1999 Ektelon 32nd USRA National
Singles Championships -- "The Finals"
Presented by Penn Racquet Sports

Downtown YMCA - Houston, Texas: May 26-31

daily reports

MEDIA ADVISORY! ... Call 719/963-8074 for more details about this event from Kevin Vicroy, USRA Media/Public Relations Manager. For website questions or concerns, contact Linda Mojer, USRA Assoc. Executive Director/Communications & Editor/RACQUETBALL.

wednesday

Summer Vacation Starts Early Houston’s Elan Levy had his chances, perhaps not many, but opportunities just the same. With luck, he might have been able to log one of the greatest first-round upsets in racquetball history. But Levy, a graduating senior at St. John’s High School, fell 15-5, 15-10 to 14th-seeded Rocky Carson in Wednesday’s first round of Men’s Open competition.

After putting up little opposition in the first game against the 20-year old former world junior champion from Santa Maria, Calif., Levy fought hard to regain the respect of his local crowd.

Set to attend the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania next fall, Levy battled the savvy Californian to ties at 4-4 and 5-5 before eventually bowing to the more powerful Carson.

“Rocky’s the kind of guy that whenever you have a chance, you have to capitalize on it,” Levy said. “I just gave it everything I had on every point. Coming out, I knew that was the only way I was going to win.”

With the win, Carson advanced into the men’s open round of 32. Finalists in the men’s and women’s open divisions will compete in this summer’s Pan American Games in Winnipeg.

For Levy, he will continue to compete in the men’s 24-and-under division along with the open consolation.

“Coming out here against Rocky, I knew that I could compete with him,” said Levy, 18, who started in centerfield for the St. John’s baseball squad and hit .420 this past season. “The hometown crowd - I had some friends here - makes it a lot of fun, too.”

“The only way I can get better is to come out here against guys like Rocky, who have been there, have the experience and play the top guys.”

Levy’s play impressed his world-class opponent. “Since the last time I saw Elan play (about six months ago) his game has gone from high-A (level) to a solid open player,” Carson said. “His short game up front was incredible - cutting balls off and getting to almost everything. At times, he put me in awkward spots and that’s what the pros do to me.” Carson, an amateur by status, finished the 1998-99 professional tour season ranked 11th in the world.

Derek Robinson has just one question ... How can the No. 7-ranked professional player in the world be unseeded (outside the top 16) at the amateur nationals?

Well, Dr. Hiser, how does that happen?

“We have regionals that you can play in and qualify for your seed by winning regionals,” tournament director Jim Hiser said Wednesday afternoon. “There are no other guaranteed seeds.”

“The top four (finishers) from here (U.S. Nationals) retain their seeds. The top two are guaranteed first and second. Three and four are guaranteed to be in the top 16. All of our regional winners are guaranteed to be in the top 16.”

There were 13 regionals over the past months. Robinson chose to play in the Las Vegas regional, due to the fact that he was already entered into the Bud Light Pro Nationals’ draw.

According to Robinson, his first-round open match was scheduled for 10 a.m. of the same day as his 4 p.m. pro quarterfinal contest with five-time tour champion Cliff Swain.

Robinson played the open match, but lost while trying to retain most to all of his energy for one of the greatest pros of all time. “We realize that he’s one of the better players,” Hiser said of the 6-foot 4 Robinson, a.k.a. “Big D.”

“But the fairest place to put him is in the opposite half of the first seed (defending champion Adam Karp). And you shouldn’t put him in the bracket of the two seed (1998 runner-up Michael Bronfeld), because that’s not fair to him. So you put him someplace in that three-seed bracket. That’s why he was placed there.”

If Robinson wins his first- and second-round matches, Big D is favored to face sixth-seeded Jason Thoerner in the men’s open round of 16. Another win would place him into a projected match with third-seeded Ruben Gonzalez.

More than likely possessing that “something to prove” mental outlook, Robinson might have just found the motivation he needed to reach his first-ever national finals.

May Birthdays How many of you are trying your hand in a new age division, too? These folks are set to celebrate their birthdays with us this week!

