US Open - IRT Qualifying Results

International Racquetball Tour (IRT) qualifying matches kicked off Day 1 of the 16th US Open Racquetball Championships in Minneapolis. Most of the 1st round qualifying matches went three straight games, including Mexican Gilberto Meija's win over Kenny Green Jr., 11-3, 11-2, 11-0. Meija won the doubles world championship in 2002 with Polo Gutierrez.

In an all Canadan battle, Barret Husulak lost the first two games against Pedro Castro, but won the next three to take the match, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8. He'll play Andres Herrera in the 2nd round of qualifying.

UPDATE: With almost all of second round of qualifying completed, there are several interesting 3rd matches to come Wednesday night. Former Junior World Champion Taylor Knoth will play former Canadian Champion Corey Osborne with the winner to face Juan Herrera in the Round of 32 on Thursday.

Some other matches that catch our eye are former #1 Cliff Swain against Gilberto Meija, young American Danny Lavely versus Japanese veteran Hiroshi Shimzu, American veteran Brian Simpson facing current US Junior Champion Nick Montalbano, and The Legend Ruben Gonzalez will continue his quest to be in the IRT top 10 against Andres Acuña of Costa Rica.

IRT qualifying continues Wednesday with the main draw of 32 beginning on Thursday.

2011 US Open Racquetball Championships, Minneapolis, Minnesota
International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Qualifying Rounds

Round 2

Q1: Andres Herrera d. Barret Husulak, 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2
Ivan Villegas d. Cesar Castillo, 11-8, 4-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6

Q16: Mauricio Zelada d. Alejandro Cardona, 11-6, 18-16, 4-11, 11-6
Jose Diaz d. Brent McDade, 11-3, 11-1, 11-1

Q9: Rafael Filippini d. Brad Schopieray, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8
Juan Martinez III d. Brian Watson, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-3

Q8: Geoff Goldblatt d. Rodrigo Garay, fft
Polo Gutierrez d. John Goth, 11-3, 5-11, 11-3, 11-3

Q5: Fernando Rios d. Erik Leetch, 11-5, 11-3, 11-5
Armando Bermudez d. Joel Barshaw, 11-9, 11-5, 1-11, 10-12, 11-6

Q12: Danny Lavely d. Grant Stalley, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7
Hiroshi Shimizu d. Ron Briggs, 11-0, 11-0, 11-0

Q13: Ryan Meyer d. Fabian Mendieta, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-2
Kris Odegard d. Joshua Hungerford, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8

Q4: Corey Osborne d. Jose Serrano, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5
Taylor Knoth d. Juan Carlos Torres Honoj, 12-10, 4-11, 11-1, 11-0

Q3: Coby Iwaasa d. Arthur Schmeiser, 11-4, 11-5, 11-3
Tim Landeryou d. Francisco Gomez Reyes, 11-4, 11-0, 11-4

Q14: Andres Acuña d. Stacey Young, 11-0, 11-2, 11-2
Ruben Gonzalez d. Bruce Robles, 11-8, 11-2, 9-11, 11-6

Q11: Sebastian Franco vs Doug Ganim
Jose Daniel Alvarez d. John Scott, 11-6, 11-3, 12-10

Q6: Tyler Otto d. Wesley Miller, 11-4, 11-7, 11-1
Jose Daniel Ugalde d. Luiz Felipe Munoz Torrontegui, fft

Q7: Gilberto Mejia d. James Slamko, 11-9, 11-7, 11-3
Cliff Swain d. Deli Stinnett, 11-1, 11-2, 11-0

Q10: Brian Simpson d. Francisco Troncoso, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4
Nick Montalbano d. Ivan Saenz, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5

Q15: Teobaldo Fumero A. d. Mike Ray, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-2
Jansen Allen d. Esteban Pastora, 11-3, 11-2, 12-10

Q2: Andres Ramirez d. Brian Pineda, 11-7, 4-11, 11-2, 11-8
Felipe Camacho d. James Landeryou, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9

Round 3

Q1: Andres Herrera vs. Ivan Villegas
Q16: Mauricio Zelada vs. Jose Diaz

Q9: Rafael Filippini vs. Juan Martinez III
Q8: Geoff Goldblatt vs. Polo Gutierrez

Q5: Fernando Rios vs. Armando Bermudez
Q12: Danny Lavely vs. Hiroshi Shimizu

Q13: Ryan Meyer vs. Kris Odegard
Q4: Corey Osborne vs. Taylor Knoth

Q3: Coby Iwaasa vs. Tim Landeryou
Q14: Andres Acuña vs. Ruben Gonzalez

Q11: Doug Ganim vs. Jose Daniel Alvarez
Q6: Tyler Otto vs. Jose Daniel Ugalde

Q7: Gilberto Mejia vs. Cliff Swain
Q10: Brian Simpson vs. Nick Montalbano

Q15: Teobaldo Fumero A. vs. Jansen Allen
Q2: Andres Ramirez vs. Felipe Camacho

IRT Round of 32

Kane Waselenchuk vs. Q16
Alejandro Landa vs. Q1

Alvaro Beltran vs. Q8
Charles Pratt vs. Q9

Jose Rojas vs. Q12
Javier Moreno vs Q5

Juan Herrera vs. Q4
Andy Hawthorne vs. Q13

Ben Croft vs. Q14
Alejandro Herrera vs. Q3

Tony Carson vs. Q6
Chris Crowther vs. Q11

Shane Vanderson vs. Q10
Anthony Herrera vs. Q7

Daniel De La Rosa vs. Q2
Rocky Carson vs. Q15

Qualifying Round 1

Barret Husulak d. Pedro Castro, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8
Rafael Filippini d. Akio Shimizu, 11-3, 11-1, 11-6
John Goth d. Matthew Barserian, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8

Fernando Rios d. Wade Shadlock, 11-2, 11-1, 11-2
Juan Carlos Torres Honoj d. Ernesto Ruíz, 11-8, 11-0, 11-9
Coby Iwaasa d. Juan Rios, 11-4, 11-9, 11-4

Jose Daniel Ugalde d. Zachary Wertz, 3-11, 11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 11-3
Gilberto Mejia d. Kenny Green Jr., 11-3, 11-2, 11-0
Ivan Saenz d. Mike Isbell, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-4
James Landeryou d. Samuel Murray, 11-6, 11-9, 11-2

Follow the bouncing ball....