Javier Mar, seeded 15th, at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 2023 Longhorn Open in Austin, Texas, took out IRT #2 Andree Parrilla on Friday, 7-15, 15-8, 11-7, in the Round of 16. Mar hasn’t been IRT regular, so his ranking isn’t as high as perhaps it should be for someone who was an IRT finalist last season, as well as a former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Men’s Doubles World Champion.
Mar’s partner for that doubles World Championship was Rodrigo Montoya, who also came back from a game down to win on Friday, although Montoya’s match with Adam Manilla was actually closer, as he won 12-15, 15-12, 11-10, in what was the battle of 8th and 9th seeds (Montoya & Manilla, respectively). Montoya will face IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa in the quarterfinals, as De La Rosa beat 16th seed Erick Trujillo, 15-6, 15-5 in the 16s.
In the breaker, Mar and Parrilla were close early, and tied at 3-3. Then Mar pulled away to lead 7-3, and 10-4. Parrilla closed the gap to 10-7, but then Mar got the serve back with a great backhand pinch winner of a Parrilla lob serve to the left side that came off the side wall. On the next rally, Mar hit a half lob serve to the right side, and Parrilla skipped it trying for a winner from shoulder high.
In the quarters, Mar will play another upset winner, as he’ll take on 10th seed Andrés Acuña, who beat 7th seed Mario Mercado, 15-7, 15-7, in what was a rematch of last year’s World Games semi-final that Acuña also won en route to winning gold at the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. That was Costa Rica’s first medal at the World Games, and Acuña is nominated for World Games Athlete of the Year.
Thomas Carter was also an upset winner in the 16s, as he was the 12th seed, and defeated 5th seed Alejandro Landa, 15-13, 15-10. The lefthander will face 4th seed Eduardo Portillo in the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon, as Portillo beat Alan Natera, 15-12, 15-5, Friday.
Anthony Martin, who came through qualifying and reached the Round of 16 without hitting a ball, ran out of luck against 6th seed Jake Bredenbeck, losing 15-5, 15-4. Bredenbeck will play IRT #3 Conrrado Moscoso in the quarters Saturday, as Moscoso beat Jaime Martell, 15-2, 15-9 in the 16s.
In doubles, there was only one tie-breaker in the Round of 16, as 7th seeds Adam Manilla and Mario Mercado came back from a game down to defeat 10th seeds Alejandro Cardona and Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 10-15, 15-3, 11-5. They’ll face 2nd seeds Landa and Moscoso in the quarters Saturday morning.
You can see some of the Longhorn Open action via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The quarterfinals will be Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM and 2:45 PM with the semi-finals at 7:35 PM and 8:35 PM. The final is Sunday at noon. The doubles quarters are Saturday at 9:45 and 10:55 with the semi-finals at 4:50 and 5:50 Saturday afternoon. The doubles final will follow the singles final on Sunday. All times Central.
2023 IRT Longhorn Open
January 5-8, 2023 - Austin, Texas
Men’s Singles
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 16) Erick Trujillo, 15-6, 15-5
8) Rodrigo Montoya d. 9) Adam Manilla, 12-15, 15-12, 11-10
12) Thomas Carter d. 5) Alejandro Landa, 15-13, 15-10
4) Eduardo Portillo d. Alan Natera, 15-12, 15-5
3) Conrrado Moscoso d. Jaime Martell, 15-2, 15-9
6) Jake Bredenbeck d. Anthony Martin, 15-5, 15-4
10) Andrés Acuña d. 7) Mario Mercado, 15-7, 15-7
15) Javier Mar d. 2) Andree Parrilla, 7-15, 15-8, 11-7
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Rodrigo Montoya - 1:30 PM
4) Eduardo Portillo v. 12) Thomas Carter - 2:45 PM
3) Conrrado Moscoso v. 6) Jake Bredenbeck - 1:30 PM
10) Andrés Acuña v. 15) Javier Mar - 2:45 PM
Men’s Doubles
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
8) Thomas Carter & Andree Parrilla d. 9) Robert Collins & Mauricio Zelada, forfeit
5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck d. 12) Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez, 15-10, 15-7
4) Daniel De La Rosa & Sebastian Fernandez d. 13) Eridson Lopez & Josue Perdomo, 15-8, 15-6
3) Andrés Acuña & Eduardo Portillo d. 14) Elias Nieto & Jose Carlos Ramos, 15-6, 15-4
11) Guillermo Jesus Ortega Jr. & Erick Trujillo d. 6) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay, forfeit
7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado d. 10) Alejandro Cardona & Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 10-15, 15-3, 11-5
2) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 8) Thomas Carter & Andree Parrilla - 10:55 AM
4) Daniel De La Rosa & Sebastian Fernandez v. 5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - 9:45 PM
3) Andrés Acuña & Eduardo Portillo v. 11) Guillermo Jesus Ortega Jr. & Erick Trujillo - 10:55 AM
2) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso v. 7) Adam Manilla & Mario Mercado - 9:45 AM
Follow the bouncing ball….
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