Rain delays matches at Pacific Northwest Open

Rain fell on Friday, the fifth day of the Pacific Northwest Open tennis tournament at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club. Not all the opponents slipped.

Petra Rampre, the women’s No. 1 seed, defeated Cassidy Spearman in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Their match and others early on Friday morning were suspended several times after light rain caused the courts to get slippery.

“I think that threw everyone playing off their game a bit,” Rampre said. “But overall I felt pretty good and happy about the match.”

She will face Tacoma native Suzanne Matzenauer, the No. 3 seed, in a semifinal match at noon Saturday.

“Every round is going to be a bit tougher and I expect (the semifinal match) to be just that,” Rampre said.

The rain also suspended Tacoma native and University of Washington alum Max Manthou’s match against Guillermo Gomez, the No. 3 seed in the men’s bracket.

Manthou lost the match 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

“I’m okay with the result,” Manthou said. “I was passive in the first set, but thought I was more aggressive in the second and third sets.”

Manthou said that it was a fun match because he and Gomez, a Bellevue native, know each other pretty well.

“It was pretty casual,” Manthou said. “But it was a lot of fun, Guillermo is a good guy.”

“It was a pleasure playing Max,” Gomez said.

Gomez will meet the No. 1 seed, Robert Kendrick in the semifinal round at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m just going to go out there and have fun,” Gomez said. “I have no expectations and whatever happens, happens.”

UW alum and the No. 2 seed, Kyle McMorrow, had a different outcome than Manthou. He beat Thomas Tenreiro, the No. 7 seed, in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.

McMorrow said that he hasn’t really been tested yet at the Pacific Northwest Open.

“I’ve just been really solid with my game,” McMorrow said. “My serve has been really good.”

He expects to be tested during the semifinals though when he plays current UW player and No. 6 seed, Mitch Stewart.

Stewart was able to come back against the No. 5 seed, Joel Kielbowicz after losing after losing the first two points, and win 7-5, 6-1.

“He’s a great competitor and keeps everything in play,” he McMorrow. “Mitch will be my toughest opponent by far so far.”

The two are scheduled to face off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sammamish native Nicholas Kamisar, the only unseeded player left in the men’s bracket, lost to the No. 1 seed Kendrick, but put up a good fight losing 6-3, 6-4.

“I felt pretty good overall,” Kamisar said. “There were a lot of points where I was able to hang with him. His serve is tough and his forehand is world class.”

Kamisar said that this match helped him realize what he can improve on in his game, and that it gives him confidence.

“To make a match out of it and be able to hang around gives me a real confidence boost for my game,” he said.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Rain delays matches at Pacific Northwest Open."