The 2021 UnitedHealthcare US Open begins Wednesday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where 78 players will be vying for the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) title including the tour's top 19 players. There will be a lot of racquetball played over the five days of the tournament, especially on Wednesday and Thursday.
Singles
In singles, IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk, who is the 12 time defending champion, and despite not playing a singles match on tour in over a year, you would be foolish to bet against him. He is undefeated on the show court in Minneapolis, and you can be sure that he’s prepared to continue that streak this week.
However, Daniel De La Rosa has lately been playing the kind of high level racquetball that many expected from him as he came out of juniors. Many thought De La Rosa would be at this level long before now, but regardless, he's there now. De La Rosa has raised his game from being a solid player to a superstar type player. Evidence of this is that he's won two IRT events in a row (first player not named Waselenchuk to do that since 2016). Thus, he comes into Minneapolis hotter than he’s ever been.
In contrast, veterans Rocky Carson and Alvaro Beltran are seeded 8th and 9th, lower than they have been in several years, perhaps even a couple of decades. Their seeding means a match up of the two, which in the past was regularly a semi-final - and sometimes a final - would be a Round of 16 match, if they can win their matches in the Round of 32.
And the winner of Beltran-Carson would likely face Waselenchuk in the quarterfinals, which was also a match up that usually happened later in the draw. Both Beltran and Carson are over 40 now, so perhaps Father Time is finally catching up to them.
There are a few other likely Round of 16 matches that we eagerly anticipate, including an all Bolivia showdown between 5th seed Conrrado Moscoso and 12th seed Carlos Keller, as well as an all Mexico battle with De La Rosa versus 15th seed Rodrigo Montoya. Finally, 7th seed Eduardo Portillo, who has a shooter game style, could play 10th seed Jake Bredenbeck, with a power game style, who is coming off his first IRT final at the Shamrock Shootout last month.
Then there’s a match from the Irony Department in Round 1 of Qualifying, as veteran Cliff Swain, a two time US Open Champion and a former IRT #1 player, who was never a big fan of whatever referee was overseeing his match, takes on Scott McClellan, who is the IRT’s chief referee. Our sympathy to whoever is refereeing that match.
Doubles
As expected, Mexicans Beltran and De La Rosa are the top seeded team in the IRT Doubles draw. But somewhat surprisingly, the new team of Sudsay Monchik and Waselenchuk are the 2nd seeds. Waselenchuk is one of the defending champions in doubles, winning the tile with Ben Croft in 2019, when they beat Beltran and De La Rosa in the final. It was the third consecutive US Open final between those two teams with Croft and Waselenchuk winning two of the three.
So, that record of excellence could justify putting Waselenchuk #2 even though he’s got a different partner from two years ago, and despite their ranking not adding up to that high a seeding. But we’re just not sure if there’s a rule written down somewhere explaining this seeding.
We did a deep dive into the doubles teams last week, so we won’t go on about it here, except to say that we are eager to see how the matches shakedown. It’s going to be good.
2021 UnitedHealthcare US Open Racquetball Championships
October 6-10, 2021 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
IRT Singles - Qualifying Round 1 - Wednesday
Adam Manilla - BYE
Javier Martinez v. Shai Manzuri - 9:30 AM
Majeed Shahin v. Jose Flores Jr. - 11:50 AM
42) Troy Warigon v. Fabian Cuesta - 11:50 AM
Kadim Carrasco v. Javier Moreno - 4:30 PM
Abraham Peña v. Jonathan Burns - 4:30 PM
Ferd Samson v. Hector Barrios - 3:20 PM
Set Cubillos v. Gerardo Guevara - 3:20 PM
Robert Collins v. Bruce Robles - 2:10 PM
Samuel Kelley v. Juan Pablo Rodriguez - 2:10 PM
Juan Salvatierra v. Patrick Allin - 1 PM
Maurice Miller v. Ezequiel Subieta - 1 PM
Erick Cuevas Fernandez v. Alejandro Cuellar - 11:50 AM
Austin Cunningham v. Juan José Tapia Zúñiga - 11:50 AM
Andrés Gómez v. John Wolfe - 10:40 AM
Alan Natera - BYE
Sebastian Fernandez - BYE
Brennen Jennings v. Alex Zamudio - 8 AM
Miguel Angel Arteaga Guzman v. Jeff Stark - 11:50 AM
Erick Trujillo v. Luis Aguilar - 11:50 AM
Mauricio Zelada v. Julian Cruz - 10:40 AM
Dylan Pruitt v. Rodrigo Rodriguez - 10:40 AM
Christian Wer v. Benjamin Horner - 11:50 AM
Sam Bredenbeck v. Seth Sullivan - 11:50 AM
Felipe Camacho v. Matias Arnez - 1 PM
Alejandro Herrera v. Ben Baron - 1 PM
Nicholas Riffel v. Geovani Mendoza - 2:10 PM
Scott McClellan v. Cliff Swain - 2:10 PM
Joe Kelley v. Alexxander Purcell - 2:10 PM
Edwin Galicia v. Vladimir Fernando Siles Gonzales - 2:10 PM
