Saturday, January 5, 2013

IRT - 2013 California Open - Quarter finals

The top three seeds have made it to the semi-finals at the Coast to Coast California Open in Reseda, California, but only the International Racquetball Tour's (IRT's) #1 player - Kane Waselenchuk - won his semi in three straight games. Both #2 Rocky Carson and #3 Alvaro Beltran needed tie-breakers to win their quarter final matches.

Rocky Carson lost the first two games of his match against Tony Carson - no relation - but came back to win it in five games, 7-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2.

Carson will play Beltran in the semis, and Beltran also played a five game match in the quarters, where he beat Ben Croft, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3. Both players were drive serving and primarily to the left side - their opponent's backhand. Although on the match winning point, Beltran drove serve to the right side and the ball cracked out at the five foot line for an ace.

In the last quarter final of the day, Alex Landa defeated Daniel De La Rosa in five games, 11-13, 11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9. Landa was down 9-3 in the tie-breaker but came back with eight straight points to win it, and reach his first career semi-final.

Landa will play Waselenchuk, who defeated Mexican Javier Moreno, 11-2, 11-0, 11-8, in a battle of two left-handed players.

The IRT Network is web-casting California Open semi-finals and final. The first semi-final will be at 4 PM PST Saturday with the second to follow at 5 PM PST or immediately after the conclusion of the first semi. The final will be noon PST on Sunday.

2013 California Open - Reseda, California

Quarter-finals


Kane Waselenchuk d. Javier Moreno, 11-2, 11-0, 11-8
Daniel De La Rosa v. Alex Landa

Alvaro Beltran v. Ben Croft, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3
Rocky Carson v. Tony Carson, 7-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2

Semi-finals - Saturday

Kane Waselenchuk v. Daniel De La Rosa or Alex Landa - 5 PM PST
Rocky Carson v. Alvaro Beltran - 4 PM PST

Follow the bouncing ball....

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