Moscoso wins his 1st US Open title

Conrrado Moscoso beat Rodrigo Montoya, 15-8, 15-4, to win his first International Racquetball Tour (IRT) US Open title on Sunday at the 2022 USA Racquetball US Open at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Moscoso becomes the first Bolivian and first South American player to win a US Open.

Moscoso was playing in his second US Open final, while Montoya was in his first IRT final ever. However, Montoya has plenty of international experience, and this was the first US Open IRT final between two players who have won Men’s Singles at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships. Moscoso did so in August, while Montoya won it in 2018.

Moscoso’s performance was dominant in the final. Consider that of Montoya’s 12 points, 8 were scored by Moscoso skipping shots, including 5 on consecutive rallies that allowed Montoya to get within one point of Moscoso at 7-6 in game one.

Moscoso took a 7-1 lead in game one before that streak of skips, and after it he again outscored Montoya, 8-2, to win it 15-8.

Game two was similar. Moscoso took a 4-0, and then skipped a couple of shots, so his lead was cut to 4-2. He then upped the lead to 8-2, including hitting two drive serve aces to the left side (Montoya’s backhand). Moscoso’s serving was outstanding in the final, as he his six aces overall.

Following a timeout, Montoya did claw a couple points back to make the score 8-4, but that’s as much as he got, as Moscoso went on to win 15-4. Montoya did serve in that stretch - three times, in fact - but Moscoso fended off two of those serves with winning returns and hit a forehand winner to deny Montoya on the other rally.

The win is Moscoso's third on the IRT, which ties him for 24th most in IRT history with Alvaro Beltran, Ed Andrews and Steve Strandemo.

The IRT will be back in action this weekend. Yes, they’ll play four days after the end of the US Open. This scheduling is rare, as usually tours take an understandable break after the Open. Nonetheless, the Golden State Open will begin October 6 in Pleasanton, California.

If you missed any of the US Open IRT action, you can check it out by going to the IRT YouTube channel or their Facebook page.

2022 US Open - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
September 28-October 2, 2022

IRT Singles - Final - Sunday

6) Conrrado Moscoso d. 16) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-8, 15-4

Follow the bouncing ball…..