2024 Golden State Open IRT Wrap-Up

The IRT returned to Pleasanton, CA for the second Golden State Open at the beautiful Bay Club.  Thanks to Adam Manilla, Bobby Horn, and all of the sponsors and volunteers who made this tournament happen!

Congrats to the IRT winners over the weekend:

– Singles: Kane Waselenchuk

– Doubles: Rodrigo Montoya Racquetball & Javier Mar

Kane Waselenchuk’s comeback is complete. Waselenchuk, who ascended to the #1 spot on tour for the first time in years, secured the 2024 year-end title in dominant fashion at this event. He wins his 128th career pro Tier 1 title, extending his lead over his LPRT counterpart to 15 (Paola Longoria has 113 career Tier 1 titles). More importantly, Kane secures his 15th career year-end professional title, and will do so at the age of 43, which is 4 years older than the previous record-holder.

In the round of 64s, there were no real upsets of note. The draw of 44 included many international players, especially a group of young Bolivians who made the trip.  Of note, American junior DJ Mendoza got a nice win over an up-and-coming Mexican junior Sebastian Ruelas.

Also, a relatively unknown Argentinian Gerson Miranda Martinez took out veteran international player Juan Francisco Cueva.

In the round of 32s:

– #21 Javier Mar took out #12 Robbie Collins with ease.  #19 Rocky Carson advanced over #14 Kadim Carrasco.  The biggest result of the round was #4 Andres Acuña holding firm and taking out Argentine Diego Garcia. Acuna dropped the first game but then found another gear and blitzed to a (10),2,3 win. Diego has been having some great results, so this was a solid win for Acuna.

In the round of 16s:

Waselenchuk easily beat Diego Gastelum 15-2, 15-2, much easier than the last time they met.

Javier Mar upset #5 Jake Bredenbeck to finish off a pretty disappointing season for Bredenbeck.

#3 Rodrigo Montoya got an injury default against Rocky Carson when he took an awkward step in a rally and tweaked something in his knee. Our thoughts for a speedy recovery!

Tourney host and #6 Adam Manilla had a great win over the red-hot Jordy Alonso 15-10, 15-9. Great win to overcome a guy who’s shown to be a force lately on tour.

#7 Erick Trujillo got a walkover against Jaime Martell. Jaime got some really awful news from home and had to fly back immediately. Our thoughts are with Martell and his family during this tough time.

#2 Andree Parrilla, who had a very distant shot at maybe possibly catching Kane for #1…fell in the 16s to his doubles partner and drastically under-seeded #15 Eduardo Portillo.

In the Quarterfinals:

 Kane cruised past Alan Natera for the third tourney running. Mar got an injury walkover against Acuna, one of three WBF-INJ at this event. Manilla got a career best win by toppling Rodrigo Montoya in three. He secures just his second ever career pro singles semi-final on his home courts. Portillo destroyed his younger Mexican rival Trujillo 15-7, 15-1 to move into the semis.

In the Semis

Kane continued to dominate the draw, beating Mar 15-6, 15-3. Mar once played a famous game against Kane at the US Open when practically no one knew who he was, using his touch to really flummox the champ and keep the game close…today was not one of those days. At one point the total score count for Kane was 90-14.

Manilla, facing Portillo, mounted a fantastic comeback in the tiebreaker, saving match-points against at 7-10 and then rolling off four straight points to win 11-10 and move into his first career final. Both played well enough to win, and when Lalo missed an easy short-hop even Favio on the mike said, “that’s going to cost him.” And it did.

In the Finals, two lefties faced off for a pro title for the first time since a 2009 final in Allentown, PA between Kane and Mitch Williams (ironically, Mitch’s sole career final). Manilla jumped ahead early, and kept game one close with some off-speed mid-lob Z serves and with great subterfuge on his drives, but as is typical of Kane, he hung in and ground out the game one win. Game two was more of the same early before Kane just took over for the title 15-11, 15-8.

Nicholas Regan

Points Implications of results

In the immediate aftermath of this event, Kane opens up a massive lead atop the standings to #2 Moscoso, one that will grow even more once the last two events expire from the tail end of last year (one of which was a Tier 1 Moscoso win). In fact, Moscoso probably will fall to #3 once we get to December 31st. Moscoso wasn’t at this event due to injury.  Manilla’s huge event will jump him to #4, just ahead of Parrilla. Jake will take a tumble in the ranks but will maintain top 10 status.

Doubles Review

Montoya and Mar maintain their dominance atop the pro doubles tour. Montoya has now made the finals of 12 of the last 14 competed pro doubles events, many of them with Mar, and won seven of them. They topped the field again, this time beating Manilla & Bredenbeck in the final.

Nicholas Regan