2001 Hilton 6th U.S. OPEN
Racquetball Championships

The Racquet Club of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee: November 14-18

The next step will be for Ganim to approach major sponsors and donors for the funds to produce a series of racquetball events (of which the U.S. OPEN will be one) ... then, make it happen. It's an ambitious project, and if anyone can do it — Ganim may have an inside track. He's directly responsible for the U.S. OPEN, in the form that you'll see it today ... and he's set himself another formidable goal in attempting to gain a mainstream television market for the sport. We all stand to gain, so wish him luck!

Swain defeated Jason Mannino in their straight games semifinal 11-8, 11-5, 11-6, to earn his spot in the final playoff. Swain was in control of the entire match . “I played terrible but Cliff had a lot to do with that,” said Mannino. Then he added, tongue in cheek, “Good luck Cliff, I hate your guts.” Swain countered with, “First of all … I don’t blame you.”

In the other semifinal match of the day, Texan Mike Guidry surprised the crowd by taking Ellis to five games but was unable to pull out the upset. Ellis won the first two games easily, 11-3, 11-5, only to see Guidry battle back to even the count at two games each by winning games three and four 12-10, 11-8. The final game was a battle but Ellis was able to pull it out in the end. Guidry knotted the game up 7-7 before Ellis scored the last four points of the match for the 11-7 victory.

“I slowed my game up a bit in the final game,” said Ellis. “I concentrated on trying to make precise drive serves, which I think put more pressure on him.” Ellis didn’t drive serve for much of the match until the deciding fifth game.

“I felt that I had a good tournament,” said Guidry. “I just went in and tried to play every point hard.”

Let me start by saying that Cliff Swain is playing at a level that none of the players on tour have seen in quite a few years. He is not only executing, but his intensity and determination seem overwhelming. It will be very difficult for Ellis to overcome this combination of assets from Swain. The only question is can Swain keep this up for one more match?

Ellis has looked terrific all week but during his match with Guidry he started to look a bit tired and flat. He really had to dig deep to win the fifth game and physically he looked spent. He has done well against Cliff as of late but — just as Swain took his game to a higher level against Waselenchuk — will Ellis be able to do the same?

Swain is trying to win his second U.S. OPEN title while Ellis is trying to get his first. But much more is at stake. Since Monchik arrived on the scene, Swain has had a heck of a time finishing the season in the top spot. Earlier in the season, Swain seemed to be a bit lackadaisical in his play and appeared to be on his way to another #2 or even #3 year-end ranking. This would put him another year older without achieving the ultimate goal of becoming the first player in racquetball history to finish six different seasons ranked #1. Now with Monchik out of the #1 race for this season, Swain has found new motivation to dig deep and it is clearly showing in his play.

My prediction is that Ellis will rise to the occasion and deliver an outstanding performance this afternoon. However, in the end, I do not feel Swain will be denied his destiny as he attempts to lay claim to the title of “greatest player to ever play the sport of racquetball”! Swain will win in a close five-gamer. Line: Swain 3:2

Cheryl Gudinas faced off against Canadian challenger Lori Jane Powell on the stadium court, where both players started out the match conservatively (or perhaps just tight?) and ceiling ball rallies were common, until Gudinas settled down and started hitting winners consistently off short balls and setups. Lori Jane stayed in the match, but Cheryl’s power advantage and accuracy eventually won out, event though the match was closer than the scores suggest.

Jackie Paraiso Rice quashed any hopes of an upset early against Dominican rival Claudine Garcia, who showed some flashes of form that made some observers think an upset was in order. However, Jackie made great use of the glass sidewall on the stadium court and forced errant shots from Claudine (playing on the portable court for the first time). At match point down, Garcia made two superb diving gets to extend the rally, but Jackie’s consistency paid off one last time, as she put the ball away cleanly for the win.

Kersten Hallander looked very determined, in her win over frequent doubles partner Kim Russell 7,10, and 8. Hallander was able to take advantage of some service mistakes from Russell for some easy points, which are crucial in the LPRA’s rally scoring format. Californian Hallander hit her pinch shots consistently, displayed good power, and made some excellent overheads from both sides for winners.

Kerri Wachtel used her effective hard-Z serve to Laura Fenton’s backhand throughout the match, enroute to a 12, 10 and 7 victory. Kansas resident Laura came out for the match a little flat and was unable to counter the accuracy of the Ohio-native Wachtel’s shots.

In short order following the early morning rounds, #2 Jackie Paraiso Rice and #3 Kersten Hallander faced off for the first LPRA semifinal. Jackie jumped out to an early lead in the first game as Kersten lost several points on fault serves. At 13-6, Kersten got a strange bounce off the backwall and put a full strength shot right into Jackie’s right cheek. After a short injury timeout, Jackie was back and a great rally at 14-6 extended the match briefly before she was able to put the game away 15-7.

In the second, Jackie again pulled ahead early, but Kersten fought back to 10-10. However, Kersten had problems keeping her passing shots low, giving Jackie several setups. Despite it all, the match stayed close. Jackie saved several rallies with great diving, including a phenomenal get with Kersten serving at 13-14. An out of court replay wasted a great rally at 14-14, and Jackie was able to squeeze out the second game 16-14.

