made the semi-finals of an IRT event since the 2007 Motorola World Racquetball Championships, when Javier Moreno and Polo Gutierrez both got to the semi-finals.

Rojas will now play the IRT's #1 player and a fellow Californian, Rocky Carson, who defeated Ben Croft, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5, in the quarter finals.

Kane Waselenchuk, the former IRT #1, is playing his first tournament without having to go through the qualifying rounds, and his success this season continued on Friday, as he defeated Jack Huczek, another former IRT #1, 11-7, 8-11, 4-11, 11-3, 11-9, in the quarter finals, and earlier beat Andres Herrera in the Round of 16.

Alvaro Beltran will be Waselenchuk's opponent in the semis, as he beat Mitch Williams in the quarter finals, 11-2, 11-8, 11-1.

IRT 2009 California Open, Canoga Park, Calif.
Quarter finals (IRT rank)

(1) Rocky Carson d. (5) Ben Croft, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5
Jose Rojas d. (6) Shane Vanderson, 11-6, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6

(3) Alvaro Beltran d. (7) Mitch Williams, 11-2, 11-8, 11-1
(8) Kane Waselenchuk d. (2) Jack Huczek, 11-7, 8-11, 4-11, 11-3, 11-9

Semi finals

(1) Rocky Carson v. Jose Rojas
(3) Alvaro Beltran v. (8) Kane Waselenchuk

Round of 16

(1) Rocky Carson d. Gil Mejia, 11-8, 11-4, 11-8
(5) Ben Croft d. Chris Crowther, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5

(6) Shane Vanderson d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-2, 11-6, 11-6
Jose Rojas d. (4) Jason Mannino, 11-7, 7-11, 11-1, 4-11, 11-4

(3) Alvaro Beltran d. David Horn, 11-6, 13-11, 11-3
(7) Mitch Williams d. Andy Hawthorne, 11-6, 11-4, 11-8

(8) Kane Waselenchuk d. Juan Herrera, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6
(2) Jack Huczek d. Andres Herrera, 11-1, 11-3, 11-0

Follow the bouncing ball....