• Mike Lazarow, 05/23
• Agatha Falso, 05/23
• James Williford, 05/23
• Brian Sanderford, 05/24
• Rob DeJesus, 05/25
• Gene Rodgers, 05/25
• Terri Straka, 05/25
• Mike Johnston, 05/26
• Marie Birmingham, 05/27
• Lynn Hiorns, 05/27
• James Mulcock, 05/27
• Michelle Poage, 05/27
• Joe Hassey, 05/28
• Dan Shupsky, 05/28
• Rita Derr, 05/30
• Steve Wattz, 05/30
• Kersten Hallander, 05/31

thursday

In her Spare Time ... Even after unseeded Rhonda Rajsich upset No. 8 seed Heather Dunn 15-8, 15-5 in the round of 32 Thursday afternoon at the Downtown YMCA, racquetball fans were not surprised. The New England regional champion, Dunn had very few answers to Rajsich’s power and quickness.

During this past basketball season, Rajsich was quick enough to earn junior college all-America honors and a scholarship to play for national power Stephen F. Austin next fall.

Rajsich averaged 19.9 points per game in her second season at Phoenix College, while dishing out 4.8 assists, garnering 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 steals.

“I’m really excited to go to SFA,” Rajsich said following the match. “They have a really great program. I’m just looking forward to bringing whatever I can to a team that is already very well established.”

The SFA women’s basketball program is ranked fourth in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history for winning percentage behind Connecticut, Stanford and Tennessee.

“But I’m not starting anything basketball-wise until September,” the former national high school racquetball champion said. “I need to concentrate on racquetball this summer, so I took a week off of everything after (Pro Nationals in April) in Las Vegas. I’ve played racquetball everyday since.”

Her recent practice was readily apparent against Dunn. Rajsich consistently hit passing shots which spun Dunn around center court like a top.

Rajsich’s fast feet and lower body strength lead to better positioning and a smoother swing. And, as if she needed it, every break went Rajsich’s way.

Midway through the first game, Rajsich found herself stuck with a bad hop in the back right corner. Not to worry, the Arizona product just rolled out a winner from between her legs.

“That was improvisation,” Rajsich said of the low-percentage save. “That’s when you’re set up for a shot and the ball cracks out and you don’t know what else to do with it, so you lift you leg and hit it.”

But was she surprised that her circus shot magically turned from prayer to point? She simply replied, “No.”

First Upset of the Day Brian Fredenberg is a man of few - yet powerful - words . . . or is that serves? The Lewisville, Texas native utilized a rocket-like serve to keep 14th seed Rocky Carson off balance Thursday afternoon en route to a 15-5, 15-13 upset in the men’s open round of 32.

“I guess I didn’t play that bad today,” Fredenberg said. Huh? Carson was one of the top-ranked professionals at this year’s event and Fredenberg never seemed fazed.

“I know Rocky can play a lot better,” he said. “I guess today just wasn’t his day.” Evidently not. With current professionals such as Derek Robinson and Todd O’Neil watching alongside legend Marty Hogan, Fredenberg impressed all who witnessed the upset.

“These courts are really fast, so that’s to my advantage,” Fredenberg said when asked about his nearly unreturnable drive serves. Still, Fredenberg was calm and collected following his win. After all, he only advanced into the round of 16 - that’s four wins away from the title.

“This is a big tournament and there’s a lot more matches to go,” he said. “So I don’t get all that excited about it.”

And to the North The Canadian National Championships are also being held this week at the Premier Health Club in Oakville and the Cedar Springs Health Racquet and Sports Club in Burlington. So far, only doubles have been underway. Women’s Open Doubles – Semi-finals:[4] Karina Odegard/Amanda MacDonald def. [1] Josee Grand’ Maitre/Lucie Guillemette, 11-7, 11-7, 11-1. [2] Lori-Jane Powell/Debbie Ward def. Chantal Turgeon/Naciuk, 11-2, 11-5, 11-6. Finals: [2] Lori-Jane Powell/Debbie Ward def. [4] Karina Odegard/Amanda MacDonald, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-0. Men’s Open Doubles – Semifinals: [3] Roger Harripersad/Kelly Kerr def. [2] Brian Istace/Kane Waselenchuk, 5-11, 11-2, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9. [1] Mike Ceresia/Mike Green def. Shepley / Ully, 11-4, 11-0, 11-6. Finals: [3] Roger Harripersad/Kelly Kerr def. [1] Mike Ceresia/Mike Green, 0-11, 11-7, 11-10, 11-7.

