November - December 1998 | Vol. 9, No. 6

National Doubles -- the first qualifier for the Pan American Games -- marked a third title for the team of Joy MacKenzie/Jackie Paraiso, and fourth for Doug Ganim/Dan Obremski

CONTENTS: Men's Open [photo] | Women's Open [photo]
Plus ... Dan Obremski's "Veteran's Viewpoint" event diary
"Peas in a Pod" Profile | Daily site reports | Final Results

“So, where do you see yourself in 10 years?” A silly interview question with no hope for a real answer — all anyone can do is make an attempt at predicting the future. In October of 1998, the U.S. National Doubles Championships returned to the Merritt Athletic Club/Security in Baltimore for the first time in over 10 years. What happened there the last time — in 1988 — tells some tales.

Over ten years ago, Bill Sell had teamed with Brian Hawkes to defeat Tim Hansen and Sergio Gonzalez in an 11-10 tiebreaker for the ‘88 men’s open crown – the first of three national doubles crowns for Sell. Hansen would win his first tandem title two years later with a different partner. This year – once again with new partners – Sell and Hansen re-claimed the #1 and #2 seeds respectively.

Johnny Hennen, winner of the men’s 40-and-over crown with Ed Remen 10 years ago, would later be inducted into racquetball’s Hall of Fame in May of ‘96. At home in Chattanooga following that ceremony, a priest administered Hennen’s last rites a few months later. But despite losing over 100 pounds of his 230-pound frame, Hennen remarkably recovered from his crippling disease . . . to once again team with long-time friend Remen to win the men’s 50-and-over title this year.

Cindy Doyle and Michelle Gilman finished fourth in the ‘88 women’s open bracket; Toni Bevelock and Malia Bailey won the title. Doyle would marry future Major League Baseball all-star and World Series champion Jeff Conine in October of ‘93. Gilman married Rod Gould and dominated the late 80’s and ‘90’s by winning six national doubles titles, eight national singles crowns and three world singles championships. Not one of those top female players from a decade ago returned to Baltimore to compete at this year’s event.

So, now where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully, 10 years older, wiser and better lookin’ – maybe even playing with the same partner – and quite possibly back at the Merritt Athletic Club!

men's open

All of the top seeds survived the first round, with byes for the top three: #1 Adam Karp & Bill Sell; #2 Tim Hansen & James Lorello; and #3 Todd O’Neil & Derek Robinson. But with such a wide-open draw, upsets were bound to occur and day two provided more than just close calls. Two-time Minnesota state champs Mike Locker and Jim Frautschi blasted sixth-seeded Eric Muller and Chris Wright out of the round of sixteen in straight games of 15-10, 15-2. Late on Thursday evening, the “Madmen of Racquetball,” second-seeded James Lorello and Tim Hansen, were shocked by their tiebreaker defeat at the hands of Air Force servicemen Rob DeJesus and Tom Fuhrmann 15-14, 5-15, 11-4.

“It was a tough win against two good shooters and two experienced guys,” Fuhrmann said after the match, which ended at 10 minutes past midnight. “To come into our first National Doubles and take out the No. 2 seeds, we’re feeling pretty good.”

Some other duos were feeling pretty good in the round of 16 as well. Top seeds and defending champs Adam Karp and Bill Sell cruised past John Ledig and Chris Zalegowski 15-4, 15-5, while the third-seeded tandem of Rocky Carson and James Mulcock moved past Hart Johnson and Todd Stead, 15-6, 15-3.

Former two-time national doubles champs Todd O’Neil and Derek Robinson were the first to advance into the semifinals with a 15-8, 15-3 spanking of Frautschi and Locker. Two-time world and three-time national doubles titleists Doug Ganim and Dan Obremski squeaked past Carson and Mulcock in the next quarterfinal, winning 15-7, 5-15, 11-7.

According to Ganim, “In the first two games, we went down 6-0. In the tiebreaker, we went up 7-2 and still barely won.”

Ganim and Obremski, who’ve been playing elite-level doubles for 15 years together, decided that a victory would only be possible if the powerful young Carson could be isolated and taken out of play.

“We pretty much kept it away from Rocky, but when he got his racquet on it, he put it away about every time,” Ganim said. “We were hoping we’d bore him a little bit and then when he’d get a shot, he’d miss it. Still, every time he hit the ball, he put it away.”

Hiding in the draw was the ultimately dangerous duo of former pro tour champion Drew Kachtik and fellow Texan Doug Eagle. As the bracket’s seventh seeds, the talented Texans fought past the DeJesus-Fuhrmann team, a.k.a. Stars & Stripes, 14-15, 15-9, 11-6 for their semifinal invite.

