Horns wins 2017 WRT Alamo City Open and is named Player of the Year

David Horn defeated Alejandro Cardona, 15-12, 8-15, 11-9, to win the 2017 World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas Sunday. Horn’s win cemented him as the season ending #1 WRT player, so he was also named Player of the Year. Also, Horn’s win was his fourth WRT title this year.

Cardona was the WRT Player of the Year the past two seasons, but in 2017, he only won one tournament.

After dropping the first game, 15-12, Cardona came out strong in game two, as he built up a 9-1 lead. He extended that lead to 13-2 and got to game point at 14-4. But Horn dug in, and as he started to edge closer to Cardona, Cardona called a timeout at 14-7.

Horn was able to score another point when play resumed, but Cardona then got a side out and finished off the game at 15-8.

Game three started slowly, as eight rallies only got them to 1-1. Then Cardona edged ahead at 5-2. But Horn cameback, using primarily backhand lob serves - either straight or Z - to the left side: Cardona’s backhand. When Horn took the lead at 6-5, Cardona called a timeout.

Cardona got the serve back after the timeout, but wasn’t able to score before Horn took the serve back. Horn continued to score, and when the score reached 9-5, Cardona took another timeout.

When play resumed, Horn hit a backhand cross court winner from shoulder high to get his first match point at 10-5. But a Cardona backhand denied Horn the win. Yet Cardona couldn’t score either, so Horn had match point #2, which Cardona again denied with a forehand down the left side.

Then Cardona started scoring. A backhand winner made it 10-6. A forehand pinch, 10-7. Horn skipping a forehand shot made it 10-8. When Cardona hit a backhand cross court winner, making it 10-9, Horn called a timeout.

On the next rally, Cardona made took excellent diving gets, but the second one, which he hit to the ceiling, came back and hit him as he was trying to get out of the way. Match point #3 for Horn, and again Cardona denied him. This time Cardona just flicked his wrist as he hit a backhand pinch shot for a winner.

In the next rally, Horn got a big forehand set up with Cardona forced to the left side of the court, and Horn made no mistake by hitting a winner to the right side.

With his fourth match point, Horn made good with a backhand shot that was tight down the left wall. Fourth match point and fourth tournament win of 2017 for Horn.

Cardona didn’t leave San Antonio empty handed though, as he and Gerardo Franco won the WRT Alamo City doubles title by defeating Rodrigo Montoya and Andree Parrilla, 15-5, 15-14.

The WRT will kick off its 2018 season with the WRT Longhorn Open January 12-14 in Austin, Texas.

2017 WRT Alamo City Open
December 1-3 - San Antonio, Texas

Singles - Final Sunday

2) David Horn d. 4) Alejandro Cardona, 15-12, 8-15, 11-9

Doubles - Final Sunday

2) Alejandro Cardona & Gerardo Franco d. 1) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla, 15-5, 15-14

Follow the bouncing ball….