Sunday, January 8, 2012

IRT - 2012 California Open - Semi-finals

Top seed Kane Waselenchuk's winning streak continued Saturday, as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) advanced to the final of the Coast to Coast California Open in Canoga Park, California with a straight game victory over Alvaro Beltran, 11-4, 11-2, 11-2. It was an anti-climatic outcome for the anticipated re-match between Waselenchuk and Beltran, who is the last person to beat Waselenchuk on court. But that was three years ago.

Rocky Carson, the IRT's #2 player, will meet Waselenchuk in Sunday's final, as he defeated #3 Ben Croft, 10-12, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2, in the other semi-final.

Despite the loss, Beltran spoke after his match of feeling completely healthy, which he hasn't been for the last two years. That's caused the former top 4 player to drop in the rankings to #14, which means that he needs to play qualifying matches that the top 8 players don't have to play.

However, if Beltran continues to have semi-final results, he'll move up the rankings. But coming into the California Open he was over 1200 points behind 8th seed Charlie Pratt, and that's quite a difference to make up.

The IRT Network will be web-casting the California Open final at noon on Sunday Pacific Standard Time.

2012 California Open - Canoga Park, California

Semi-finals

Kane Waselenchuk d. Alvaro Beltran, 11-4, 11-2, 11-2
Rocky Carson d. Ben Croft, 10-12, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2

Final

Kane Waselenchuk v. Rocky Carson - Sunday 3 PM PST

Follow the bouncing ball....

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