In the last quarterfinal match of the evening, newly-formed teammates Jason Thoerner and Michael Bronfeld, who reside on opposite coasts (making practice together a bit difficult) provided the capacity crowd with yet another major upset. The victims were defending champions Karp and Sell, by the scores of 15-12, 15-13. Since all doubles finalists earn a one-year appointment to the national squad, the round had been crucial to Sell, who lost his spot on the team due to the loss. Karp remained on the roster due to his win at the National Singles last May, another U.S. Team qualifier.

Robinson and O’Neil kicked off Saturday’s semifinal action by building a swift 10-1 lead on Kachtik and Eagle. But the Texans replied by outscoring the former champs 12-2 to knot the game at 13-13. O’Neil then connected with a forehand pinch into the right corner and Eagle skipped a service return to conclude the first game, 15-13.

While Kachtik entered “the zone,” the Texans jumped out to a 7-2 game two advantage. O’Neil and Robinson fought back to 8-8 and then went up 10-8. Following three more ties and three lead changes, O’Neil and Robinson held a 14-13 lead and served for the match but couldn’t convert. Back in the service box, Kachtik served to O’Neil, who promptly drove the return into the floorboards, 14-14. Another serve, coupled with a forehand pinch from Kachtik into the left corner for the game, forced the tiebreaker.

“I felt we put the pressure on those guys and kind of had the tide turned winning that 15-14 (second) game,” Kachtik said after the match.

ESPN’s Sportscenter’s Dan Patrick would have had a field day with Kachtik in the third game. The Southern Texas native was on fire, hitting seven winners in the 11-3 victory. O’Neil and Robinson couldn’t stop him, they could only hope to contain him ... which they didn’t.

“I’ve known him since I was 12 - I’m 26 now, when he gets hot like that, I’m just going to let him play,” Eagle said. “I know what he’s capable of, everyone’s seen it.”

Bronfeld and Thoerner entered the championship court with little fear of what has been considered one of the finest men’s doubles teams of all time: Ganim-Obremski. Bronfeld closed the first game by smacking a forehand rollout into the right corner to finish at 15-6. Facing a second round with Ganim struggling and Bronfeld on his game, it looked like it might be over quickly. And it was ... only it went to Ganim-Obremski, 15-5. Two games, two players, hot and cold.

In the third, both squads performed well and wrestled to an 8-8 tie. Two sideouts followed. With Ganim on serve, the Ohio native jammed a forehand into the glass left corner to reach 9-8. A perfect lob serve to Bronfeld on the left side hit the crack and forced a weak return, which Obremski also put away in the left corner for 10-8. Bronfeld skipped his last shot and the #8 seeds were history.

As the crowd took their seats for the men’s final, Ganim walked to the court with his gear, having already worked up a good sweat warming up. He seemed ready for battle. As it turned out, he was really ready for battle.

Ganim served to open the match. Lob to Eagle against the left-side glass ... return ... Ganim hit a pinch winner. Next serve ... Eagle return ... Ganim winner. Kachtik took his first shot on the next rally and earned the sideout. Two half-outs and Ganim was back in the box. In one of the most fantastic runs in doubles history, Ganim served out the game — 13 consecutive points — to win the first game 15-0. With very few hinders (or even rallies), the first game seemed to finish in under 15 minutes. Ganim lob serve to Eagle ... poor return ... Ganim put away. Over and over. Again and again.

The veterans were successfully keeping Kachtik out of the match. He touched the ball only five times in the first game. Ganim finished with seven winners and Eagle tallied six skips. Obremski, ironically, concluded the run with a forehand reverse pinch. Kachtik dropped his racquet in disgust and amazement. Eagle was Webster’s definition of flustered.

“I don’t think I missed one shot,” Ganim said of his first-game performance. But the veterans knew that game two was brand new. Eagle hit his first kill. He then proceeded to hit a deep pinch rollout that drew “Oooo’s” and “Aaaaaah’s” from the crowd. It was a complete reversal of fortune and Ganim-Obremski found themselves down 11-3 and facing a tiebreaker for the crown. Down 12-5, the “no way, not again” happened to Eagle and Kachtik.

After three points and two sideouts, Ganim hit a backhand pinch winner, Kachtik was called for an avoidable, Eagle skipped a backhand, on and on ... 8-12, 9-12, 10-12. Ganim hit a forehand into the right corner ... and again ... 11-12, 12-12. Obremski crossed over the left on his serve to add insult to injury with his own high lobs to Eagle. Timeout Eagle-Kachtik. It couldn’t possibly be happening again, but it was.

Following the break, Kachtik badly skipped the next ball, Ganim hit another pass and Obremski finished with another forehand into the right corner, 15-12. Stunned and livid, Kachtik left the court, gathered his gear and walked toward the locker room before being called back to receive his silver medal.