Francisco Gomez Reyes v. Adrian Jaldin Lobo - 8 AM
Eduardo Garay - BYE
IRT Singles - Qualifying Round 2 - Wednesday
Q1 - Adam Manilla v. Javier Martinez or Shai Manzuri - 3:20 PM
Q16 - Majeed Shahin or Jose Flores Jr. v. 42) Troy Warigon or Fabian Cuesta - 4:30 PM
Q9 - Kadim Carrasco or Javier Moreno v. Abraham Peña or Jonathan Burns - 9:10 PM
Q8 - Ferd Samson or Hector Barrios v. Set Cubillos or Gerardo Guevara - 9:10 PM
Q5 - Robert Collins or Bruce Robles v. Samuel Kelley or Juan Pablo Rodriguez - 8 PM
Q12 - Juan Salvatierra or Patrick Allin v. Maurice Miller or Ezequiel Subieta - 9:10 PM
Q13 - Erick Cuevas Fernandez or Alejandro Cuellar v. Austin Cunningham or Juan José Tapia Zúñiga - 4:30 PM
Q4 - Alan Natera v. Andrés Gómez v. John Wolfe - 4:30 PM
Q3 - Sebastian Fernandez v. Brennen Jennings or Alex Zamudio - 11:50 AM
Q14 - Miguel Angel Arteaga Guzman or Jeff Stark v. Erick Trujillo or Luis Aguilar - 4:30 PM
Q11 - Mauricio Zelada or Julian Cruz v. Dylan Pruitt or Rodrigo Rodriguez - 3:20 PM
Q6 - Christian Wer or Benjamin Horner v. Sam Bredenbeck or Seth Sullivan - 4:30 PM
Q7 - Felipe Camacho or Matias Arnez v. Alejandro Herrera or Ben Baron - 9:10 PM
Q10 Nicholas Riffel or Geovani Mendoza v. Scott McClellan or Cliff Swain - 8 PM
Q15 - Joe Kelley or Alexxander Purcell v. Edwin Galicia or Vladimir Fernando Siles Gonzales - 9:10 PM
Q2 - Eduardo Garay v. Francisco Gomez Reyes or Adrian Jaldin Lobo - 3:20 PM
IRT Singles - Round of 32 - Thursday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Q16 - 2 PM
16) Andres Acuña v. Q1 - 2 PM
9) Alvaro Beltran v. Q8 - 2 PM
8) Rocky Carson v. Q9 - 2 PM
5) Conrrado Moscoso v. Q12 - 10:30 AM
12) Carlos Keller v. Q5 - 10:30 AM
13) Sebastian Franco v. Q12 - 10:30 AM
4) Samuel Murray v. Q13 - 10:30 AM
3) Alejandro Landa v. Q14 - 11:40 AM
14) Thomas Carter v. Q3 - 11:40 AM
11) Mario Mercado v. Q6 - 11:40 AM
6) Andree Parrilla v. Q11 - 11:40 AM
7) Eduardo Portillo v. Q10 - 12:50 PM
10) Jake Bredenbeck v. Q7 - 12:50 PM
15) Rodrigo Montoya v. Q2 - 12:50 PM
2) Daniel De La Rosa v. Q15 - 12:50 PM
IRT Doubles - Qualifying Round 1 - Wednesday
Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
Set Cubillos & Erick Cuevas Fernandez v. Thomas Gerhardt & Preston Tribble - 9:30 AM
Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho - BYE
Alan Natera & Charlie Pratt - BYE
Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - BYE
Sebastian Fernandez & Rodrigo Rodriguez - BYE
Javier Martinez & Juan Salvatierra - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso & Roland Keller - BYE
Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller - BYE
Miguel Angel Arteaga Guzman & Rodrigo Mendoza - BYE
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer - BYE
Mario Mercado & Mauricio Zelada - BYE
David Horn & Adam Manilla - BYE
Maurice Miller & Troy Warigon - BYE
Julian Cruz & Geovani Mendoza - BYE
Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay - BYE
IRT Doubles - Qualifying Round 2 - Wednesday
Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. Set Cubillos & Erick Cuevas Fernandez or Thomas Gerhardt & Preston Tribble - 2:10 PM
Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho v. Alan Natera & Charlie Pratt - 9:30 AM
Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck v. Sebastian Fernandez & Rodrigo Rodriguez - 1 PM
Conrrado Moscoso & Roland Keller v. Javier Martinez & Juan Salvatierra - 2:10 PM
Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller v. Miguel Angel Arteaga Guzman & Rodrigo Mendoza - 9:30 AM
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer v. Mario Mercado & Mauricio Zelada - 9:30 AM
David Horn & Adam Manilla v. Maurice Miller & Troy Warigon - 9:30 AM
Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay v. Julian Cruz & Geovani Mendoza - 9:30 AM
IRT Doubles - Qualifying Round 3 - Wednesday
Q1 - Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya or Set Cubillos & Erick Cuevas Fernandez or Thomas Gerhardt & Preston Tribble v. Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho or Alan Natera & Charlie Pratt - 8:10 AM Thursday
Q4 - Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck or Sebastian Fernandez & Rodrigo Rodriguez v. Conrrado Moscoso & Roland Keller or Javier Martinez & Juan Salvatierra - 8 PM
Q3 - Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller or Miguel Angel Arteaga Guzman & Rodrigo Mendoza v. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer or Mario Mercado & Mauricio Zelada - 8 PM
Q2 - David Horn & Adam Manilla or Maurice Miller & Troy Warigon v. Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay or Julian Cruz & Geovani Mendoza - 10:20 PM
IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. Q4 - 7:50 PM
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo v. Q1 - 7:50 PM
3) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray v. Q2 - 9 PM
2) Sudsy Monchik & Kane Waselenchuk v. Q3 - 9 PM
Follow the bouncing ball…..
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