Landa back to defend title at 41st Lewis Drug IRT Pro-Am

When Alejandro Landa last came to the northern plains, he was the 8th seed at the annual Lewis Drug Pro/Am. But this year Landa arrives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as the defending champion and the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT). What a year it’s been for Landa, who won twice last season, which few - if any - people would have predicted, and he’ll have a chance to defend the first of those titles this weekend at the 41st Lewis Drug IRT Pro/Am tournament.

Landa will have his work cut out for him, as 18 of the top 20 IRT players are in the draw, including IRT #2 Rocky Carson, #3 Kane Waselenchuk, who missed last year’s event due to injury, and #4 Daniel De La Rosa, who was runner up to Landa in last year’s final.

Overall there are 39 players in the field. Other notable players are Andree Parrilla and Charles Pratt, who both won on the IRT last season, Rodrigo Montoya, the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion, as well as Mexican veteran Alvaro Beltran.

As usual in Sioux Falls, they will play doubles as well. Beltran and De La Rosa are the top seeds, and won doubles at the IRT California Open earlier this month. Landa and Samuel Murray are the 2nd seeds in doubles with Jansen Allen and Felipe Camacho 3rd seeds, and Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz 4th seeds.

Look for the action via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT Network, the IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. Qualifying matches are Thursday afternoon and evening with the first round of doubles happening on Friday morning. The Round of 16 for singles will be Friday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM Central with the semi-finals at 7 and 8 PM Friday night. The semi-finals will be at 10 AM and 11 AM Saturday with the final at 11 AM Sunday. The doubles quarterfinals are Friday afternoon at 4 and 5 PM with the semi-finals Saturday at noon and 1 PM, and the final Saturday at 4:30 PM.

41st Lewis Drug IRT Pro-Am, January 17-20 2019
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday afternoon

Robert Collins v. Tanner Prentice
Rodrigo Montoya v. Brent Walters

Mario Mercado - BYE
Tony Carson v. Erick Cuevas Fernandez

Sebastian Fernandez v. Ricardo Diaz
Charles Pratt v. Andrew Gleason

Adam Manilla v. Timmy Hansen
Mauro Rojas v. Christian Longoria

Nicholas Riffel v. Lee Connell
Thomas Carter v. Sam Bredenbeck

Jake Bredenbeck v. Cesar Castillo
Scott McClellan v. Brad Hansen

Tim Landeryou v. Michael Arterburn
Jansen Allen v. John Goth

Felipe Camacho v. Matthew Majxner
Gerardo Franco v. Alejandro Herrera

Qualifying Round 2 - Thursday night

Q8) Robert Collins or Tanner Prentice v. Rodrigo Montoya or Brent Walters
Q1) Mario Mercado v. Tony Carson or Erick Cuevas Fernandez

Q4) Sebastian Fernandez or Ricardo Diaz v. Charles Pratt or Andrew Gleason
Q5) Adam Manilla or Timmy Hansen v. Mauro Rojas or Christian Longoria

Q6) Nicholas Riffel or Lee Connell v. Thomas Carter or Sam Bredenbeck
Q3) Jake Bredenbeck or Cesar Castillo v. Scott McClellan or Brad Hansen

Q2) Tim Landeryou or Michael Arterburn v. Jansen Allen or John Goth
Q7) Felipe Camacho or Matthew Majxner v. Gerardo Franco or Alejandro Herrera

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alejandro Landa v. Q8 - 1 PM
8) Alvaro Beltran v. Q1 - 1 PM

5) Samuel Murray v. Q4 - 1 PM
4) Daniel De La Rosa v. Q5 - 1 PM

3) Kane Waselenchuk v. Q6 - 2 PM
6) Andree Parrilla v. Q3 - 2 PM

7) Jose Diaz v. Q2 - 2 PM
2) Rocky Carson v. Q7 - 2 PM

IRT Doubles Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Tony Carson & Charles Pratt v. 9) Sam Bredenbeck & Robert Collins - 10 AM

5) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
4) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz - BYE

3) Jansen Allen & Felipe Camacho - BYE
6) Mario Mercado & Mauro Rojas - BYE

7) Adam Manilla & Nicholas Riffel v. 10) Cesar Castillo & Alejandro Herrera - 10 AM
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….