Natera and Scott win twice at 2023 Longhorn Open

Alan Natera won Men’s Open at the 2023 Longhorn Open in Austin, Texas on the weekend. He beat Texas teenager Cole Sendrey, the 6th seed, 15-4, 15-9, in the final. In the semi-finals, Natera, who was the top seed, needed a tie-breaker to defeat Diego Gastelum, 15-5, 5-15, 11-0, and Sendrey upset 2nd seed Dylan Pruitt, 15-4, 13-15, 11-9

Natera also won Men’s Open Doubles with Carla Muñoz. They eked out the win in the final over Will Reynolds and Israel Torres, 15-11, 13-15, 11-10. In the semi-finals, Muñoz and Natera beat Michelle De La Rosa and Erika Manilla, 15-6, 10-15, 11-3, while Reynolds and Torres, who were the 5th seeds, upset top seeds Jaime Martell and Scott Schafer, 15-14, 15-9.

Hollie Scott won Women’s Open in Austin. She defeated Naomi Ros, 15-6, 15-1, in the final. In the semi-finals, Scott beat Stephanie Synhorst, 15-10, 15-4, and Ros defeated Estefania Perez Picon, 15-0, 15-3.

Ros and Perez Picon teamed up to win Women’s Open Doubles, which was a five team round robin competition. They were undefeated across four matches, and defeated the 2nd place team of Shane Diaz and Graci Wargo, 15-9, 15-4.

The Mixed Doubles title went to Scott and Gastelum, who came back from a game down in the final to defeat Pruitt and Ros, 8-15, 15-5, 11-3. Scott and Gastelum also dropped the first game of their semi-final against Shane Diaz and Micah Farmer, but won in three games, 8-15, 51-2, 11-2. Pruitt and Ros won the other semi in straight games over Reynolds and Kimberley Randolph, 15-4, 15-4.

There were a crazy number of players in the 2023 Longhorn Open: 380 overall. The largest division was Men’s A with 50 players. Fifty is more than some tournaments have these days. It took six (6!) matches for Jesus Jacquez to win Men’s A. He defeated Christian Treviño in the final, 15-4, 15-6, and, impressively, they were the 45th (Jacquez) and 46th seeds (Treviño). In fact, only one of the top 8 seeds made the quarterfinals.

2023 IRT Longhorn Open
January 5-8, 2023 - Austin, Texas

Men’s Open Singles

Final

1) Alan Natera d. 6) Cole Sendrey, 15-4, 15-9

Semi-finals

1) Alan Natera d. 4) Diego Gastelum, 15-5, 5-15, 11-0
6) Cole Sendrey d. 2) Dylan Pruitt, 15-4, 13-15, 11-9

Men’s Doubles

Final

2) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera d. 5) Will Reynolds & Israel Torres, 15-11, 13-15, 11-10

Semi-finals

2) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera d. 6) Michelle De La Rosa & Erika Manilla, 15-6, 10-15, 11-3
5) Will Reynolds & Israel Torres d. 1) Jaime Martell & Scott Schafer, 15-14, 15-9

Women’s Open Singles

Final

1) Hollie Scott d. 3) Naomi Ros, 15-6, 15-1

Semi-finals

1) Hollie Scott d. 5) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-10, 15-4
3) Naomi Ros d. 7) Estefania Perez Picon, 15-0, 15-3

Mixed Open Doubles

Final

1) Diego Gastelum & Hollie Scott d. 2) Dylan Pruitt & Naomi Ros, 8-15, 15-5, 11-3

Semi-finals

1) Diego Gastelum & Hollie Scott d. 4) Shane Diaz & Micah Farmer, 8-15, 51-2, 11-2
2) Dylan Pruitt & Naomi Ros d. 3) Will Reynolds & Kimberley Randolph, 15-4, 15-4

Follow the bouncing ball….