Undefeated Hasselborg, Kim qualify for playoffs at AMJ Players’ Championship
TORONTO — Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg and South Korea’s Team Eun-jung Kim clinched playoff berths Friday morning in the AMJ Players’ Championship at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
Team Hasselborg kept its unblemished record intact by doubling up on Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa 6-3 and Team Kim claimed a 7-3 victory over Japan’s Team Sayaka Yoshimura.
Hasselborg and Kim climbed to 4-0 records with one group game remaining in the evening draw and byes to the semifinals up for grabs. Hasselborg plays Switzerland’s Team Silvana Tirinzoni (3-0) and Kim faces Canada’s Team Rachel Homan (3-1).
In men’s play, Saskatoon’s Team Mike McEwen staved off a rally from Winnipeg’s Team Matt Dunstone to win 9-8 in an extra end.
McEwen (3-1) scored two in the first and stole two in the second for an early 4-0 lead. After Dunstone recovered to count three in the third, McEwen matched with a three-ender of his own in the fourth to hold a 7-3 advantage at the break.
Dunstone (2-2) came back scoring deuces in five and seven while forcing McEwen to a single in six and a steal in eight that forced the game into overtime. McEwen held on with a nose hit on his last in the extra.
Switzerland’s Team Marco Hösli scored two in the sixth and stole one in the seventh to complete a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Team Korey Dropkin of the United States. Hösli drew level to a 2-2 record while Dropkin has been eliminated from playoff contention at 0-4.
Up next
Round-robin play continues with Draw 13 at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT with broadcast coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.ca.
Live streaming of every game is available in free preview via HomeTeam.
Notes
The AMJ Players’ Championship features the top 12 men’s teams and top 12 women’s teams from around the world. … Six teams qualify for the playoffs in both divisions, with the top two receiving byes to the semifinals. … If necessary, one tiebreaker draw is slated for Saturday morning. … The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday. Both finals are on tap Sunday.
