WRT 2018 Longhorn Open - Preview

The World Racquetball Tour (WRT) kicks off its 2018 season in Austin, Texas with the Longhorn Open. There’s a full draw of 32 players led by 2017 WRT Player of the Year David Horn, and with several good players outside the top four seeds.

Indeed, the path to the final for WRT #2 Rodrigo Montoya is unenviable. First off he’ll play Taylor Knoth - a former World Junior and USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Champion - in the Round of 32. A win over Knoth will likely put Montoya up against Edson Martinez - a former Mexican National Team member - in the Round of 16. The winner of that will probably need to play either 7th seed Jaime Martell - a WRT event winner - or 10th seed Javier Mar, the current Pan American Champion, in the quarterfinals.

Then if Montoya has successfully made it through the quarters he’ll likely face one of 3rd seed Andree Parrilla, 6th seed Gerardo Franco, 11th seed Jose Diaz or 14th seed Sebastian Fernandez. Then, Horn could be waiting for Montoya in the final.

If Montoya wins the 2018 Longhorn Open, he will have earned it.

On the top side of the draw with Horn are 4th seed Jake Bredenbeck, 5th seed Alejandro Cardona, 8th seed Christian Longoria, as well as veteran Shai Manzuri who’s seeded 13th.

You can watch the action from Austin via the WRT website or its Facebook page. The play begins Friday with the 32s and 16s. The quarters and semis will be Saturday afternoon and night, respectively, with the final Sunday at 11:40 AM.

2018 WRT Longhorn Open, January 12-14
Austin, Texas

Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) David Horn v. 32) John Rhodes - 3:45 PM
16) Erick Cuevas Fernandez v. 17) Victor Camacho - 3:45 PM

9) Francisco Troncoso v. 24) Erik Mendoza - 4:55 PM
8) Christian Longoria v. 25) Rogelio Castillo - 4:55 PM

5) Alejandro Cardona v. 28) Alejandro Almada - 3:45 PM
12) Ernesto Ochoa v. 21) Daniel Maldonado - 3:45 PM

13) Shai Manzuri v. 20) Justus Benson - 4:55 PM
4) Jake Bredenbeck v. 29) Raul Valadez - 4:55 PM

3) Andree Parrilla v. 30) Rodrigo Garay - 3:45 PM
14) Sebastian Fernandez v. 19) Fernando Kurzbard - 3:45 PM

11) Jose Diaz v. 22) Eduardo Garay - 4:55 PM
6) Gerardo Franco v. 27) A. J. Fernandez - 4:55 PM

7) Jaime Martell v. 26) Brent Walters - 4:55 PM
10) Javier Mar v. 23) Eddie Sada - 4:55 PM

15) Edson Martinez v. 18) Juan Loreto - 3:45 PM
2) Rodrigo Montoya v. 31) Taylor Knoth - 3:45 PM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Saturday

1) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
8) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr. v. 9) Rodrigo Garay v. Edson Martinez - 10 AM

5) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri - BYE
4) Eduardo Garay & Javier Mar - BYE

3) Sebastian Fernandez & Christian Longoria - BYE
6) Patric Mascorro & Ernesto Ochoa v. 11) Sam Hojat & Brennan Jennings - 10 AM

7) Rogelio Castillo & Daniel Maldonado v. 10) A. J. Fernandez & Raul Valadez - 10 AM
2) Alejandro Cardona & Gerardo Franco - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….