The missed opportunity to even up the match in the second game seemed to affect Kersten, who kept having problems with her passing shots coming off the back wall. The game was back and forth (11-9 at one point) and always close. Jackie capitalized on some mistakes in the stretch to put the game away, and when an appealed screen call on match point wasn't overruled, Jackie took the game and match, 15-11.

In the second semifinal of the afternoon, a pressured top seed met up with a long time local opponent. Both hailing from the Midwest, Gudinas and Wachtel have played many times in the past and are quite familiar with each other’s games. The question was: could Gudinas win her first U.S. Open title?

Wachtel jumped out early in the first game, showing no ill effects from a relative lack of experience playing on the portable court. Cheryl fought back to 9-11, showing prowess at picking off Kerri’s trademark hard-Z serve to the backhand. Wachtel mixed up the serve a bit, going for mid lob forehand Zs and scored points to get to game point 14-13, and closed out the first game on an avoidable hinder.

Cheryl came out fighting in game two, using forehand drive serves into the glass. Two tough calls went against her but she kept her composure as Wachtel fought back to 10-10. Cheryl was able to run off a few quick points and took the second game 15-11 to even the match. Conventional wisdom on the sidelines believed this did not bode well for the upset-minded Wachtel.

Not leaving anything to chance, Gudinas attempted to draw extra luck by petting the rabbit used in the between-games magic show by the venerable Sparkman (the resident racquetball-playing Magician who frequents the U.S. Open). The lucky charm turned out not to be, as Wachtel jumped out to an early 4-1 lead on Gudinas’ serve. Kerri began really mixing up her serve, going to a nick lob serve to Gudinas’ strong backhand and took a 10-5 lead. Cheryl fought back again bringing the score to 13-9 and added a couple of excellent service return winners before Wachtel was able to get two winners for a 15-12 game three victory.

Down 2 games to 1, Cheryl started game four hot, jumping to 5-0 on Kerri’s serve and threatening to blow it out. Kerri fought back but still stood down 10-5 when Cheryl regained the serve. Kerri proceeded to win seven of the next nine points to put the match at 12-13, when Cheryl took the service box serving to either close out the match or head home. A mistake gave Kerri an easy setup for 13-13, a mis-hit skip to give Kerri match point, and then a winner after a brief rally gave Kerri game four 15-13 and her biggest career win.

The Finals: Wachtel vs. Rice at 12:30 pm. Prediction? It's awfully tough to take out the #1 player in the world; plus Jackie took a physical beating in her semi, to compound the lingering effects of an ankle injury. I predict Wachtel with a breakaway win over an ailing Rice.

Waselenchuk, 20, took the first game from the elder Swain, 35, 11-7. The loss lit a fire in Swain who stormed back to take the next two games 11-1, 11-8, but the youngster was not intimidated and evened the match at two games each with an 11-8 win in game four. In the end it was experience over youth as Swain ended the match with an 11-5 victory. After the match both players only had good things to say about each other, as they kidded back and forth. “Look at Cliff. What is he 50 and he is still diving around out here more than me, and I am only 20,” joked Waselenchuk. “You played good today … dad.”

Swain countered back, “It’s good too see all these youngsters out here like Kane and Jack (Huczek). I just hope they can stick around for a few more years and can still play with me.”

The last quarterfinal of the evening, featured 50 year-old Ruben Gonzalez against his doubles partner, Mike Guidry, in the spot that everyone expected Monchik to be before his injury forced him to withdraw. Guidry earned the victory in four games 11-4, 11-4, 6-11, 11-5. The two paired up last month to win the U.S. National Doubles Championships in Las Vegas. “Ruben is amazing,” Guidry said. “I told him that I would play doubles with him until he is 90.”

Since then the couple has been maintaining a long-distance relationship consisting of long phone calls (“I think we could do a cellular commercial,” says Wayne) and trips twice a month to see each other. Knowing that they were meant for each other, they became engaged in May.

The couple decided to tie the knot where it all started — at the Racquet Club of Memphis during the Hilton U.S. OPEN. They will be married on the portable court between the pro semi-final matches on Saturday with a reception during the “Party with the Pros” that evening. Afterwards, Rose plans to relocate to Orlando where Wayne currently lives and is employed as a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. See a photo of the happy couple in the Souvenir program ... and join in their celebration between games!

Last year's event finalist Rhonda Rajsich faced long-time tour player Laura Fenton, and the two traded two quick games each (Rhonda taking the first 15-10, Laura the next two 15-6 and 15-10, Rhonda taking the fourth 15-7) to reach a decisive fifth. Rhonda seemed distracted, as she had been on Thursday, and called frequent timeouts to confer with her coach.

In the tiebreaker, Laura jumped out to a big early lead and threatened to blow out the game, before Rhonda fought back with great gets and timely pinch shots. Rhonda also drew inspiration from a contested call midway in the game when she felt a winner by Fenton had actually been a carry. With Rhonda serving at 12-13, she missed an easy put-away to give Laura a match point … which she won, anticlimactically 15-13, when Rhonda couldn’t return a ceiling ball that took a tough bounce. A great match, heartbreaking for Rhonda but entertaining for the fans.

