US Open - IRT Round of 32

The first match of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Round of 32 at the 16th US Open Racquetball Championships in Minneapolis started as a teeter-totter and then turned into a barn burner, as 4th ranked Andy Hawthorne beat two time Canadian Champion Kris Odegard in five games, 11-1, 0-11, 11-3, 6-11, 14-12.

After the first two games went 11-1 to Hawthorne and 11-0 to Odegard you had a suspicion that it might go five, and it did. Hawthorne was up 8-3 in the fifth, but Odegard fought back and served for the match twice at 10-9 and 11-10. But Odegard couldn't close it out, as Hawthorne came through in the end.

Next up for Hawthorne will be Taylor Knoth who defeated Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8.

The other top seeds have all made it through to the Round of 16. The top three players won in straight games. Three time defending champion and top seed Kane Waselenchuk defeated Mauricio Zelada, 11-3, 11-7, 11-1, 2nd seed Rocky Carson beat Jansen Allen, 11-3, 11-2, 11-7, and 3rd seed Ben Croft ousted Ruben Gonzalez, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.

The IRT's Round of 32 continues Thursday at Life Time Fitness - Target Center in Minneapolis with the Round of 16 to be played later on Thursday. Matches can be viewed via the IRT Network throughout the tournament.

2011 US Open Racquetball Championships, Minneapolis, Minnesota
IRT Round of 32

IRT Round of 32

Kane Waselenchuk d. Mauricio Zelada, 11-3, 11-7, 11-1
Alejandro Landa d. Andres Herrera, 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7

Alvaro Beltran d. Polo Gutierrez, 11-6, 4-11, 11-4, 11-4
Charles Pratt d. Juan Martinez III, 8-11, 11-0, 11-4, 11-8

Jose Rojas d. Hiroshi Shimizu, 11-9, 11-2, 11-2
Javier Moreno d. Fernado Rios, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-4

Taylor Knoth d. Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8
Andy Hawthorne d. Kris Odegard, 11-1, 0-11, 11-3, 6-11, 14-12

Ben Croft d. Ruben Gonzalez, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10
Alejandro Herrera d. Tim Landeryou, 11-9, 1-11, 3-11, 14-12, 11-2

Tony Carson d. Tyler Otto, 11-1, 11-4, 11-3
Chris Crowther d. Doug Ganim, 11-2, 11-6, 11-3

Shane Vanderson d. Nick Montalbano, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5
Gilberto Mejia d. Anthony Herrera, 11-1, 12-10, 11-6

Daniel De La Rosa d. Felipe Camacho, 11-1, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8
Rocky Carson d. Jansen Allen, 11-3, 11-2, 11-7

IRT Round of 16

Kane Waselenchuk vs. Alejandro Landa
Charles Pratt vs. Alvaro Beltran

Jose Rojas vs. Javier Moreno
Andy Hawthorne vs. Taylor Knoth

Ben Croft vs. Alejandro Herrera
Chris Crowther vs. Tony Carson

Shane Vanderson vs. Gilberto Mejia
Rocky Carson vs. Daniel De La Rosa

Follow the bouncing ball....