Hometown Bhanji/Morris Ice the Competition in Cleveland

November 10-12, 2017
Cleveland, OH

The 2017 Cleveland Masters Tournament was a huge success!  Winter weather hit quite suddenly for this year’s tourney, with snow showers on Friday and a cruel eleven degree start to Saturday. The tournament drew an incredible influx of nationally ranked talent this year from all over the country, including players from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Rochester and Toledo.

The tournament got off to a great start on Friday with the Men’s and Women’s 90+ tournaments.  It was an all-Ohio battle in the men’s final with second seeded Clevelanders Steve Tamarkin and Tim Nieman besting Paul Ghidotti and Craig Bennington from Columbus.Top seeded Dionne Bothner and Sandra Odenbach took the Women’s 90+ title in its inaugural year, defeating Jennifer Merriman and Lindsey Rozek in a great match. 

On Saturday night, in front of a raucous hometown crowd, Shaheen Bhanji and Lea Morris brought the Women’s Open title back to Cleveland.Bhanji and Morris took down three-time defending champions Kelly Fischer and Jess Guyaux in the semis and won a thrilling three set final against Columbus’ Abby Hand and Amy Heil. 

On the men’s side, the top seeds Mikk Irdoja and Casey Watt teamed up and rolled through competition to reach the finals Sunday morning against the eighth seeds, Brian Compton and Graham McNerney.  Compton and McNerney proved to be too much for Irdoja and Watt, and they won their first Cleveland Masters title in decisive fashion.  

Thank you to tournament directors Brent Luce and Lea Morris!

Women’s Results:
Main Draw: Shaheen Bhanji/Lea Morris def. Abby Hand/Amy Heil, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Quarterfinal Reprieve: Spencer Caravaggio/Chris Ford def. Elizabeth Joseph/Nathalie Lemieux, 6-1, 7-5
Reprieve: Dionne Bothner/Sandra Odenbach def. Erica Kagle/Kate Kapanowski, 6-1, 6-1
Consolation: Dori Easdale/Jessica Easdale def. Lindsey Rozek/Meghan Trombold, 6-3, 6-3
Consolation Reprieve: Olivia Capannari/Teddi Lofgren def. Julie Conrad/Tiffany Ottaway, 6-0, 6-3

Men’s Results:
Main Draw: Brian Compton/Graham McNerney def. Mikk Irdoja/Casey Watt, 6-1, 6-1
Quarterfinal Reprieve: Alex Bancila/Sven Burus def. Mark Barry/Brian Heil, 6-4, 6-1
Reprieve: William Colmar/Adam Morgan def. John Mah/Filip Rams, 6-4, 6-2
Consolation: Doug Jones/Thaddeus Reed def. Lang Adler/Peter Lauer, 6-2, 6-2
Consolation Reprieve: Andrew Grannis/William Griffith def. JJ Bush/James Troutman, 6-3, 6-1

Women’s 90+
Main Draw: Dionne Bothner/Sandra Odenbach def. Jennifer Merriman/Lindsey Rozek

Men’s 90+
Main Draw: Tim Nieman/Steve Tamarkin def. Craig Bennington/Paul Ghidotti