Andrés Acuña defeated Kane Waselenchuk, 15-14, 15-6, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) World Singles and Doubles Open Championship on the weekend, in what was a battle of the #1 and #2 players on the IRT in Waselenchuk and Acuña, respectively.
Thus, Acuña’s win was an upset by the rankings, and also because Waselenchuk came in having not lost a game en route to the final, yielding only 6.5 points on average per game across the four matches he’d played.
Yet in the final, Waselenchuk looked like he was feeling all of his almost 44 years of age, as he wasn’t moving or reacting as well as he had earlier in the tournament.
That said, he came back in the first game from deficits of 5-1, 10-6, and 14-12. Both players had three opportunities to win game one, but on Acuña’s third opportunity, he hit a winning backhand shot to capture the first game.
In game two, Acuña also took the lead early at 8-1. Waselenchuk was able to narrow the gap to two at 8-6, but that was as close as he’d get, as Acuña went on to win game two, 15-6, and the match in two straight games.
There was some discussion among The Racquetball Blog staff and consultants about what this loss means for Waselenchuk. The consensus was that while Father Time is undefeated, Waselenchuk still has a lot in the tank. If you’d have bet against him across his career, you’d have lost a lot of money, so we certainly aren’t doing that now. But Waselenchuk has limits, like everyone else, and he seemed to have reached one of those limits on Sunday.
Still Waselenchuk was close to winning that first game, and if he does, maybe the match outcome is different. Of course, he didn’t, so that is mere speculation.
The next IRT main event will be the Track Town Open in Eugene, Oregon, September 25-28, and we would not be surprised if Waselenchuk was in the final and even if he won it.
If you missed any of the action from Colorado, check out the IRT YouTube channel.
2025 World Singles and Doubles Open Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado - September 4-7
IRT Final
2) Andrés Acuña d. 1) Kane Waselenchuk, 15-14, 15-6
Semi-finals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 5) Eduardo Portillo, 15-7, 15-12
2) Andrés Acuña d. 14) Gerson Miranda Martinez, 7-15, 15-13, 11-3
Quarterfinals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 9) Adam Manilla, 15-2, 15-0
5) Eduardo Portillo d. 4) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-8, 14-15, 11-6
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 6) Rodrigo Montoya, forfeit
2) Andrés Acuña d. 11) Javier Mar, 15-9, 15-5
Round of 16
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 17) Conrrado Moscoso, 15-5, 15-14
9) Adam Manilla d. 8) Alan Natera, 12-15, 15-10, 11-10
5) Eduardo Portillo d. 21) Sam Bredenbeck, 15-4, 15-1
4) Jake Bredenbeck d. 20) Jhonatan Flores, 15-7, 15-9
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 5) Andree Parrilla, forfeit
6) Rodrigo Montoya d. 22) Kadim Carrasco, 15-6, 13-15, 11-3
11) Javier Mar d. 10) Jordy Alonso, 15-8, 15-0
2) Andrés Acuña d. 15) Diego Garcia, 15-5, 15-6
Round of 32
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 32) Brady Yelverton - 15-9, 15-3
17) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
9) Adam Manilla d. 41) Mauricio Zelada, 15-9, 15-7
8) Alan Natera d. 25) DJ Mendoza - 15-6, 15-7
5) Eduardo Portillo d. 37) Jeff Stark, 15-4, 15-6
21) Sam Bredenbeck d. 12) Jaime Martell, 15-12, 15-9
20) Jhonatan Flores d. 13) Diego Gastelum, 15-6, 15-9
4) Jake Bredenbeck d. 29) Migel Angel Arteaga Guzman, 15-2, 15-3
5) Andree Parrilla d. 30) Cody Elkins, 15-10, 15-3
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 19) Cole Sendrey, 15-1, 15-12
22) Kadim Carrasco d. 11) Thomas Carter, 15-13, 15-6
6) Rodrigo Montoya d. 27) Juan Salvatierra, 15-7, 15-9
11) Javier Mar d. 26) Edwin Galicia, 15-6, 15-3
10) Jordy Alonso d. 42) Anthony Martin, 15-7, 15-12
15) Diego Garcia d. 18) Robert Collins, 15-6, 15-11
2) Andrés Acuña d. 31) Jose Caceres, 15-4, 15-9
Round of 64
1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
32) Brady Yelverton d. 33) Parker Bremner, 15-2, 15-3
17) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
Empty
9) Adam Manilla - BYE
41) Mauricio Zelada d. 24) Jim Douglas, 15-2, 15-6
25) DJ Mendoza d. 40) Dylan Pruitt, 9-15, 15-13, 11-10
8) Alan Natera - BYE
5) Eduardo Portillo - BYE
37) Jeff Stark d. 28) Esteban Reque, forfeit
21) Sam Bredenbeck - BYE
12) Jaime Martell - BYE
13) Diego Gastelum - BYE
20) Jhonatan Flores - BYE
29) Migel Angel Arteaga Guzman d. 36) Marcel Luensmann, 15-14, 15-4
4) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE
5) Andree Parrilla - BYE
30) Cody Elkins d. 35) Travis Mettenbrink, 15-14, 15-13
19) Cole Sendrey - BYE
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez - BYE
11) Thomas Carter - BYE
22) Kadim Carrasco d. 43) Victor Camacho, 15-6, 13-15, 11-10
27) Juan Salvatierra d. 38) Ty Hedalen, 15-8, 15-11
6) Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
11) Javier Mar - BYE
26) Edwin Galicia d. 39) Tyler Thielen, 15-3, 15-3
42) Anthony Martin d. 23) Blase Zera, 15-3, 15-4
10) Jordy Alonso - BYE
15) Diego Garcia - BYE
18) Robert Collins - BYE
31) Jose Caceres d. 34) Sebastian Chevaile Sanchez, 15-7, 15-11
2) Andrés Acuña - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
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