2010 US Open - Men's Round of 16 Results

Alvaro Beltran has the biggest upset in the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) draw of the 2010 US Open in Minneapolis so far, as he defeated 2nd seed Rocky Carson, 12-10, 11-7, 12-10, in the Round of 16. The win splits the lifetime record they have against each at 10 wins each.

Beltran looked like he was going to have a comfortable win in game three, when he was up 8-4. But then Carson dug down and won six straight points to make it 10-8. But he couldn't get that last one, so Beltran came to tie it. Then when Beltran went ahead he finished the game and match off on his first opportunity.

This could be the earliest a high seed has gone out of the US Open since 2000 when then defending champion Jason Mannino lost in the Round of 32 to a fellow named Kane Waselenchuk.

Also, Beltran's win means that there will be a first time finalist in year's US Open men's final, as none of four men left on the bottom of the draw - Ben Croft, Mitch Williams, Jose Rojas, and Beltran - have been to the finals.

Beltran's victory was the second upset of the 16s. Charles Pratt provided the first upset as he defeated 5th seed Chris Crowther in three straight games, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9.

Alejandro Landa almost provided another, as he took the 7th seed Jose Rojas to five games, and that after managing only 2 points in the first two games. Landa was also up 4-0 in the tie-breaker using a lob Z to Rojas's forehand. But the current World Junior Champion came back, took the lead at 5-4, and didn't look back - winning 11-2, 11-0, 5-11, 7-11, 11-6.

Earlier in the day in the Round of 32, Former World Junior Champion and IRT #1 Jack Huczek defeated current World Junior Champion Carlos Keller Vargas of Bolivia, 11-3, 11-5, 11-2, but Keller Vargas didn't go down without a fight as he dove around the court to keep the ball in play and made some great shots. In the end, Huczek was just too much for the Bolivian.

The men's quarter finals will be on Friday at the Lifetime Fitness - Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

2010 US Open, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Men's Singles

Round of 16

Kane Waselenchuk d. Marco Rojas, 11-5, 11-1, 11-
Andy Hawthorne d. Anthony Herrera, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8

Charles Pratt d. Chris Crowther, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
Jack Huczek d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-2, 11-0, 11-4

Ben Croft d. Javier Moreno, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4
Mitch Williams d. Juan Herrera, 11-2, 13-11, 11-2

Jose Rojas d. Alejandro Landa, 11-2, 11-0, 5-11, 7-11, 11-6
Alvaro Beltran d. Rocky Carson, 12-10, 11-7, 12-10

Quarter finals

Kane Waselenchuk vs. Andy Hawthorne
Jack Huczek vs. Charles Pratt

Ben Croft vs. Mitch Williams
Jose Rojas vs. Alvaro Beltran

Round of 32

Kane Waselenchuk d. Tyler Otto, 11-3, 11-0, 11-2
Marco Rojas d. Kris Odegard, 11-6, 11-4, 11-2

Anthony Herrera d. Andres Herrera, 10-12, 11-6, 11-1, 11-1
Andy Hawthorne d. Francisco Gomez Reyes, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7

Chris Crowther d. Bradley Kirch, 11-3, 11-2, 1-11, 11-8
Charles Pratt d. Daniel De La Rosa, 10-12, 11-7, 11-3, 4-11, 11-7

Alejandro Herrera d. Jensen Allen, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4
Jack Huczek d. Carlos keller Vargas, 11-3, 11-5, 11-2

Ben Croft d. Taylor Knoth, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-1
Javier Moreno d. Cesar Castro, 11-3, 11-8, 11-4

Juan Herrera d. Tony Carson, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9
Mitch Williams d. Matt Stamborski, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3

Jose Rojas d. David Horn, 11-2, 11-2, 11-7
Alejandro Landa d. Polo Gutierrez, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3, 12-10

Alvaro Beltran d. Cliff Swain, 11-5, 11-1, 11-7
Rocky Carson d. Vincent Gagnon, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5

Follow the bouncing ball....