Cardona wins 2015 WRT Cali Open

Alejandro Cardona was a double winner Saturday in Cali, Colombia, as he captured both the singles and doubles titles at the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Cali Open. In singles, Cardona defeated Andree Parrilla, 15-9, 15-14, and in doubles he teamed up with Polo Gutierrez to beat Jake Bredenbeck and Sebastian Franco by the same 15-9, 15-14, scoreline.

Cardona and Parrilla scored in bunches in the first game of their final. It started slowly, taking 10 rallies to get to 2-0 in Cardona’s favour. He extended that lead to 9-0 before Parrilla got his first point.

Parrilla got six more to trail 9-7. Cardona then went ahead 11-7, and Parrilla responded to make it 11-9. But he got no more after that as Cardona closed out game one with four unanswered points.

Parrilla generally hit lob serves, especially kiss lobs, to Cardona, who as usual used his powerful drive serve throughout the match, hitting it to both sides.

Parrilla started better in game two, going out to a 5-0 lead. But Cardona caught him at 7-7, and they were back and forth after that. Parrilla led 13-11, but Cardona got to 14 first at 14-13.

Parrilla fought off that match point with a forehand pinch, one of his favorite shots in the match. Parrilla tied it at 14-14 by ending a long rally with a diving kill shot winner.

But Cardona hit a backhand cross court to save game point. Then after hitting a drive serve short, he hit another drive serve on second serve. It was perhaps the first time Cardona had drove serve on second serve in the match. Parrilla skipped the backhand return ending the match.

In the doubles final, Cardona and Gutierrez, who were the top seeds, defeated 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and Sebastian Franco, 15-9, 15-14.

The WRT’s next event will be in Juarez, Mexico in June.

2015 WRT Cali Open
Cali, Colombia

Final

3) Alejandro Cardona d. 8) Andree Parrilla, 15-9, 15-14

Doubles - Final

1) Alejandro Cardona & Polo Gutierrez d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sebastian Franco, 15-9, 15-14

Follow the bouncing ball….