Waselenchuk wins 2014 IRT Coast to Coast California Open

Kane Waselenchuk demonstrated once again why he is the #1 racquetball player in the world, as he defeated Rocky Carson - the #2 player - in three straight games, 11-5, 11-0, 11-7, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Coast to Coast California Open in Reseda, California. It's Waselenchuk's 73rd IRT tournament title.

Waselenchuk seems to be healthy now after missing a tournament earlier in the season due to injury, and afterwards said that "this was a tough" match, because he still feels like he's coming back from that injury. But Waselenchuk added "that's the kind of damage I can do when I'm healthy."

Proof of that is that Waselenchuk was playing against the #2 player in the world in Carson, and he blanked him in the second game. Waselenchuk also held IRT #4 Jose Rojas pointless in one of their semi-final games on Saturday.

A healthy Waselenchuk can very dangerous on court.

In the match, Waselenchuk primarily drove serve, but did so to left and the right as well as hitting some drive Z serves to the left. He used that Z serve on second serve as well as lob serves to the right side, which Waselenchuk sometimes did on first serve later in the match.

Carson used a variety of serves as well, but often went with an off speed drive serve to the right side - Waselenchuk's backhand.

Carson played tough, as Waselenchuk acknowledged afterwards, but Carson said it was a "frustrating match" for him due to the amount of pressure that Waselechuk was applying to him during the match. Carson was only really close to Waselenchuk in game three, when they were tied at 5-5.

But then Waselenchuk held Carson at 5, as he scored five straight points to get his first match point. Carson fought that off, as well as a second match point before Waselenchuk hit a winner on his third match point opportunity, winning it with a forehand kill shot on the right side of the court.

The IRT will be on Long Island, New York next weekend for the Cactus Salon New York City Pro/Am. Play begin Thursday January 9, 2014 and will be covered by the IRT Network all weekend.

2014 California Open - Reseda, California

Final

1 Kane Waselenchuk d. 2 Rocky Carson, 11-5, 11-0, 11-7

Follow the bouncing ball….