Franco upsets Montoya at 2023 IRT Williams Accounting & Consulting Open

Sebastian Franco, the 11th seed, had the only upset in the Round of 16 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Williams Accounting & Consulting Open in Lilburn, Georgia Friday, as he beat 6th seed Rodrigo Montoya, 15-4, 15-11, in what was a battle of International Racquetball Federation (IRF). Franco won Men’s Doubles at Worlds in 2014, and Montoya has won three World Championships: Man’s Singles in 2016, Men’s Doubles in 2021, and Mixed Doubles in 2022.

But this day belonged to Franco, who will play in the quarters for the first time since January 2022, which was also in Lilburn. Georgia has been good for him. In the quarters, Franco will play 3rd seed Jake Bredenbeck, who beat 14th seed Robert Collins, 15-4, 15-7, in the Round of 16.

IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa defeated 17th seed Juan Salvatierra in two straight games, 15-2, 15-9. Indeed all the matches in the 16s were over in two games, although there were three 15-14 games. Adam Manilla played one of those, as he defeated 9th seed Thomas Carter, 15-14, 15-6, in a battle of left-handers. Manilla and De La Rosa will square off in the quarterfinals.

IRT #2 Andree Parrilla beat 15th seed Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-3, 15-3, and will play 7th seed Andrés Acuña, who snuffed out 23rd seed Jose Daniel Ugalde’s run in the tournament, 15-0, 15-5.

Finally, former doubles partners Alejandro Landa and Samuel Murray will play off in the quarters, as Landa defeated 13th seed Jaime Martell, 15-14, 15-5, and Murray beat 12th seed Alan Natera, 15-8, 15-14.

There were no upsets in the doubles quarterfinals. Top seeds Rodrigo Montoya and Andree Parrilla beat 9th seed Juan Francisco Cueva and Jose Daniel Ugalde, 15-7, 15-11, and will play the righty-lefty team of Sebastian Franco and Adam Manilla, as they won a see-saw match with Andrés Acuña and Alan Natera, 15-6, 3-15, 11-3.

The other semi will be 2nd seed Daniel De La Rosa and Alejandro Landa versus 3rd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and Samuel Murray. In the quarters, De La Rosa and Landa beat 7th seeds Edwin Galicia and Juan Salvatierra, 15-5, 15-8, while Bredenbeck and Murray defeated 6th seeds Kadim Carrasco and Erick Trujillo, 15-10, 15-4.

You can see some of the IRT action via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The singles quarterfinals begin Friday at 5 PM with the semi-finals at 6 and 7 PM Saturday. The doubles quarterfinals are at 2 PM Friday with the semis Saturday at noon and 1 PM. The singles final is Sunday at 11 AM with doubles to follow at noon. All times Eastern.

2023 IRT Williams Accounting & Consulting Open
February 16-19, 2023 - Lilburn, Georgia

IRT Singles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 17) Juan Salvatierra, 15-2, 15-9
8) Adam Manilla d. 9) Thomas Carter, 15-14, 15-6

5) Samuel Murray d. 12) Alan Natera, 15-8, 15-14
4) Alejandro Landa d. 13) Jaime Martell, 15-14, 15-5

3) Jake Bredenbeck d. 14) Robert Collins, 15-4, 15-7
11) Sebastian Franco d. 6) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-4, 15-11

7) Andrés Acuña d. 23) Jose Daniel Ugalde, 15-0, 15-5
2) Andree Parrilla d. 15) Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-3, 15-3

Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Adam Manilla - 7 PM
4) Alejandro Landa v. 5) Samuel Murray - 8 PM

3) Jake Bredenbeck v. 11) Sebastian Franco - 5 PM
2) Andree Parrilla v. 7) Andrés Acuña - 6 PM

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla d. 9) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde, 15-7, 15-11
4) Sebastian Franco & Adam Manilla d. 5) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera, 15-6, 3-15, 11-3

3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray d. 6) Kadim Carrasco & Erick Trujillo, 15-10, 15-4
2) Daniel De La Rosa & Alejandro Landa d. 7) Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra, 15-5, 15-8

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 4) Sebastian Franco & Adam Manilla - Noon
2) Daniel De La Rosa & Alejandro Landa v. 3) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….