Carson defeats Parrilla to win 2019 IRT Atlanta Open

Rocky Carson defeated Andree Parrilla, 15-13, 15-8, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 2019 Atlanta Open - the first event of the 2019-20 IRT season. When Carson, who’s 40, first played on the IRT, Parrilla, 23, wasn’t even born. But the veteran got the better of his younger competitor on Sunday. Carson, the IRT’s #2 player, has won at least one event in 9 of the last 10 IRT seasons.

Although it was just two games, the match took a long time to play, especially game one. Eight minutes into the game, and it was still just 1-0 for Carson. Carson stayed ahead through game one, until Parrilla tied it late at 12-12. There was a sense that the young Mexican was going to eke out the game.

Carson went up 13-12 when Parrilla skipped a forehand pinch shot. But Parrilla hit a winning forehand pinch off Carson’s serve on the next rally. A great forehand volley by Parrilla again tied the score, 13-13. However, Parrilla made an unforced error on the next rally, when he skipped a forehand shot.

A Carson backhand pinch shot put him on game point at 14-13. A broken ball on the next rally delayed the end, but after that Carson won it with a backhand kill shot that hit the left side wall going to the front wall and spun back down the left side.

Game one took 44 and a half minutes.

In game two, they were close early, and Parrilla had leads at 5-2 and 6-5. But Carson held Parrilla at 6, while piling up the points to lead 13-6. From there the end was in sight, and Carson was able to close it out, 15-8.

The doubles final was a double forfeit by top seeds Daniel De La Rosa and Alvaro Beltran and 2nd seeds Alejandro Landa and Samuel Murray. No explanation for why the teams forfeited.

The Valentine Open in Laurel, Maryland, September 19-22 is the next Tier 1 event on the IRT schedule. After that some of the IRT will be at the 3 WallBall World Championships in Las Vegas, September 25-29. Then they will be in Minneapolis for the 2019 US Open, October 2-6. If you missed any of the action from Georgia, check out the IRT YouTube channel for the matches.

2019 IRT Atlanta Open, September 5-8, 2019
Lilburn / Atlanta, Georgia

Final - Sunday

2) Rocky Carson d. 4) Andree Parrilla, 15-13, 15-8

IRT Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Daniel De La Rosa & Alvaro Beltran and 2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray, double forfeit

Follow the bouncing ball….