Nominating Committee The USRA Board of Directors is seeking volunteers to serve on the nominating committee to assist them in identifying suitable candidates for the 2000 election. Please contact Otto Dietrich if you would like to serve on this committee.

friday

Back in the Saddle Carrollton’s Doug Eagle was entering the prime of his racquetball career when he suffered a severe back injury in a head-on automobile collision. A disc slipped in his lower back, forcing a fusion surgery with the disc and his tailbone.

Only 19-years old at the time of the accident, the world junior champion was told that his racquetball career was over. Amazingly, seven years later, Eagle is now in the quarterfinals and facing the prospect of earning his first national team appointment with a win today.

Eagle, 26, overcame a sluggish start against Delaware’s Dan Llacera to post a 12-15, 15-7, 11-2 victory in the Sweet 16 of the men’s open division.

“I just knew that I had to tune in,” Eagle said, “because I’m feeling right and I’m hitting the ball well.”

Two feelings which Eagle was not sure that he would ever enjoy again. But following surgery six years ago, Eagle searched for a cure to his lost racquetball career.

“I got into some Eastern philosophies, some religions and things, and started meditating and just healed it within,” said Eagle, who finished the 1998-99 professional tour season at No. 13. “I figured out how a person heals and the way it works is that it all comes from within the mind . . . Now, I’m totally seeing the light within — it’s all about the inner light.”

The “inner light” and ... well ... his deadly accurate drive serve. Eagle posted four aces in the tiebreaker win over Llacera. With the second game knotted 7-7, the 97-98 pro tour rookie of the year tuned in his offensive game and tuned out his opponent’s frontcourt strength.

“I felt like I was playing well the whole time,” Eagle said. “I was just waiting for everything to come together.”

After running off eight consecutive points to close out the second game, Eagle started the tiebreaker with three more and cruised to the win.

“I wanted to come out and keep the pressure on him and let that inner light shine,” Eagle said.

The Texan finished the match by outscoring Llacera 19-2, earning him a 4 p.m. appointment with defending champion Adam Karp in today’s quarterfinals.

Trash Talking ... Following sixth-seeded Jason Thoerner’s “upset” of unseeded Derek Robinson on Friday afternoon, RACQUETBALL magazine caught up with Thoerner for a brief — and lighthearted — post-match interview.

RM: It seemed like you and Derek were really getting into it in there. JT: He likes to push me around and I’m just a little kid, but I love it when it gets physical out there . . . He’s lucky I didn’t head-butt him - I was fired up.

RM: After such a big win, are you pretty confident about your chances here? JT: All I’ve got to do is stay calm and I’ve got this tournament. I’m the hottest amateur out here. There are no amateurs that can beat me. I’m sending them all back to the pro tour.

RM: When did you know today was going to be your day? JT: I had a horrible warm up, so I knew I was going to play good.

RM: Could you tell that Derek was really feeling the pressure of entering this year’s event as the highest ranking pro? JT: Yea, I do. And I feel bad about that. He was tight from the get-go.

RM: It appeared that you started to get into Derek’s head a little toward the end of the match. Could you tell? JT: When someone starts talking, they’re worried. The pressure’s on them. He was talking from point one. I never said a word, because he has everything to prove out here and I have nothing (to prove).

Team Tallies Routinely the host state claims the highest numbers of entrants, and “Team Texas” stayed true to form with 157 players in their camp. The final count: Texas [157]; California [43]; Illinois [32]; Florida [31]; Louisiana [30]; Virginia [25]; Ohio [20]; New York [18]; and Oregon & Missouri [17]. A total of 45 states were represented in the overall totals, plus some friends from Venezuela!

saturday

One Step at a Time It sure is nice making the U.S. National Team. For some, it’s the travel. Others enjoy the international competition. But according to Laura Fenton, “I’ll be tickled if I can have a new USA bag.”

Her current bag is held together with duct tape and the unsponsored Nebraskan doesn’t want to dole out any free advertising.

Fenton, the women’s open fourth seed, took out fifth-seeded Kersten Hallander 15-10, 15-10 to reach today’s semifinals and regain her spot on the U.S. Team.

Currently playing extremely solid racquetball, Fenton isn’t just satisfied with the possibility of a new bag.

“Jackie (Paraiso) asked me this morning at breakfast, ‘What’s your goal here?,” Fenton said. “I would hope that anybody who comes here is looking to win the tournament. My eyes are on the Pan Ams.”

A win against Robin Levine in the semifinals would all but assure her of not just a U.S. Team bag, but maybe even some Pan American Games gear, as well.

