Weekend Round Up - Wins for Camacho, Gudinas & Birnel

Felipe Camacho won the Men’s Open division of the 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, although his semi-final and final matches were won by forfeit, as he got a default win over Mario Mercado in the final, and over Sebastian Franco in the semi-final. In the other semi, Mercado defeated Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 9-15, 11-9.

In Women’s Open, Cheryl Gudinas was the top seed in a full draw of 16 players, and she played up to her seeding, as Gudinas defeated 2nd seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8, in the final. In the semi-finals, Gudinas beat 4th seed Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1, and Lotts needed three games to get by 3rd seed Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7.

Also on the weekend, Jake Birnel won what might be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere, as he defeated Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8, in the Men's Open final of the 45th Annual Northwest Open in Bellingham, Washington.

There are some other long running events, including Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which had its 38th edition in January, last weekend’s 31st Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as well as the Keystone Classic in Winnipeg, Canada that had its 42nd edition this year, but with 45 years the Northwest Open could be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere.

In the semi-finals, Birnel beat Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0, and Mattson defeated Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12.

The big event this week is the beginning of the 2016 Pan American Championships on Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. We’ll have a preview of that for you later in the week.

2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois

Men’s Singles Final

Felipe Camacho d. Mario Mercado, forfeit

Semi-finals

Felipe Camacho d. Sebastian Franco, forfeit
Mario Mercado d. Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 9-15, 11-9

Women’s Singles Final

Cheryl Gudinas d. Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8

Semi-finals

Cheryl Gudinas d. Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1
Sheryl Lotts d. Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7

45th Annual Northwest Open, Bellingham, Washington

Men’s Open Final

Jake Birnel d. Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8

Semi-finals

Tanner Mattson d. Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12
Jake Birnel d. Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0

Follow the bouncing ball….