“I’ve been changing some things in my game for the past two weeks,” admitted Rajsich, “but I wasn’t comfortable with things I should have been comfortable with. I’m going through some growing pains with my game style.”

In the other five-gamer of the day, former intercollegiate champion Kim Russell faced off against her current counterpart Kristen Walsh on the side exhibition court. The match featured the well-rested Kim, who had advanced after a forfeit in the preceding round. She could have come out rusty, but instead took the first game 15-13, before Walsh settled down to win the next two 15-6, 15-10. Russell came back firing to take the fourth, 15-7, and set up another tough fifth game. There, Russell jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead, and Walsh fought her way back to put the match at 12-11 with more than one diving get. In the end though, Walsh’s passing shots were never quite as precise as she needed them to be, allowing Russell extra shots for put-aways. At match point, Russell aced Walsh with a backhand Z-serve for the win, 15-11.

On the main court, the highlight match was between Jackie (Paraiso) Rice and Canadian Jennifer Saunders. After taking the first game, Rice threatened to take a fast two game lead when Saunders started going for — and making — impossible shots at 8-13. Using a backhand overhand splat from 39 feet and go-for-broke service return winners off Jackie’s drive serve, Jennifer fought back to 15-15, eventually winning the second game 18-16 to even the match. Jackie quickly countered for a 15-4 game three win and jumped ahead early in game four. Jennifer fought back though, again showing great mental toughness to bring the game to 15-15. Rice was too tough in the end, showing why she’s a favorite for her third U.S. Open crown, taking game four and the match 17-15.

In other round of 16 action, Claudine Garcia showed why she’s become a threat on the LPRA tour. She came out absolutely ripping forehand and backhand winners in her match against veteran Dina Moreland, which featured two power games. Moreland’s drive serve usually lets her dictate the pace of play, but Garcia proved adept at returning her serve for points. Claudine took the first two games relatively easily 15-8, 15-9. Game three was a bit tighter, but Garcia was able to pull away in the end for a 16-14 win to advance.

Lori Jane Powell proved this prognosticator wrong by soundly defeating Mexico’s pride, Susana Acosta, in three straight, 8, 11, and 7. The match-up repeated a recent meeting at the pro stop in Colorado Springs, with similar results. Powell proved to be more reliable, and powerful, than the left-hander from Chihuahua, and LJ herself admitted to having played more consistently this year.

“I hope to break into the top four. I’ve been stuck at 8 or 9 for a while and the only way for me to reach my goal is to beat Cheryl, … my big motivation is that no one thinks I can win.”

Saturday's Quarterfinal predictions: After accurately forecasting 6 out of 8 match results in the round of 16, “Todd the Greek” again puts his measly reputation on the line by offering up these predictions for Saturday rounds. The LPRA plays its quarterfinals early; 9:00am and 10:15am in order to fit the semis in later in the afternoon (2:00pm and 3:30pm). Will Boss turn out to be a seer or a quack?

... Cheryl will continue her run, challenged by Powell in a rematch of a Colorado Springs LPRA quarterfinal match, but the result will be similar. Gudinas in 4. ... Fenton and Wachtel will play a five-game thriller, with Kerri getting a good win to make the semis ... Hallander will end the run of Russell in three ... My upset special; red hot Garcia will take out Rice in four games. Garcia is ready to take a pro stop … her disadvantage is a lack of experience playing on the difficult portable court. We'll see! [Added material by Johanna Shattuck]

The first match of the day will be the best. Jason Mannino vs. Cliff Swain (12:30pm) is a match that is truly too close to call. Jason has been giving Swain fits during the last year and when Swain has beat him it has been a “right down to the wire” victory. Both players want to win this event more than anything, and neither of them will give an inch. Look for Mannino to try and pester Swain a bit with some on-court gamesmanship. If Cliff gets aggravated, it could play fight into Mannino’s hands and allow him to keep Swain out of his normal dominating flow.

On the other hand, Swain is playing at such a high level after coming off his match with Waselenchuk I am not sure anyone will be able to derail the “Swain Train.” My prediction is that this will be a five-game match with Swain pulling it out in the end by the score of 12-10. This is an even money match so it will be best to just pick your favorite of the two and cheer as loud as you can. It will be so close that the player with the most crowd support may be the one who comes out on top.

Guidry vs. Ellis (5:00 pm) will be an interesting match in terms of dynamics, but a lopsided affair in terms of outcome. Ellis should be able to put away the lightning-quick Guidry in three games (maybe four) as he is playing near the top of his game at this time. However, don’t count out Guidry just yet. How many chances does Mike Guidry have left at making it to a US OPEN final? The answer is not many (if any!) so he could be ”desperation-driven” to get the job done now. As most pro athletes will tell you, a desperate cat is a dangerous cat. Line: Ellis 5:1. Enjoy!

Last year both Mike Locker and Alvaro Beltran surprised everyone by making it to the semifinals, but this year's lineup only allowed one of them to have that chance again. Their match actually started out as a game of cutthroat with a lonely moth as the third player. After fooling around with it until it grew distracting, Alvaro gave a new definition to "splat-shot" when he nailed it from about 30 feet. Game over – moth loses. Back on track, Locker pulled out a tight first game, 11-9, only to see Beltran roll in the second, 11-4. Locker again pulled out another tight game 11-7 and Beltran again replied with an 11-2 finish. The deciding game was tight, and judging from the earlier games it would seem to be in Locker’s favor. But Beltran pulled out the close 12-10 game to advance.

The much anticipated match between No.3 Jason Mannino and No.14 Jack Huczek didn’t let down anyone in attendance. Mannino took control of the first game and looked as though he would cruise past the younger Huczek, opening with an 11-3 win. But the young USRA national singles champ kept his composure and put Mannino against the wall by taking the next two games 13-11, 11-6. “He played better than I thought he was capable of,” Mannino said. “He has some great shots and doesn’t miss many.”

Mannino didn’t miss many himself in the fourth game and took it 11-8 to force the tiebreaker. Down 4-2, Mannino had to use all of his available injury timeouts when he pulled both of his abductor muscles in his legs. After having them worked on during his 15-minute break, he came back on fire. “I told them to get me in working order and that I would win,” he said. He kept true to his word and finished the match 11-6.

Another grueling five-gamer was played between No.7 Derek Robinson and No.10 Kane Waselenchuk. Big “D” won the first two, only to see the young Canuck even things out, two-games apiece. They battled back and forth in the fifth until Waselenchuk pulled it out in the end 12-10. To close out the evening, Mike Guidry and Tim Doyle also went to five games, as did Rocky Carson and Woody Clouse. Guidry and Carson were able to pull both of those out in the end.

Friday footnote: RACQUETBALL cover guys Mike Guidry and Ruben Gonzalez paired up last month to take home the U.S. National Doubles title. Now they must face each other to earn a spot in today's semifinals. Think they know each other's game styles?

The feature match of the round was between Doreen Fowler and Adrienne Fisher. Fisher started out tough, taking the first game 15-13 over the veteran, who is playing for the glory of both herself and her injured husband (IRT Pro Dan Fowler, sidelined with a bicep injury and unable to play this year). Doreen fought back, taking the second and third games 15-10. In game four, Fisher jumped out to a seemingly commanding lead 14-8, but Doreen fought back. The rally scoring format of the LPRA makes large comebacks improbable, but Fowler won seven straight rallies to put the game at 15-14. Fisher did not give up, fighting back and forth before Fowler was able to take the fourth, and final, game 18-16.

2000 finalist Rhonda Rajsich struggled to a victory against qualifier Chris Evon, dropping the first game 15-11 before winning the next three 7,16, and 12. Despite her loss, Chris expressed surprise that she had not won the match. “I felt like I should have won; I don’t know how I lost.” Rajsich needs some more consistency if she plans to advance as far as she did last year.

In a south-of-the-border battle, Claudine Garcia overcame the diving acrobatics of Mexico’s Claudia Corpi to win in three. Corpi extended rallies and forced ever-better shots from Garcia, but in the end Garcia’s power and consistency were too much.

Up-and-comer Kristen Walsh faced an under ranked opponent in Elaine Albrecht and had to rely on her power game to overcome the jackrabbit-quick Albrecht in four close games 12, 12, (6) and 12. Kristen jump-started the match quickly, taking an early lead and threatening a blowout. Elaine fought back though, and made for an entertaining match. Elaine plays a smart passing game and forced the flashy Walsh to make effective and smart shots to move on.

Dark horse candidate Laura Fenton was stretched by relative unknown Brenda Kyzer but eventually prevailed in four. Brenda played well and matched the consistent Fenton shot for shot, taking the third game facing elimination before succumbing to the tour veteran.

Remaining top seeds all advanced with ease, to set up today's round of 16 predictions ... This cub reporter, having seen who’s hot and who might be susceptible to upset, offers these bold and (possibly) uneducated opinions: Gudinas continues her dominance over the LPRA, defeating Gellman ... Susy Acosta uses her power to eke out a win over Powell ... Fenton upsets Rajsich, who seems off her game this weekend ... Wachtel defeats Fowler in 4 close games ... Hallander cruises by Mock in 3 ... Walsh defeats a fresh Russell in four ... Garcia outlasts a consistent Moreland in 5 tight games ... Rice (Paraiso) defeats a tough Saunders, but struggles.

It seems that soon-to-be-14 Sarah (whose birthday is on Saturday), neglected to toss that all-important gear bag into the car. But mom was able to get it overnighted in time for their first match, late Thursday evening.

