2020 IRT Lou Bradley Memorial Preview

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) plays its third of three back to back to back events this weekend, when they go to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin for the first time to compete in the 22nd Lou Bradley Memorial Pro-Am. The Lou, as it’s affectionately known, has been an IRT event for many years, but this is the first year it is a Tier 1. Despite being a new event and on the third of three consecutive weekends, there will be a strong field in Wisconsin with no fewer than 23 of the top 28 IRT players, including 11 of the top 13 players, be in Sun Prairie.

Leading the field will be IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk and #2 Alejandro Landa. Waselenchuk missed last week’s event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as he had the flu. Landa picked up an injury in the quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, and we were concerned about whether he would be fit to compete this weekend. But it seems he's good to go.

Not good to go are IRT #3 Rocky Carson and last weekend’s winner Daniel De La Rosa, who will both miss out this weekend due to injury. Carson was playing his first tournament after knee surgery, so perhaps something flared up that prevents the 40 year old from playing back to weeks.

De La Rosa’s absence means he misses out on a chance to be in three consecutive finals for just the second time in his career. He was in the last three finals of the 2015-16 season, losing them all to Waselenchuk. De La Rosa was a finalist two weeks ago at the Longhorn Open in Austin, Texas, where he also lost to Waselenchuk, and last week at the Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, where he won the title by defeating Eduardo Portillo in the final.

Portillo will be one of the players to watch this weekend to see how he follows up his 1st IRT final appearance. He’s seeded 6th, so is in the bracket with 3rd seed Andree Parrilla. If they face off, it will be a battle of doubles partners as Portillo and Parrilla played together last weekend in Sioux Falls. Parrilla might feel he has something to prove this weekend, as he lost in the Round of 16 last weekend.

Look for the Lou Bradley action via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. There will be three rounds of matches on Thursday starting at noon. The Round of 32 begins Thursday evening at 5 and 6 PM with the Round of 16 starting at 11 AM. The quarterfinals will be Friday from 5 PM on with the semi-finals at Noon and 1 PM, and the final at 8 PM Saturday. All times Central.

2020 IRT Lou Bradley Memorial, January 30-February 2, 2020
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Round of 128 - Thursday

Sebastian Fernandez - BYE
Blake Hansen v. Tracy Chynoweth - Noon

Sam Bredenbeck - BYE
Scott McClellan - BYE

Felipe Camacho - BYE
Lee Meinerz - BYE

Joe Kelley - BYE
Javier Estrada - BYE

Robert Collins - BYE
Ferd Samson - BYE

Anthony Martin - BYE
Alan Natera - BYE

Kadim Carrasco - BYE
Justus Benson - BYE

Samuel Kelley v. James Crawford - Noon
Adam Manilla - BYE

Round of 64 - Thursday

Q1 - Sebastian Fernandez v. Blake Hansen or Tracy Chynoweth - 3 PM
Q8 - Sam Bredenbeck v. Scott McClellan - 3 PM

Q5 - Felipe Camacho v. Lee Meinerz - 2 PM
Q4 - Javier Estrada v. Joe Kelley - 2 PM

Q3 - Robert Collins v. Ferd Samson - 2 PM
Q6 - Anthony Martin v. Alan Natera - 2 PM

Q7 - Kadim Carrasco v. Justus Benson - 3 PM
Q2 - Adam Manilla v. Samuel Kelley or James Crawford - 3 PM

Round of 32 - Thursday

1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
16) Javier Mar v. Q1 - 6 PM

9) Rodrigo Montoya v. Q8 - 5 PM
8) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

5) Samuel Murray - BYE
12) Carlos Keller v. Q5 - 5 PM

13) Thomas Carter v. Q4 - 6 PM
4) Alvaro Beltran - BYE

3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Gerardo Franco v. Q3 - 6 PM

11) Mario Mercado v. Q6 - 5 PM
6) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

7) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco v. Q7 - 5 PM

15) Eduardo Garay v. Q2 - 6 PM
2) Alejandro Landa - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….