2018 WRT Canadian Open - Preview

For the first time in several years pro racquetball will be played in Canada, as the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) comes to Calgary, Alberta for the 2018 WRT Canadian Open beginning Friday at the University of Calgary. Seven of the top nine WRT players will be in the Great White North, as well as three of the top four Canadian players.

WRT #1 David Horn is there, as is #2 Jake Bredenbeck with Jaime Martell as 3rd seed and Andree Parrilla 4th seed. The Canadian players don’t have great rankings, as they haven’t played many WRT events, so that kind of puts a spanner in the works regarding seeding, as Samuel Murray will play into 5th seed Alejandro Cardona in a possible Round of 16 match, and Tim Landeryou plays into Parrilla. Also, Coby Iwaasa plays into 6th seed Christian Longoria, and will potentially meet Martell in the quarterfinals.

As per usual at a WRT event, they are playing doubles also, and you would think that some of those three Canadians would be playing doubles together, especially as Murray teamed with Landeryou to capture bronze at the 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships, and Murray played with Iwaasa to win Men's Open Doubles at the 2018 Canadian Championships. But neither of those pairings - nor Iwaasa and Landeryou - is happening in Calgary.

Murray is playing with Jake Bredenback, and they might be the team to beat, although they are seeded 4th. Iwaasa plays with Taylor Knoth, a former Boy’s U18 World Junior Champion, and they could be the sleeper team in the draw, and Landeryou will partner with fellow Canuck Mitch Brayley. Horn and Justus Benson are the top seeds with Cardona and Gerardo Franco 2nd seeds.

You can watch the action from Calgary via the WRT website or its Facebook page. The play begins Friday morning with the 32s. The 16s will be Friday afternoon, and the quarters will be Saturday beginning at 9:30 AM with the semi-finals at 2:45 and 3:30 PM. The final Sunday at noon.

The doubles draw has two play in matches Friday afternoon followed by the quarterfinals Friday night. The doubles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon with the doubles final Sunday at 2 PM. All times are Mountain.

2018 WRT Canadian Open, October 19-21
Calgary, Alberta

Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) David Horn - BYE
16) Tanner Prentice v. 17) Mitch Brayley - Noon

9) Luis Avila v. 24) Jeff Buller - 1 PM
8) Justus Benson - BYE

5) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
12) Taylor Knoth v. 21) Samuel Murray - Noon

13) Tim Landeryou v. 20) Ian Frattinger - Noon
4) Andree Parrilla - BYE

3) Jaime Martell - BYE
14) Jordy Alonso v. 19) Sergio Acuña - 11 AM

11) Sam Bredenbeck v. 22) Coby Iwaasa - 11 AM
6) Christian Longoria - BYE

7) Gerardo Franco - BYE
10) Alan Natera v. 23) Alexi David Cocco Hayes - 11 AM

15) Eduardo Portillo v. 18) Lee Connell - 11 AM
2) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Justus Benson & David Horn - BYE
8) Mitch Brayley & Tim Landeryou v. 9) Sergio Acuña & Lee Connell - 2 PM

5) Christian Longoria & Eduardo Portillo - BYE
4) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - BYE

3) Jaime Martell & Alan Natera - BYE
6) Luis Avila & Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

7) Coby Iwaasa & Taylor Knoth v. 10) Jeff Buller & Tanner Prentice - 3 PM
2) Alejandro Cardona & Gerardo Franco - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….