More Original Art
Nationally renowned artist Michael P. Maness will illustrate a personalized, dual pose portrait — rendered in pen & ink or pencil — for players who would like to take home an original artwork, with themselves as the subject! Michael will produce your one-of-a-kind artwork, with you in a formal and action pose, for $200.00 (with half going to St. Jude's). Visit Michael's art gallery in the Player's Village to schedule your sitting and support the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

University of Memphis Students Return
By Adam Badrian
Eight University of Memphis students are working hard to get the attention of some hometown media for players at the U.S. OPEN. Many have returned for another opportunity to use the skills they have learned in an internship program sponsored by the 2001 Hilton U.S. OPEN and the University of Memphis. They generate daily press releases, and learn a sport-related media relations operation throughout the week.

The students must be members of the Public Relations Student Society of America, and even though the tournament falls two weeks before finals, the students enjoy working closely with the players to gain experience in generating "buzz."

This year's group is led by USRA Media/PR Coordinator Ryan John and local organizer Forsyth Kenworthy, and consists of: Adam Badrian, Emily Blackwell, Melissa Diaz, Katie Flippo, Amanda Mauck, Michael Morton, Sarah Pinyan and Courtney Sikes.

Quarter #1 (3PM) Ellis vs. Beltran. This match should be a doozy. Both players are looking for a first U.S. OPEN title and, with Sudsy out of the picture, this may be the best chance either of them will ever have to take home the big paycheck. Look for both to leave 110% out on the court. As far as dynamics go, both players are bangers who like to shoot “bottom board.” Both possess speed and intensity. But I have to give the edge to Elli on this one. He's ready to make a run at the title this year and has a nose for taking advantage of a good opportunity. Line: Ellis 3:2

Quarter #2 (4:15pm) Mannino vs. Carson. On paper, this match looks like an easy one for Jason Mannino. Rocky is the lower ranked player, but there's one little detail: he's the only player in the world, ranked lower than Mannino, who has a winning record against him. As a matter of fact, Carson has given Mannino some pretty sound beatings over the years and those memories could be hard to shake. However, the Jason Mannino that has emerged during the last nine months is a much stronger and more physically-fit player, who truly has a legitimate shot at finishing the season ranked #1 (particularly if he can win his second U.S. OPEN title). I look for Carson to give Mannino a strong match early, but in the end Jason will come out on top. Line: Mannino 2:1

Quarter #3 (5:30) Swain vs. Waselenchuk. WOW! And I mean WOW! If you only can see one match today, this is the one. Get to the stadium early or you will be sitting in row 39 with your head bumping up against the ceiling. The variables of this match are so interesting that I could write an entire book on the subject. But since Linda Mojer only gives me a few measly lines in this rag, I will have to just tease you with some of the issues at play: 1) both players are left-handed; 2) Swain is, perhaps, the best player of all time; 3) Waselenchuk is, perhaps, the greatest new talent on tour; 4) Kane won the last pro stop and his confidence is flying high; 5) Swain can make history by winning a season end tour title (finishing the year ranked #1) an unbelievable six times. A U.S. OPEN victory would give him a huge leg-up towards achieving this goal, while a quarterfinal loss would be a real thorn in his side come end of year tallies. 6) Swain is 35, Waselenchuk is just slightly more than half Swain’s age, at 19; 7) Did I already mention that both are left handed? Anyway, I predict this will be the match that everyone will remember year-round. It has the ingredients to come out as an epic struggle but in the end I have to give the nod to Swain. No player is history has had a greater knack for taking advantage of an opportunity and, although he will get bloody in this one, I think he will find a way to come out on top. Line: Swain 5:4

Quarter #4 (6:45pm) Gonzalez vs. Guidry. Did you know that Ruben Gonzalez is 50 years old? Can you believe that a 50-year-old is in the quarterfinals of the U.S. OPEN? Sure, he got some help in the draw with Sudsy dropping out and having to play old “tired legs” Ganim in the 16’s but still ... 50 years old! He has my vote for greatest athlete of all time in any sport! At last year's U.S. OPEN Ruben and Mike Guidry played the match of the tournament in the round of 16’s, with Ruben edging out Mike in a two and a half hour epic, five game war. Can Ruben pull out the upset again? I find it hard to bet against him but the official line has to go with Guidry as he should be able to put the old man out in four games or less. Line: Guidry 2:1 (however, I never bet against Ruben so you may want to leave your wallet in your pocket on this one).

It doesn’t get any better than this for racquetball fans, so enjoy your day of top-notch pro racquetball at the 2001 Hilton U.S. OPEN!

In fact, Sudsy broke his right foot when he stepped on a rock in his driveway, turned too quickly in recovering his balance, and fractured his fifth metatarsal. “I have what they call a Jones fracture,” Sudsy explains. “It’s a very slow-healing fracture but it’s also a non-weight bearing injury. That means that I can’t put any weight on it at all or it could make the recovery a lot longer.”

Sudsy is still going to try to make an appearance this weekend, but admits that it will be a little weird for him to sit and watch — and a little hard too. “I haven’t done too much watching at the U.S. OPEN; you can just look at my record at that tournament for the proof. I trained harder for this year’s OPEN than I have for the previous five. I am just real disappointed.”

Sudsy is able to keep the injury in perspective, however, part of that may be because he lives in New York, where there's been so much unrest as of late. “I wouldn’t use the word devastated for how I feel. There are a lot worse things happening to other people right now. I am just in disbelief about the whole thing.”

