2016 United Healthcare US Open - IRT Doubles Qualifying

Nothing like starting a tournament with an 11-10 tie-breaker match. But that's what happened in Men's Doubles in the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) division Wednesday as the 2016 United Healthcare US Open kicked off. David Horn and Andree Parrilla defeated Teobaldo Fumero and Rodigo Montoya, 14-15, 15-9, 11-10.

It looked like Horn and Parrilla were going to have a relatively easy time of it in game one, as they were up 14-7, but Fumero and Montoya came back with eight unanswered points to steal it. Horn and Parrilla tried to stop their opponents' momentum with a timeout at 14-10, but to no avail.

Fumero and Montoya used high lob serves into the middle of the righty-righty team of Horn and Parrilla, who each took the returns for periods of the match.

Game two was close early, and Fumero and Montoya actually led 9-5, but couldn't get off 9, as Horn and Parrilla scored ten points to take the second game 15-9.

Horn and Parrilla carried that momentum into the tie-breaker, as they went up 5-1. Horn, playing the left side, primarily drove serve in the match, and used a backhand Z serve on second serve, while Parrilla settled into a hard Z to the right, where Fumero was playing.

But Fumero and Montoya came back with eight unanswered points to go up 9-5. Horn and Parrilla got a sixth point as Fumero got hit by the ball, but gave up the serve and Fumero and Montoya got a tenth point from a Montoya forehand pinch shot.

However, Horn got the serve back with a shot that sounded bad, but was called good, and no one questioned it. And that was the only match point Fumero and Montoya got, as Horn and Parrilla scored five straight points to win 11-10. Parrilla hit a backhand pinch volley for the match winner, which was an impressive end to a great match.

Horn and Parrilla will now play the winner of Mike Orr and Shawn Royster versus Thomas Carter and Nicholas Riffel.

The final round of IRT doubles qualifying will be Thursday morning (some of matches starting at 8 AM) with the quarterfinals Thursday evening. The semi-finals will be Friday evening, and the IRT doubles final at the 2016 United Healthcare US Open will be 5 PM Saturday at the Life Time Athletic Target Center club in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

2016 United Healthcare US Open
Minneapolis, Minnesota - October 5-9, 2016

IRT Men’s Doubles - Qualifying - Round 1 Wednesday

Cliff Swain & Jansen Allen - BYE
Justus Benson & Andrew Conti d. Seungjun Jeon & Moon Gyun Kim, 15-12, 15-13

Alejandro Landa & Christian Longoria - BYE
Dylan Reid & Charlie Pratt - BYE

Mike Orr & Shawn Royster - BYE
Thomas Carter & Nicholas Riffel - BYE

Teobaldo Fumero & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
David Horn & Andree Parrilla - BYE

Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho - BYE
Nicolas Bousquet & Samuel Murray d. Gunhee Lee & Mingyu Kim, 15-4, 15-3

Robert Collins & Mauro Rojas - BYE
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado - BYE

Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray - BYE
Keith Minor & Jeff Stark - BYE

Eduardo Garay & Javier Mar d. Thomas Fuhrmann & Bradly Rogers, 15-8, 15-11
Daniel De La Rosa & Edson Martinez - BYE

IRT Men’s Doubles - Qualifying - Round 2 Wednesday

Justus Benson & Andrew Conti d. Cliff Swain & Jansen Allen, forfeit
Dylan Reid & Charlie Pratt d. Alejandro Landa & Christian Longoria, 15-13, 15-1

Mike Orr & Shawn Royster d. Thomas Carter & Nicholas Riffel, 14-15, 15-10, 11-2
David Horn & Andree Parrilla d. Teobaldo Fumero & Rodrigo Montoya, 14-15, 15-9, 11-10

Nicolas Bousquet & Samuel Murray d. Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho, 15-8, 15-8
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado d. Robert Collins & Mauro Rojas, 14-15, 15-12, 11-5

Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray d. Keith Minor & Jeff Stark, 6-15, 15-4, 11-3
Daniel De La Rosa & Edson Martinez d. Eduardo Garay & Javier Mar, 15-4, 15-6

IRT Men’s Doubles - Qualifying - Round 3 Thursday morning

Q1 - Dylan Reid & Charlie Pratt v. Justus Benson & Andrew Conti
Q4 - David Horn & Andree Parrilla v. Mike Orr & Shawn Royster

Q3 - Nicolas Bousquet & Samuel Murray v. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado
Q2 - Daniel De La Rosa & Edson Martinez v. Erik Garcia & Brad Schopieray

IRT Men’s Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday evening

1 Ben Croft & Kane Waselenchuk v. Q4
4 Jose Rojas & Marco Rojas v. Q1

3 Alvaro Beltran & Rocky Carson v. Q2
2 Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz v. Q3

Follow the bouncing ball….