Jennifer Jones bids farewell following final GSOC game in Players’ Championship

TORONTO — Jennifer Jones’s legendary playing career in women’s curling came to a close Friday night at the Princess Auto Players’ Championship.

Jones bid farewell as the packed house at the Mattamy Athletic Centre gave her a standing ovation following her 7-6 loss to Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg in the final round-robin draw that eliminated her Winnipeg team from playoff contention with a 1-4 record.

The iconic skip has won Olympic gold, two world championships, six Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles and 10 Grand Slam of Curling titles.

Jones plans to continue playing mixed doubles with her husband, Brent Laing, and will also serve as a strategic adviser for The Curling Group, which has purchased the Grand Slam of Curling series from Sportsnet.

Jones needed the win to extend her tournament, and her career, for at least another day as she would have advanced to a tiebreaker against Team Kerri Einarson (2-3).

It was a back-and-forth first half with the teams trading singles in one and two followed by deuces in three and four.

Jones was forced to another single in the fifth but her last rock in the sixth rubbed on the guard, allowing Hasselborg to knock it out of the park and count three to finally grab the lead 6-4.

You can never count out Jones, though, and her last rock in the seventh curled around a guard to tap back Hasselborg’s counter for the equalizing deuce.

Still, Jones needed to steal the victory and Hasselborg cleaned up the house with a double takeout on her first skip stone. Jones made the hit with her final rock in the Grand Slam of Curling, and Hasselborg was able to take it out and stick for the winning point.

It was a big day for Hasselborg, who also defeated Team Stefania Constantini 5-4 during the morning draw to get back on track as her team heads to playoffs with a 3-2 record.

Elsewhere in Draw 15, Winnipeg’s Team Kaitlyn Lawes (1-4) earned their first win of the week to wrap up their season with a 7-5 victory over Switzerland’s Team Xenia Schwaller (1-4).

Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin (3-2) clinched the final playoff spot on the men’s side with a 3-1 win over Winnipeg’s Team Brad Jacobs (2-3).

Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller (2-3) ended on a high note with a 7-4 win over Saskatoon’s Team Mike McEwen (4-1).

Princess Auto Players’ Championship on Sportsnet

Watch the Princess Auto Players’ Championship live from Thursday through to Sunday’s finals on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Broadcast Schedule

WOMEN’S PLAYOFFS

No. 1 Team Rachel Homan (5-0) and No. 2 Team Isabella Wranå (4-1) have the byes to the semifinals.

No. 3 Team Eunji Gim (4-1) will play No. 6 Hasselborg and No. 4 Team Silvana Tirinzoni (4-1) will play No. 5 Team Eun-Jung Kim (3-2) in the quarterfinals.

MEN’S PLAYOFFS

No. 1 McEwen (4-1) and No. 2 Team Bruce Mouat (4-1) have the byes to the semifinals.

No. 3 Edin (3-2) will play No. 6 Team Joël Retornaz (3-2) and No. 4 Team Brad Gushue (3-2) will play No. 5 Team Ross Whyte (3-2) in the quarterfinals.

UP NEXT

The women’s quarterfinals kick off Saturday’s playoff schedule at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT on Sportsnet and SN+ followed by the men’s quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE and SN+. The men’s and women’s semifinals are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE and SN+.

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