Although his injury will keep him sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks, and he loses the chance to defend his U.S. OPEN title, Sudsy is still … well, Sudsy. “I just want you to let everyone know that just because I am not playing when I get there, it’s not "keep-handing-beers-to-Sudsy" time. It’s hard enough just to use the crutches!”

The only qualifier to advance, #16 Brent Hansen, may be more comfortable milking cows on his dairy farm in Iowa than causing chaos on the court, but tomorrow he'll have to pull more than a few teats to plow his way past Doug Ganim in the round of 32. After Sudsy Monchik was forced to forfeit due to injury, Hansen was automatically advanced into the next round to face his first opponent, U.S. OPEN event director Ganim. Although he may have missed his shot at the five-year champion, tomorrow will be his chance to prove that this farmer can "deliver" from more than just his cows. 

"My goal was to qualify," said Hansen. "Whatever happens after this is all good."

Among the remaining qualifiers to advance through two rounds of preliminaries were U.S. OPEN webmaster Will Tilton (who fell to Canadian Mike Green) and event staff point man Pete Ulliman (who lost to recent pro stop winner Kane Waselenchuk). 

Remaining Qualifiers were:
Arturo Casillas (Bonita, Calif.)
Jim Minkel (Houston, Texas)
Brent Walters (Raleigh, N.C.)
Charles George (Coral Springs, Fl.)
Cesar Carilla (Memphis, Tenn.)
Fabian Parilla (Mexico City, Mexico)
Ricardo Gonzalez (San Luis Potosi)
Andres Jiminez (Pueblo, Colo.)
Ryan Rodgers (Austin, Texas)
Andy Hawthorne (Champagne, Ill)
Mitch Williams (Washington, N.C.)
Brian Fredenberg (The Colony, Texas)
Travis Woodbury (Arlington, Va.)

Wednesday featured six LPRA qualifier matches, most of which had international flavor. Participants from Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Queens battled it out with a variety of players for a spot in the round of 32. Qualifiers included three Canadians: Chantal Turgeon, Amanda MacDonald, and Karina Odegard, vying to take over where Van Hees left off.

The main draw begins this afternoon with 2000 finalist Rhonda Rajsich taking on qualifier Chris Evon (a.k.a., Miss Wilson Racquetball) of Chicago. Rhonda hopes to improve on last year’s string of wins, drawing inspiration from her hometown Arizona Diamondbacks’ thrilling come-from-behind victory in this year’s World Series. But Evon shouldn't be underestimated; she's a veteran of many Pro stops, which should make for an interesting matchup.

The over-riding theme of the round of 32 matchups seems to be “youth versus experience,” featuring several inter-generational matches between tour veterans and up-and-comers. Doreen Fowler takes on 2000 national High School champion Adrienne Fisher; Elaine Albrecht faces current Intercollegiate champ Kristen Walsh; and re-dedicated veteran Dina Moreland will challenge Alaska’s Stephanie Munger. These, and the Rajsich-Evon match, all follow the trend. Mark my words; experience will not always win out over vigor. Look for some established names to go down early this year.

The USRA's National Singles in Houston this year saw some breakthrough performances; can Kersten Hallander and Laura Fenton continue their winning ways here on center stage? However, all the stories of the LPRA this season cannot outweigh the continued dominance of the tour’s top two players, Cheryl Gudinas and Jackie (Paraiso) Rice.

Jackie is a two-time U.S. OPEN winner and is always a threat in a big game. Gudinas has a commanding lead in the LPRA points race and was the USRA Female player of the year last season but has never won the sport's biggest crown here in Memphis.

How will it all shake out? Check out the LPRA matches all day and find out. In the meantime, here’s one (totally unbiased) opinion on how things will go: as my counterpart cautions, these “odds” shall not be used as any basis for actual wagering!

Recent, strong finishes in the LPRA tournaments in Charlotte, Albuquerque and Colorado Springs, have helped her to achieve such a strong position so early in her professional career.

Garcia is very excited about participating in this year’s event. After a successful career as an international competitor on the Dominican Republic national team, she is aware that the competition is tougher in the pro ranks. But it is something that she is looking forward to, as well.

“The tougher the competition, the more my game improves,” said Garcia. “I learn something from everyone that I play against. That is one of the ways that I improve my game.” Village News It's easy to see that there are more vendors in the Village this year than ever before. Some of the new “must visit” booths include ...

Gudinas is ranked number one in points, Jackie Paraiso is 252 points behind and Kersten Hallander is ranked third with a distant 309 points away.

"The Hilton U.S. OPEN is a great opportunity to gain a lot of ground on the others as it is worth more ranking points than any other event we have" said Gudinas.

"My goal is to finish number one at the end of the year," said Gudinas.

Jackie Paraiso Rice. Currently ranked No. 2 in the LPRA, is 35 years old and had a busy summer with a new marriage and an off-season ankle surgery. Paraiso started playing racquetball in 1980, and her hobbies are indoor soccer, music, and her seven-year-old daughter Danielle. She has won the U.S. OPEN twice (in 1999 and 1998) and is hoping that 2001 will be her third.

