US Open Racquetball Championships

The US Open racquetball championship is widely acknowledged as the premier professional racquetball event. It is a Grand Slam event with men and women competing from the International Racquetball Tour and Women's Professional Racquetball Organization, respectively. It also includes divisions for amateur players, and hundreds of people participate each year. There were almost 700 participants in 2011.[1]

The 2011 US Open was October 5-9 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the second year since the event began in 1996 that it was not in Memphis, Tennessee. Hosted by USA Racquetball the US Open was held in mid-November for the first 12 years, but in 2008 the event was moved up a month to the middle of October. The 2011 US Open was held in the first week of October, so as not to conflict with the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. The 2012 US Open is planned for the first week in October again in Minneapolis.

Doug Ganim, a multiple racquetball World Champion in doubles and former pro player on the International Racquetball Tour, is the US Open's Tournament Director.

Contents

Men's championship

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1996 Sudsy Monchik Andy Roberts 11-8, 11-9, 11-3
1997 Cliff Swain Sudsy Monchik 11-6, 11-2, 11-3
1998 Sudsy Monchik Cliff Swain 11-2, 11-8, 11-4
1999 Jason Mannino Cliff Swain 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8
2000 Sudsy Monchik Cliff Swain 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3
2001 Cliff Swain John Ellis 11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 11-4
2002 Sudsy Monchik Cliff Swain 12-10, 12-10, 11-7
2003 Kane Waselenchuk Derek Robinson 11-8, 11-6, 11-6
2004 Kane Waselenchuk Cliff Swain 11-1, 11-3, 11-0
2005 Kane Waselenchuk Cliff Swain 11-5, 12-10, 12-10
2006 Jason Mannino Rocky Carson 11-9, 11-8, 11-5
2007 Rocky Carson Jack Huczek 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5
2008 Kane Waselenchuk Rocky Carson 11-2, 11-2, 11-4
2009 Kane Waselenchuk Jack Huczek 12-10, 11-1, 11-3
2010 Kane Waselenchuk Alvaro Beltran 10-12, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6
2011 Kane Waselenchuk Rocky Carson 7-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-7

US Open Men's Finalists by wins and losses

Finalist Wins Losses
Kane Waselenchuk 7 0
Sudsy Monchik 4 1
Cliff Swain 2 6
Jason Mannino 2 0
Rocky Carson 1 3
Jack Huczek 0 2
John Ellis 0 1
Andy Roberts 0 1
Derek Robinson 0 1
Alvaro Beltran 0 1

Women's championship

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1996 Michelle Gould Cheryl Gudinas 11-5, 11-4, 11-3[2]
1997 Michelle Gould Jackie Paraiso 12-10, 11-5, 11-4
1998 Jackie Paraiso Christie Van Hees 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 [3]
1999 Jackie Paraiso Christie Van Hees 8-11, 13-11, 11-1, 5-11, 11-2 [4]
2000 Christie Van Hees Rhonda Rajsich 21-7, 21-12, 22-24, 21-11
2001 Kerri Wachtel Jackie Paraiso 15-13; 12-15; 15-11; 15-10
2002 Cheryl Gudinas Jackie Paraiso 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6
2003 Rhonda Rajsich Christie Van Hees 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-7
2004 Cheryl Gudinas Rhonda Rajsich 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 12-14, 11-3
2005 Christie Van Hees Rhonda Rajsich 11-13, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4
2006 Christie Van Hees Cheryl Gudinas Holmes 11-3, 11-2, 11-2
2007 Rhonda Rajsich Cheryl Gudinas Holmes 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9
2008 Paola Longoria Cheryl Gudinas Holmes 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7
2009 Rhonda Rajsich Paola Longoria 1-11, 11-8, 11-3, 2-11, 11-7
2010 Rhonda Rajsich Paola Longoria 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5
2011 Paola Longoria Rhonda Rajsich 11-7, 11-5, 11-9

US Open Women's finalists by wins and losses

Finalist Wins Losses
Rhonda Rajsich 4 4
Christie Van Hees 3 3
Michelle Gould 2 0
Cheryl Gudinas Holmes 2 4
Jackie Paraiso 2 3
Paola Longoria 2 2
Kerri Wachtel 1 0

References

  1. ^ http://www.r2sports.com/tourney/EntryList.asp?TID=8251&display=YES
  2. ^ http://www.lindamojer.com/04web_bkup/racqmag/1997/9701/971open.htm
  3. ^ http://www.lindamojer.com/04web_bkup/racqmag/1999/9901/991open.htm
  4. ^ http://www.lindamojer.com/04web_bkup/racqmag/newsline/events99/99open3.htm

External links