IRT - New York Pro-Am - Preview

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) is back in action this weekend with the New York Temperature Controls Pro-Am in Syosset, New York. This is the sixth IRT event of the 2012-13 season.

Sadly, IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk will be missing from New York, as he reinjured his knee in last weekend's California Open, so he'll be sitting out for the second time in the last three IRT events.

But he's not the only top 10 player missing in action, as Shane Vanderson, who also wasn't in California last weekend, and Tony Carson aren't in Syosset.

A couple of the qualifying matches look interesting, although there are three rounds of qualifying so in highlighting these two matches assumes the players win their first matches. Arthur Schmeiser looks to face Agustin Trisan and Marco Rojas will likely be up against Lee Connell.

There are certainly a few potential Round of 16 matches that pique our interest. Alejandro Landa reached the semi-finals last weekend for the first time in his career and took a game off of Waselenchuk, so how's he going to follow that up? Andy Hawthorne will be Landa's opponent in the 16s.

At last month's New Jersey Open, Nick Montalbano made his first career semi-final, so he'll be looking to do that again or more, and Jose Rojas will be standing in his way in the Round of 16.

Assuming Brad Schopieray comes through qualifying he'll be up against veteran Javier Moreno in what would be a battle of two left-handers: a young up and comer in Schopieray and a wily veteran in Moreno.

Finally, IRT #12 Anthony Herrera and will likely face Jose Diaz, one of the Stockton, California crew, in what will looks to be another good battle.

Preliminary play begins Thursday January 10 in Syosset, New York with the main draw of 16 set to go on Friday at 10 AM EST.

Last Year's Results

Because the IRT rankings run on a 12 month cycle, the points players earned at last year's New York Pro-Am will lapse after this weekend. So, those points need to be replaced with performances this year. If a player doesn't perform as well as he did last year, they could drop points (there is a clause for dropping a player's two worst performances).

Thus, you should keep in mind how players did last year, so here's last year's results from the quarter-finals on.

Final: Rocky Carson d. Kane Waselenchuk
Semi-finals: Waselenchuk d. Jose Rojas and Carson d. Chris Crowther
Quarter finals: Waselenchuk d. Shane Vanderson, Rojas d. Alvaro Beltran, Crowther d. Polo Gutierrez and Carson d. Andy Hawthorne

New York Temperature Controls Pro-Am - January 10-13, 2013
Syosset, New York

Preliminary Draw Round 1

Alex Winter v. John Behm
Pedro Castro v. Abraham Cardenas

Preliminary Draw Round 2

Luis Reveron v. Nicolas Bousquet
Mauricio Zelada v. Jonathan Clay

Mitch Posner v. Spencer Shoemaker
Cesar Castillo v. Alec Wasilonsky

Arthur Schmeiser v. Alex Winter or John Behm
Agustin Tristan v. Tom Keogh

Andrew Gale v. John Wolfe
Nick Montalbano v. Pedro Castro or Abraham Cardenas

Andree Parrilla v. Joe Palazzo
Eric Muller v. Andrew Kopf

Marco Rojas v. Samuel Murray
Lee Connell v. Robert Collins

Preliminary Draw Round 3

Q8: Luis Reveron or Nicolas Bousquet v. Mauricio Zelada or Jonathan Clay
Q1: Brad Schopieray v. Mitch Posner or Spencer Shoemaker

Q4: Jose Diaz v. Cesar Castillo or Alec Wasilonsky
Q5: Arthur Schmeiser or Alex Winter or John Behm v. Agustin Tristan or Tom Keogh

Q6: Andrew Gale or John Wolfe v. Nick Montalbano or Pedro Castro or Abraham Cardenas
Q3: Juan Herrera v. Andree Parrilla or Joe Palazzo

Q2: Alejandro Landa v. Eric Muller or Andrew Kopf
Q7: Marco Rojas or Samuel Murray v. Lee Connell or Robert Collins

Main Draw of 16

Rocky Carson v. Q8
Javier Moreno v. Q1

Anthony Herrera v. Q4
Chris Crowther v. Q5

Jose Rojas v. Q6
Ben Croft v. Q3

Andy Hawthorne v. Q2
Alvaro Beltran v. Q7

Follow the bouncing ball….