Kerri Stoffregen Wachtel. After her June wedding to Chris Wachtel, this former Intercollegiate and U.S. National Doubles Champion (in the 24 and under division) returned to the women's professional tour full time. After the third tour stop in Colorado Springs, Wachtel is ranked number four on the LPRA, up from 21st in little over a year.

"I have so many distractions in my life now, but I still want to compete. I have been working very hard to improve my mental game. I want to stay competitive for a lifetime, but as for immediately, I want to win pro stops and finish in the top three," Wachtel said.

Wachtel started playing racquetball with her mother, multi-crowned national champion Gerri Stoffregen, at a young age as something that they could do together. At age 16, Wachtel started to play racquetball full time.

Lori-Jane Powell made it to the sweet 16 of last year's U.S. OPEN where she lost to fellow Canadian and eventual 2000 U.S. OPEN champion Christie Van Hees.

Powell is a former Canadian Nationals Singles champion, and a current Canadian Nationals Doubles champion. She earned a gold medal in her second division at last year's U.S. Women's OPEN, and is currently ranked number eight on the LPRA tour.

the line: thursday
"Live-by-Remote" 
Lefty O'Neil

Thursday is moving day in the Men’s Pro draw, since it’s the only day when two rounds are played (rounds of 32 and 16). Let’s look first at some of the interesting match-ups in the 32’s and then some of the likely scenarios for the following round.

The first one that flies off the page is Brian Istace against Adam Karp (10:15 am). This match has all the makings of an early round U.S. OPEN classic but is quite difficult to predict a winner, even for a man of my considerable stature. The reason is the “x” factor: which Adam Karp will show up? Will it be the dominating figure of the past who won two National Singles titles, two National Doubles crowns and led the U.S. team to multiple international victories? Or, will it be a bumbling rust-bucket like myself? One thing is for sure. Brian Istace will show up with a rock-solid game, photon ball striking, and an intensity level that will rival that of anyone on tour. Given the unpredictable “x” factor in this match, odds are not available; bookies refuse to take any action on this one.

Next up on your schedule should be Jack Huczek vs. Chris Wright (11:30 am). Of course we all know the huge talent of Jack Huczek, but what most people may not know is that Chris Wright is one of the most under-rated players in the country. He has a devasting backhand, and on occasion, has been known to hit the front wall once or twice on the forehand side. If Thursday is one of those rare “forehand” days, Huczek could have more than he bargained for. Line: Huczek 4:1

Scheduled at the same time will be the explosive potential of southpaw Woody Clouse vs. Mike Green. This match could be a good one although I have to give the edge to the steady Canadian on this one. What may be even more fun will be fireworks if Woody becomes disappointed ... losing does not usually sit well with him and he has been known to lose his cool now and then. Line: Green 3:1.

At 12:45, you'll find plenty of height with Robinson vs. Dennison and Llacera vs. Waselenchuk. These two matches will be very fun to watch and could be the place in the draw were we see our first upsets. Line: Robinson 2:1. Waselechuk 5:1.

Now here is where things get really interesting. In past U.S. OPEN’s the round of 16 has offered up some of the greatest matches and I do not think this year will be an exception. Here is a quick list of the ones I would say you can’t afford to miss. Keep in mind that these are likely match-ups, barring some unforeseen upset of these players earlier in the day.

Beltran/Locker Line: Beltran 5:3 Mannino/Huczek* Line: Mannino 3:2 Green/Carson Line: Carson 3:2 * a must see!

In closing, it really is too bad that we had to lose Sudsy to a last-minute injury the day before the event started. Although the draw is loaded with incredible talent, it just won’t be the same without the world's #1. Rumor has it that he is coming to Memphis today (cast and all!) to enjoy the matches and visit with fans for the rest of the week.

I'll have my usual expert analysis of the Men’s quarterfinals tomorrow – and guess what? I will even be in Memphis to watch the evening matches with my own eyes. Look for me and I'll see you soon!

the line: wednesday
"Live-by-Remote" 
Lefty O'Neil

Well let’s cut right to the chase and confirm the rumor. New York’s finest racquetball player may make an appearance in Memphis, but it won't be to play. He's had a freak accident, and now has a broken bone in his foot. Suds has been working at ground zero and has been a crusader for reform, so not being able to play this event caps off an unbelievably disturbing Autumn for Suds and his beloved Big Apple.

Last year Suds won six tournaments in a row to sew up his fifth tour title and join an elite group of co-record-holders in that feat. It's a short list: other five-time season winners include Marty Hogan, Mike Yellen and Cliff Swain. For Suds, an injury in Stockton and another injury here will make repeating as tour champ a little tougher. But I still wouldn't be surprised if he pulls it off.

This turn of events now changes the battle for the qualifier #16 from a round of 64 slam-basting to a free ride to the 32’s for none other than the winner of the Brent Hansen vs. Mathew McKinnis match.