“We’ve had a tendency, the last three times we’d won, to be able to play ugly and still win,” Obremski said afterward. “At dinner last night, I said, ‘I wish there was one time that you could hit crisp like I know you can and not have to carry me, and I can hit crisp and not have to carry you. This is one of the few times I can remember where, against a top-caliber team, we both moved well, covered well and hit well.”

Men's Open Finalists (L-R): Doug Ganim, Dan Obremski, Doug Eagle and Drew Kachtik.

women's open

With the break-up of two-time national doubles champs Michelle Gould and Cheryl Gudinas, twins Joy MacKenzie and Jackie Paraiso were overwhelming favorites to successfully defend their title. Following an early-round bye, the Twins took out Aimee Roehler and Michelle Wiragh 15-4, 15-11 in the quarterfinals, without much fanfare.

Next up in the round was third-seeded Kim Russell and current U.S. National Singles champion Robin Levine, who faced sixth seeds Gudinas and new partner Kerri Stoffregen. Gudinas and Stoffregen had defeated Floridians Michelle Dodson and Teri Lawrence 15-7, 15-3 a day earlier in the round of 16. After a tight first game, in which Levine and Russell came out on top - 15-13, Gudinas and Stoffregen fell hard in the second, 15-2.

“In the first game, we made a lot of mistakes and they took advantage of everything,” Levine said. “The second game - we really didn’t give them any opportunities. Kim was making great shots and we really didn’t give them a chance to get into the rallies.”

Mary Lyons and Susan Pfahler, 1992 champions, moved past last year’s bronze medalists Kari McDonough and Lisa Hjelm 15-10, 15-10. Second-seeded Kersten Hallander and Yesenia Delbusto ran into an ambush in the final match of the night. Laura Fenton and Lorraine Galloway upset the highly-touted duo 15-13, 6-15, 11-8.

Unfortunately for the newly-matched Fenton and Galloway, their winning streak came to an abrupt end in the semfinal against Levine and Russell, 15-4, 15-8. “When we were warming up, we both said that we were feeling great,” Russell said. “Robin and I tend to feed off of each other.”

Meanwhile, the Twins started out strong with a 15-5 win, but then had to struggle with the tenacious Lyons and Pfahler. Although the twins certainly claim more life experience as a pair, it’s Lyons and Pfahler who have the longest true track record in doubles. Teammates for over 15 years, the two frustrate power players with a control game that depends largely on keeping the ball in play so that their opponents can have plenty of time to make mistakes. Employing that strategy, along with a few well-placed pinches by Pfahler, the challengers reached a 14-10 advantage in the second game, before MacKenzie and Paraiso chipped away at the lead to narrowly take the match, 15-14.

“It was frustrating, I don’t think Joy and I ever got into our groove,” Paraiso said of the match. “They’re tough, they kept us on the defensive. They left a lot of balls up. We’re used to playing men that are killing it and hitting the ball hard and they played a different style – they played a smart game.”

Pleased with re-qualifying for the U.S. Team, MacKenzie admitted she was happy, but not satisfied. “I’m happy, but not completely happy until I win tomorrow,” she said. “Then I’ll really be happy.”

In that final, the challengers opened the final match with three consecutive points on a diving winner by Levine, sandwiched between skips by each of the twins. But it was Russell who would struggle throughout the first game as the Twins scored 14 unanswered points.

Following a sideout, Russell and Levine earned three more points before losing serve. On the next rally, Russell skipped another return of serve and the game one concluded, 15-6. Paraiso’s wrap-around jam serve was causing severe problems for Russell.

“It (the serve) was kind of coming off a different angles,” Russell said. “At first, when I was taking it with my backhand, it was working. Then, she kind of made it a little bit wider which is why I had to swing it back.”

Clearly motivated in the second game, Russell and Levine opened with six straight points, then proceeded to build an impressive 14-4 advantage. The Twins cut the lead to 14-8, but MacKenzie drove a Russell serve into the floor for the final point of the game to force the deciding third.

In the extra frame, Russell skipped a forehand on the first rally. Twins, 1-0. A sideout and Levine and Russell moved into the service box. Returning Levine’s serve, Paraiso went hard cross-court for a reverse pinch which hit Russell’s racquet and fell short of the front wall for a replay. A Paraiso put away and Levine skip resulted in a sideout and the Twins were back in the service box.

Paraiso and MacKenzie got hot and surged out to an 8-2 lead. The two squads split the next six points and the Twins were crowned champions once again. “This was a big tournament for us because we want to play in the Pan American Games again and defend our title there,” Paraiso said. “This means a lot to us.”

Sister Joy was finally happy and gave most of the credit to her sister. “I’m really psyched,” she said. “Jackie really held us in that game - in that whole match, actually. She played awesome.”

Women's Open Finalists (L-R): Kim Russell, Robin Levine, Jackie Paraiso & Joy MacKenzie.