Staying Put Brian Fredenberg is not going anywhere anytime soon.

He’s staying in Texas and — due to his 15-7, 7-15, 11-10 victory over sixth-seeded Jason Thoerner in the men’s open quarterfinals — he’s staying in the hunt for the national racquetball championship. By reaching the semifinals, the Lewisville resident earned a one-year appointment to the U.S. National Team and advanced into the national semifinals.

“I moved down to Dallas about eight years ago,” said Fredenberg, who grew up in Wisconsin. “I came down here to workout and train with Doug (Eagle) and Drew (Kachtik) for two weeks and ended up not going home.”

Eagle, who fell to defending champion Adam Karp in Saturday’s quarterfinals (12-15, 15-2, 11-7), along with Kachtik, a former pro champion, are just two of a large group of elite-level players in the Lone Star state.

“I wouldn’t be here (in the semifinals) right now if I didn’t (live in Texas),” Fredenberg said of his ideal sparring partners.

Early in his match with the wiry, trash-talking Thoerner, Fredenberg remained calm and disposed of the Georgian with relative ease in game one, 15-7.

Following a technical on Thoerner for hitting without wearing his eye guards, which deducts one point, Fredenberg went on an 8-1 run to close out the first game.

However, Thoerner began to increase the level of his mental attack and captured the second frame 15-7.

“He (Thoerner) was playing better and started returning all of my serves,” Fredenberg said. “They weren’t as crisp and he put them away.”

But Fredenberg’s fortunes turned favorable again in the tiebreaker as he served his way to an 8-2 lead.

Not to be out-hustled, Thoerner charged back, taunting all that stood in his way — the ball, his opponent, the floor, the crowd. He cut the lead to 8-6, then tied the game at 9-9.

“That’s the way he plays,” Fredenberg said of Thoerner’s antics.” I don’t think he can play without getting hyper like that.” Following a Thoerner point and sideout, Fredenberg stepped into the service box and delivered an ace which his opponent later described as a “photon.”

Tied 10-10, Fredenberg finished off Thoerner with a perfect pass down the right side line.

Fredenberg will meet former two-time national champ Michael Bronfeld in Sunday’s 1:45 p.m. semifinal.

sunday

Re-Match Set Texan Brian Fredenberg of Lewisville just about broke the front wall, but failed to break the spirit of No. 2 seed Michael Bronfeld.

Fredenberg, whose serves were estimated by his opponent to have reached the high 170 m.p.h. range, racked up 13 aces in a 15-9, 15-13 loss to the former two-time national title holder.

“It was a joke,” Bronfeld said of Fredenberg’s serves. “That’s about the hardest serve I’ve ever seen. I was diving just to put it in play.”

In a rematch of last year’s final, Bronfeld will face defending champion Adam Karp who disposed of #4 seed Eric Muller 15-12, 15-11.

A First! Well, at least she’s realistic ... Following her 15-9, 9-15, 11-6 semifinal victory over defending champion Robin Levine of Sacramento, Calif., fourth-seeded Laura Fenton didn’t pull any punches when responding to questions regarding her match.

“I’m not strong and I’m not quick, but right now I don’t care,” the 36-year old Nebraska native said.

The win all but assured Fenton a U.S. National Racquetball Team roster spot for this summer’s Pan American Games in Winnipeg.

“It’s been a tough road for many years,” Fenton said while gasping for air in the upstairs courts of the Downtown YMCA. “I came to this tournament for me and me only. That sounds selfish, but I had to. “I’m not getting any younger and I know my body hurts, but I want to go to the Pan Ams. It’s the only chance in my lifetime to do this.”

Levine, the top seed at this year’s Ektelon 32nd U.S. National Singles Championships, surged out to a smooth 6-0 lead before Fenton rattled off a 9-0 run to take control and eventually win the first game, 15-9.

In the second game, Levine repeated her initial 6-0 run and, this time, closed Fenton out 15-9. Then Fenton made a change. Dump the lob serve and go right after her opponent with an assortment of hard drive serves to both the forehand and backhand.

“I had to go after her with the serve, that was the only way I was going to beat her,” said Fenton, who will play in her first career final on Memorial Day at 1 p.m.

Despite two ties and three lead changes, Fenton held on for the 11-6 tiebreaker - hammering the final winner down the right line and past the former champ.