Matt runs the cameras and produces the television broadcast for ESPN. If Matt shows up with his hair dyed white and thick black glasses he is a 7-1 favorite. If Matt shows up with no visible hair dye and normal looking shades he is a 7-1 underdog. This match is for a guaranteed $325 to the winner. Which Matt will need to keep his crew well-fed and happy for the week.

Another interesting qualifying match to watch is Mitch Williams vs. Zack Miller, or "two young guys ready to rip." Mitch, a former top junior player, and Zack, a current up-and-coming junior, will play for a shot at John Ellis. I give it to Williams 3-1.

In the round of 32, the match will be between Jim Frautschi and current National Doubles finalist, rookie U.S. Team Member and Salt Lake City Man of the Year, Brian Pointelin. This is a cruiser weight battle, with both competitors tipping the scales at 210 lbs plus. Line: Even. Please keep your hands and feet away
from the door when they come out of the court, and watch at your own risk.

The all-name match is Shai “Shai Shai hush hush eye to eye” Manzuri vs Julio “I’m not” Junki. This match will be hotly contested with lots of z-balls and diving. Line: Shai 5-2.

To get the most out of your U.S. Open pro ticket pack you'll have to catch Louis Vogel vs.
Kris Odegard. Louis can be extremely entertaining if a few calls go against him on crucial points. Last year he could be seen losing his cool in a way that only The Vogeler can convey. This act is not for the faint of heart, parental guidance is advised. Line: Vogel 5-1.

Wow, I almost overlooked Shane Vanderson vs. Mike Dennison. These players will hit lob serves and test each others defensive game with feather-touch ceiling balls. Yea right. This will be a sluggers delight and the two will go through at least three balls in the match. These two play all the time in Ohio so bragging rights could last a while. Line: Vandyman, 7-5

Chris Crowthers vs. Todd O’Neil. Todd can not make it this year because Doug pulled his badge to the players lounge. Because he had a problem sharing with the rest of the guys. A few years ago this might have been a good match. Now, if you melted Chris and Todd together and divided them evenly you would have two evenly-proportioned human beans. Against whatever warm body has been thrown in to replace O'Neil, it will be Crowthers 3-1.

CURRENT ODDS TO WIN
Cliff Swain 5-2
Jason Mannino 5-2
John Ellis 4-1
Kane Waselenchuk 4-1
Tim Doyle 9-2
Rocky Carson 7-1
Alvaro Beltran 7-1
Jack Huczek 8-1
Mike Locker 8-1
Derek Robinson 9-1
Mike Guidry 10-1
Mike Green 11-1
Ruben Gonzalez 11-1
Brian Istace 12-1
Javier Moreno 15-1

This concludes your daily dose of "The Line." Remember these odds are for recreational use only. "Lefty"

pro-am champs

The event kicked off the Hilton 6th U.S. OPEN Racquetball Championships, which opens for regulation play in all three venues today.

Thirty-two fans donated $250 apiece for the opportunity to play side-by-side with the pro tour's top athletes. The $8,000 raised Tuesday evening puts the total amount over $80,000 that the Hilton U.S. OPEN has generated for St. Jude over the past six years.

Although the tournament was a benefit tournament, the players took it seriously with diving retrievals often part of the rallies, especially in the final match.

“As soon as I saw Havey (Javier Moreno) dive I said, ‘OK, it’s on then,’” said Waselenchuk.

Waselenchuk, No. 10 on the men’s International Racquetball Tour [IRT], paired up with Curran who was playing in his fourth St. Jude Pro/Am.

“They (the pros) force you to play better,” said Curran, “but at the same time it is all in good sportsmanship and a great experience.”

Part of that good sportsmanship was seen when the score was tied at 14-14. The crowd, not wanting the match to end, took a voice vote to change the rules so that the teams were forced to win by two points to take the match. In the end Curran and Waselenchuk were victorious 17-15.

Local area artist Michael Maness has produced two stunning original paintings of Sudsy Monchik, five time pro world champion and the current #1 ranked Men’s IRT player and Cheryl Gudinas, three time National Singles Champion and the reigning queen of the LPRA. Both paintings are on display in the Maness Art Gallery located in the Players Village and will be auctioned off on Saturday evening at the Party with the Pro’s with 100% of the proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Michael Maness is a very talented and famous artist in the Mid-South and has produced hundreds of masterpieces that have been sold in art galleries around the world.

After having been diagnosed with terminal cancer over three years ago, he has outlived his doctors longest predictions by suffering through three bone marrow transplants and numerous chemo and radiation treatments. His goal in life is to enjoy every minute of every day while trying to help others who are sick. That is why he has adopted St. Jude Hospital as his personal charity of choice. The work they do with terminally ill children has saved countless lives and Michael Maness has helped to raise thousands of dollars to support these efforts.

Most likely both these original paintings will go for well over $2,000 each in the auction, so how do you get your own at a reasonable price?

Each painting is also available in a lithograph version and only 150 of each has been produced, numbered and autographed by the artist and the athlete. These will be on sale throughout the event for only $100 each with a significant part of the proceeds being donated to St. Jude. In addition, the Maness Art Gallery has several other original pieces of sports art on sale. Stop by and take a look!