by Bill Sorrell
o understand the
magnitude of the Promus Hotels United States Open Racquetball
Championships, all Doug Ganim has to do is check his calendar.
Ganim, director of the U.S. Open, has flown to Memphis once a month during the last year organizing full-time and part-time staffs, working with the tournament committee, and finalizing everything from security guards to ushers.
"This is an astronomical project," Ganim said last week as he continued preparations for the second U.S. Open, which begins Wednesday, November 12th, and continues through Sunday at the Racquet Club.
Martha Butler, who will oversee amateur matches at Wimbleton Sportsplex, one of three venues along with the Racquet Club and the University of Memphis, says, "We kiss our husbands goodbye on Tuesday night and say, `I'll see you in four days, honey.'"
A total of
150 pros and 600 amateur racquetball players from all over the
world have registered for the tournament, according to Ganim.
"Without question, this is the biggest tournament in racquetball. It's double the size, double the money, double the prestige," says Andy Roberts of Collierville, who was runner-up last year. "For a racquetball player, this is the Mecca. Everybody's looking to win this tournament. This is a Hall-of-Fame-type tournament. It's like winning the Super Bowl."
Roberts, 32, who is ranked number three on the pro International Racquetball Tour, won the Pro Nationals title in Las Vegas last April by defeating top-ranked Sudsy Monchik. For Roberts it was a case of payback: Monchik defeated Roberts in last year's U.S. Open. Monchik, 23, from Staten Island, New York, will defend his 1996 title. Second-ranked Cliff Swain of Boston is also scheduled to play.
Michelle Gould of Boise, Idaho, won the U.S. Open last year and is ranked number one on the Women's International Racquetball Tour. She will defend her title against challengers, second-ranked Cheryl Gudinas of Chicago and third-ranked Jackie Paraiso of El Cajon, California.
"It's not often you get to bring all of the best racquetball players in the country and in the world to one spot," says University of Memphis racquetball coach Larry Liles, who will run the venue at the U of M. All pro matches will be held at the Racquet Club.
Ganim says the tournament is a prototype. "We wanted to create a signature, marquee event," he says. The U.S. Racquetball Association, which owns the U.S. Open, hopes to use it as a stepping stone to get more television exposure for the sport.
ESPN will be in town, with plans to run tournament highlights in January or February, Ganim says. Time-Warner Communications will televise the final on Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Fans will be treated to what Ganim calls, "the fastest racquet sport in the world."
"The ball travels 200 mph at the pro level," says Ganim. "Racquetball takes incredibly quick reaction time. It encompasses every area of athleticism -- speed, agility, strength, mental toughness, and endurance."
"There won't be any out-of-shape couch potatoes playing in this tournament," says Rob Richey, 42, who has trained for three months to compete in the men's amateur division. "It tests your mettle."
"I think it is unequaled for fitness," says Roberts. "Very few sports can compete with racquetball on a fitness level."
"You have to love competition to play racquetball," adds Kay McCarthy, 45, who is Wimbleton's racquetball pro and will compete in the women's amateur division.
"A true competitor can be a competitor at [age] 70," says Richey.
Amateur age divisions range from under 25 to over 80.
The tournament is the richest in racquetball, with a $53,000 purse for pros and a $2,000 payout to amateurs who play in the Open division. The tournament has a contract that keeps it in Memphis through 2000.
Memphis was selected as a site for the U.S. Open because of its heritage for the sport. "[The University of Memphis'] reign of terror in the intercollegiate ranks has given Memphis a good name for racquetball," Ganim says.
While playing for the U of M, Roberts won three national intercollegiate singles titles and three doubles titles.
"The competition was incredible on our own racquetball team," says Roberts, who played at Memphis from 1983 to 1987. "That set the stage for helping me improve as quickly as I did."
Roberts defeated Ganim, 15-14, 15-14, to win the 1984 national intercollegiate title in a match that was played at the Racquet Club. "I was playing all of Memphis," recalls Ganim, who played for Ohio State. "Five thousand people were out there screaming."
Roberts earned the nickname "King of Racquetball" as soon as he entered the pro tour in 1987. "I've never been ranked below third. It seems when I came in, I was on top," says Roberts, adding that being from Memphis and "the Elvis thing" contributed to his nickname.
Roberts, who has been ranked number one and number two, is an inductee into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Team.
Liles, who has won 14 national titles at the U of M, coached Roberts, who, at nearly 6'4" and 225 pounds, is one of the biggest players on the tour. "He's strong. He has good eye-hand coordination. He has the best strokes on the tour. He's not one who flies around the court. He runs into trouble when he runs into the superman player who dives on the court and keeps the rally going," Liles says.
"This game is physically demanding," says Roberts. "It's hard on backs, shoulder, arms, knees."
Roberts has had two knee surgeries during the 20 years he's played and has developed arthritis in his knees. He's had to forfeit some matches because of pain. "It comes down to a point where an older athlete plays with pain or retires. I'm not going to do anything to keep me from enjoying life when I'm through with racquetball. Now I'm using pain to use something that works for me," Roberts says, adding that he plans to retire in a year and a half.
"The only negative is that right now, I'm playing very good racquetball. There's always roadblocks. That's what's so gratifying about reaching a goal. The secret to sports is diligence. You've got to be goal-oriented. You have to be willing to pay a price. That separates the people you know and the people you don't hear about. I'm very intense in practice. Practice should be harder than any game you'll ever play," says Roberts, who still practices against his father, Gordon Roberts, 71.
Despite playing before a home crowd and at a club where he has been a member since he was 12, Roberts says he doesn't feel added pressure.
"They've seen me lose a lot of matches and win a lot of matches," he says. "I'm not afraid to lose in front of them. Everybody that will come see me play is much more than a fan. They're still going to be friends. I've known these people my whole life.
"A lot of times people get totally overblown about sports and what's important. Racquetball is not high on my list of priorities. Faith in God, followed by my family [wife Kim and two daughters] and health, those are the three things that concern me on a daily basis.
"The most important part that I want to leave this game, is to make a positive impression. It's not a matter of how many matches I've won or lost."
Promus Hotels CEO Ray Schultz, an avid racquetball player, was presented with the concept of the U.S. Open two years ago. Soon afterwards, Promus became the title sponsor. "He embraced it with both arms," says Ganim.
"He wanted to showcase the sport that he loves," adds Roberts.