Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event Preview

The first Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event begins Friday in Winnipeg with the Manitoba Open. Players will be seeking their first points that will help qualify them for Team Canada that will play at the 2014 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships that are to be held in Burlington, Ont. Canada in June of 2014.

Mike Green, the current Canadian Champion, is still the player to beat on the men's side, despite the fact he turned 40 this past summer. He's on the top side of the draw, where 5th seed Coby Iwaasa may be his stiffest test. The 17 year old Iwaasa was runner up in the Men's Open division at the US Open last month and a bronze medalist in U16 at last month's World Junior Championships in Bolivia.

On the bottom of the draw, 2nd seed Vincent Gagnon and 3rd seed Tim Landeryou are the likely semi-finalists. Landeryou was runner up to Green at the National Championships in May and beat Green last February.

The women's side will likely come down to a two person battle between Canadian Champion Jennifer Saunders and Canada's #2 Frédérique Lambert. Lambert didn't play singles at Nationals due to an ankle injury, but she's fully fit now and has had some good results on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), including a semi-final finish in Toluca, Mexico.

Play begins Friday and runs through Sunday at the Duckworth Centre on the University of Winnipeg's campus.

2013 Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event
Manitoba Open, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Men's Open

First round

Tanner Prentice v. Trevor Webb
Joshua Keil v. Dennis Oteyza
Anthony Schonberger v. Cameron Wachs

Round of 16

Mike Green v. Tanner Prentice or Trevor Webb
Kurtis Cullen v. Lee Connell

Coby Iwaasa v. Sebastien Juteau
Nathaniel Husulak v. Tanner Mattson

Tim Landeryou v. Joshua Keil or Dennis Oteyza
Samuel Murray v. Troy Brooks

Eric Desrochers v. Chris Exner
Vincent Gagnon v. Anthony Schonberger or Cameron Wachs

Women's Open

First Round

Alexis Iwaasa v. Cher Woodward

Quarter finals

Jennifer Saunders v. Alexis Iwaasa or Cher Woodward
Christine Richardson v. Michèle Morissette

Josée Grand'Maître v. Brigitte Richard
Frédérique Lambert v. Nadia Verilli

Follow the bouncing ball….