Top 4 seeds through to semi-finals at IRT 209 Battle of the Ages

The top four seeds made it through to the semi-finals at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages in Stockton, California, but it was not an easy road for the 3rd and 4th seeds.

Even IRT #1 dropped a game in the quarterfinals, as Kane Waselenchuk needed four games to defeat Ben Croft, 11-0, 11-1, 7-11, 11-3.

But 4th seed Jose Rojas needed to win two five game matches to advance to Saturday. First in the quarterfinals, Rojas was made to go the distance against fellow Stockton player and USA team-mate for last month's Pan American Championships David Horn, 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 14-12.

Then Daniel De La Rosa took Rojas to a fifth game, and even scored more points than Rojas, but it was Rojas who won, 11-5, 1-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8.

The near upset of the tournament happened in the Round of 16 when Cliff Swain - former IRT #1 - won the first two games against 3rd seed Alvaro Beltran, to then forced game three to extra points before Beltran won in 12-10.

Losing game three might have had a carry over to games four and five as they were not as close the first two, as Beltran came back to win in five games, 11-13, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7.

The IRT Network will carry the semi-final action from Stockton Saturday beginning at 4 PM PDT.

Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages
Stockton, California - May 1-4, 2014

Round of 16

1 Kane Waselenchuk d. Tom Fuhrmann, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3
8 Ben Croft d. 9 Marco Rojas, 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6

5 Daniel De La Rosa d. 12 Jose Diaz, 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
4 Jose Rojas v. 13 David Horn, 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 14-12

3 Alvaro Beltran d. 14 Cliff Swain, 11-13, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7
6 Chris Crowther d. 11 Charlie Pratt, 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3

10 Jansen Allen d. 7 Tony Carson, 8-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3
2 Rocky Carson d. Francisco Troncoso, 11-0, 11-3, 11-6

Quarterfinals

1 Kane Waselenchuk d. 8 Ben Croft, 11-0, 11-1, 7-11, 11-3
4 Jose Rojas d. 5 Daniel De La Rosa, 11-5, 1-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8

3 Alvaro Beltran d. 6 Chris Crowther, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
2 Rocky Carson d. 10 Jansen Allen

Semi-finals

1 Kane Waselenchuk v. 4 Jose Rojas - 5 PM PDT
2 Rocky Carson v. 3 Alvaro Beltran - 4 PM PDT

Follow the bouncing ball…

IRT 209 Battle of the Ages - Qualifying Results

Play is underway at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages in Stockton, California, and there have been few surprises so far. An upset in the first round of qualifying saw Argetine Fernando Kurzbard win a five game battle with Korean Seung Jun Jeon, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4.

Kurzbard will play David Horn in the second round of qualifying for a spot in the Round of 16 on Friday against Jose Rojas.

Veteran lefty Javier Moreno was in the draw but defaulted his match, which granted Francisco Troncoso a spot in the Round of 16 against Rocky Carson.

The IRT Network will carry the action from Stockton on Friday beginning with the Round of 16 at 10:00 AM PDT.

Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages
Stockton, California - May 1-4, 2014

First Round Qualifying (64s)

Tom Fuhrmann d. Enrique Ainslie, fft
Sean Klingman d. Daeyong Kwon, 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10

Danny Lavely d. Jimmy Oliver, 11-0, 11-6, 11-4
Fernando Kurzbard d. Seung Jun Jeon, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4

Matthew Majxner d. Brandon Callihan, 11-2, 11-8, 11-9
Mauro Rojas d. Pablo Kurzbard, 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9

Gerardo Guevara d. John Wolfe, fft
Francisco Troncoso d. Dale Millhollin, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4

Second Round Qualifying (32s)

Q8: Tom Fuhrmann d. 16 Robert Collins, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6
Q1: 9 Marco Rojas v. Sean Klingman, 9-11, 11-3, 11-0 11-7

Q4: 12 Jose Diaz d. Danny Lavely, 11-6, 11-1, 9-11, 11-7
Q5: 13 David Horn d. Fernando Kurzbard, 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5

Q6: 14 Cliff Swain d. Matthew Majxner, 11-6, 11-1, 11-5
Q3: 11 Charlie Pratt d. Mauro Rojas, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5

Q2: 10 Jansen Allen d. Gerardo Guevara, 11-3, 11-8, 11-1
Q7: Francisco Troncoso d. 15 Javier Moreno, fft

Round of 16

1 Kane Waselenchuk v. Tom Fuhrmann
8 Ben Croft v. 9 Marco Rojas

5 Daniel De La Rosa v. 12 Jose Diaz
4 Jose Rojas v. 13 David Horn

3 Alvaro Beltran v. 14 Cliff Swain
6 Chris Crowther v. 11 Charlie Pratt

7 Tony Carson v. 10 Jansen Allen
2 Rocky Carson v. Francisco Troncoso

Follow the bouncing ball…

IRT - Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages Preview

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages begins Thursday in Stockton, California with a field of 32 players. The top 12 players are in Stockton along with USA Team member David Horn - a Stockton native - and veteran left-handers Cliff Swain and Javier Moreno.

We're unsure what the best match of the qualifiers will be, although Robert Collins versus Tom Fuhrmann should be good (assuming that Fuhrmann wins his first round match against Enrique Ainslie).

The IRT Network will carry the action from Stockton beginning on Friday with the Round of 16 at 12:30 PDT.

Ektelon 209 Battle of the Ages
Stockton, California - May 1-4, 2014

First Round Qualifying (64s)

Tom Fuhrmann v. Enrique Ainslie
Sean Klingman v. Daeyong Kwon

Seung Jun Jeon v. Franco Kurzbard
Danny Lavely v. Jimmy Oliver

Matthew Majxner v. Brandon Callihan
Mauro Rojas v. Pablo Kurzbard

John Wolfe v. Gerardo Guevara
Francisco Troncoso v. Dale Millhollin

Second Round Qualifying (32s)

Q8: 16 Robert Collins v. Tom Fuhrmann or Enrique Ainslie
Q1: 9 Marco Rojas v. Sean Klingman or Daeyong Kwon

Q4: 12 Jose Diaz v. Danny Lavely or Jimmy Oliver
Q5: 13 David Horn v. Seung Jun Jeon or Franco Kurzbard

Q6: 14 Cliff Swain v. Matthew Majxner or Brandon Callihan
Q3: 11 Charlie Pratt v. Mauro Rojas or Pablo Kurzbard

Q2: 10 Jansen Allen v. John Wolfe or Gerardo Guevara
Q7: 15 Javier Moreno v. Francisco Troncoso or Dale Millhollin

Round of 16

1 Kane Waselenchuk v. Q8
8 Ben Croft v. Q1

5 Daniel De La Rosa v. Q4
4 Jose Rojas v. Q5

3 Alvaro Beltran v. Q6
6 Chris Crowther v. Q3

7 Tony Carson v. Q2
2 Rocky Carson v. Q7

Follow the bouncing ball…