Beltran defeats Carson to win IRT Galaxy Custom Printing IRT tournament

Alvaro Beltran upset the top seed Rocky Carson, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, to win the Galaxy Custom Printing International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Pro-Am in Lilburn, Georgia on Sunday. It’s Beltran’s second career IRT victory, and comes against someone who he’s almost even with over their pro careers. Head to head, Beltran and Carson are now 21-20 in Carson’s favour.

After the match, Beltran dedicated the win to his mother, who has a birthday tomorrow. Mrs. Beltran was diagnosed with a severe type of cancer a year ago, but she’s fighting through it, and that has inspired her son.

They split the first two games winning by the same score. It was also close early in game three, as they went back and forth to 4-4. But from there Beltran took control, as he pushed the score to 8-4.

Carson took a timeout, and they again went back and forth until Carson got a point to make it 8-5. But that was as close as he got, as Beltran got a sideout with a backhand down the line serve return. Two backhand pinch shots got Beltran to 10-5. He won it on his first game point opportunity with a forehand cross court shot that was a set up in the front court.

Game four also developed slowly, as they were tied at 1-1 after seven rallies. Again it was Beltran who took control. He hit primarily drive Z serves to Carson’s backhand in the match, and used that to build a 7-1 lead.

Carson called a timeout, and got the serve back when Beltran skipped a ball on the next rally. However, Beltran immediately got the serve back with a forehand return. He got three straights points to make it 10-1, beginning those rallies with his characteristic straight lob serve to the right side - Carson’s forehand.

Faced with match point, Carson did not buckle. He fought off four match points, and scored three points to make it 10-4.

Afterwards, Beltran admitted he “felt a little nervous” late in game four, as he knows Carson “won’t beat himself,” and “it’s so tough to beat that guy.”

Beltran used lob right serves for his first three match points, but switched back to his back to the drive z serve to the left. On his fifth match point, Beltran got an opportunity to hit a forehand kill shot in center court, and he made no mistake.

“We challenge each other. He makes me a better player. I hope I make him a better player,” Beltran said of his friend Carson after the match.

This was the second IRT event on five consecutive weekends. They will be in action again next weekend in Davison, Michigan for the Red Swain Shootout, November 5-8.

2015 Galaxy Custom Printing - Atlanta Pro-Am, October 29-November 1
Lilburn, Georgia

Final - Sunday

2) Alvaro Beltran d. 1) Rocky Carson, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball….