For the second time in International Racquetball Tour (IRT) history there will be an all Mexican final, as Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa won their respective semi-finals at the New Jersey Open in Warren, New Jersey. Beltran and De La Rosa were also in the 1st all Mexico IRT final, last year's Red Swain final, which was won by Beltran.
Beltran won his semi-final in three straight games against Charlie Pratt, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5. They were close in games one and two, and Pratt actually led in game one at 6-5. But he wasn't able to score late against Beltran, who won the third game comfortably after going out to a 10-2 lead.
De La Rosa knocked off the top seed Rocky Carson in four games, 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6. De La Rosa's results have been inconsistent this season, but he was in complete control versus Carson, who was fortunate to win a game.
De La Rosa was up 10-4 in game one before Carson came back to tie it at 10-10, but De La Rosa managed to finish it. They were close also in game two with ties at 5, 7 and 9. Carson got his 10th point when De La Rosa slipped in the back court, and then won game two with a pass down the left side that De La Rosa dove for, but could not reach.
In game three, De La Rosa went out to a 9-3 lead, and didn't look back. Similarly in game four, he led 7-1, and Carson didn't get closer than four points back before De La Rosa won it.
Beltran is 5-1 versus De La Rosa on tour, and curiously, De La Rosa's win was in their first meeting in 2013. Most recently, Beltran beat De La Rosa this season in St. Louis in three straight games.
The IRT Network will have the final live from 7 PM EST Saturday night.
New Jersey Open
Warren, New Jersey - December 11-13, 2014
Semi-finals (with seeding)
4. Daniel De La Rosa d. 1. Rocky Carson, 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6
2. Alvaro Beltran d. 6. Charlie Pratt, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5
Final
2. Alvaro Beltran v. 4. Daniel De La Rosa
Follow the bouncing ball…
Saturday, December 13, 2014
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