Can you say EXCITEMENT! – A 2009 US OPEN IRT Preview
What excitement you say? How about these story lines for starters…He’s BAAAACK! Kane Waselenchuk will attempt to win his fifth consecutive US OPEN title and pass Sudsy Monchik as the only player to win 5. Can he do it?
Can Rocky Carson win another US OPEN title? This year he will come in to the event ranked #2. How will he handle the pressure of being expected to win contend?
Can Jack Huczek finally get over the hump and win his first US OPEN?
Can Jason Maninno do the unthinkable and win his third US OPEN title with yet another string of upset victories?
Cliff Swain has announced he will play the major events on the IRT this season. That means another US OPEN with Swain in the mix!
Will Mitch Williams prove his 2007 National Singles win was not a fluke and back it up with a US OPEN title?
Will Williams, Vanderson, or Beltran make the life-changing leap into US OPEN immortality by winning the 2009 title?
Always the highlight of the US OPEN, the IRT draw will undoubtedly deliver another memorable year for racquetball fans throughout the world. Never before has the excitement level been this high going in to the US OPEN. For those of you that like to lay a little side wager on the action, allow me to give some insights that may help you make some cash.
Kane Waselenchuk (1:2 odds) – The chances of Kane not winning the US OPEN are slim. Everytime he steps foot on the court in Memphis his game rises to unseen levels. Not only does he win all his matches at the US OPEN each year but often makes the other top players look downright silly. Of course, an upset is always possible but highly unlikely with Kane.
Rocky Carson (4:1 odds) – Rocky Carson is coming off a strong season finishing #2 on the IRT. However, he took quite a few beatings from Kane throughout the year and the scar tissue is starting to build up. He has a strong chance to reach the finals but it would take a Herculean effort for him to upset Kane and win the tournament. We would all love to someone step up and give Kane a match in the finals.
Jack Huczek (4.5:1 odds) – Despite never winning the US OPEN, Huczek still is a good bet to reach the finals and battle Kane for the title. A Huczek vs Carson semi final will make for one heck of a match. If Jack gets by Carson he has the best chance of anyone on the IRT to pull the upset. He took Kane to 4 games on three different occasions last season and is not afraid to win.
Jason Mannino (9:1 odds) – Winning the US OPEN is about guts, stamina, and the willpower to dig down deep. Being the most skilled player on the court does not even come close to guaranteeing a win. Nobody on the IRT has more guts than Jason Maninno. However, with the return of Kane and the fact that he routinely lost to Rocky and Jack all of last season the chances of him winning a third US OPEN are not great. However, I have learned to never count out Jason and therefore have given him reasonable odds to win.
Alvaro Beltran (12:1 odds) – Beltran continues to be a big under-performer at the US OPEN and on tour in general. For a guy with his enormous talent to have never won a pro stop (despite 7 finals appearances) is shocking. Everyone on tour knows how dangerous this player can be as he has all the tools. The question is, will he break through on the biggest stage and really show the fans what he has under the hood? As I said in my review of Mannino, winning the US OPEN is more about guts than skill. Would love to see Beltran finally show some real fire on the court and put forth the effort necessary to claim victory.
Shane Vanderson (12:1 odds) – Vanderson has had success at the US OPEN, making the semi-finals three times, including in 2008. Of all the players who have never won a pro stop, Shane has about the best chance of pulling off the impossible by making the US OPEN his first victory. The reason is he tends to get “hot” from time to time. When he is rolling the ball from the back of the court, nobody on tour can beat him. He becomes impossible to score against. All you can do is “weather the storm” and wait for him to cool off, which he usually does. To win the US OPEN he would have to stay hot for multiple matches. Never say never!
Mitch Williams (16:1 odds) – Mitch has never made the finals of a pro stop so the chances of him winning the US OPEN are a bit remote. However, with the weapons he has on the court you never know when he is going to break loose with a life changing performance. He did a couple years ago at the Nationals in Houston, knocking off two players in the top 5 to win the tourney. Mitch remains one of my favorite players to watch on tour with his big time power and fearless shot selection.
Cliff Swain (25:1 odds) – The greatest player to ever play the game of racquetball, at age 42 he probably does not have another US OPEN title in him (especially with the return of Kane). However, the thing about Swain is he always played his best racquetball of the season at the US OPEN. I fully expect to see him playing at a high level and would not be surprised to see him pull an upset of a top 5 ranked player. To win the tournament he would have to string together multiple upsets which is quite a tall order. Still probably worth a small bet with the odds offering a strong return on your money.
Ben Croft (40:1 odds) Last season he beat Jason Mannino on tour twice (and two more times the year before!) and gave other top ranked players fits with his speed and determination. He is probably not ready to win it all at the US OPEN but every season shows more improvement on tour. Look for this young speedster to take someone in the top ranks to the wire.
Honorable Mentions:
Andy Hawthorne – last season was a bit disappointing for Hawthorne however he remains a determined competitor. Perhaps the hardest working player on tour, look for Andy to go down swinging (and diving) at this years US OPEN.
Chris Crowther – also known as “the crippler”, Chris is another dark horse that has incredible talent on the court. Nearly impossible to pass, he proves that players of all heights can play at the elite level with his 6’ 5” stature. Always fired up on the court, look for Crowther to give someone fits in the round of 16.
Tony Carson – Never heard of him! Well he won the 2008 Intercollegiate Championships and is the best new young player on the IRT. He has a BIG game, BIG heart, and entertaining personality. Not much chance of winning the tournament but a great chance to upset a top ranked player in the 16’s.
Jose Rojas – WOW what a game! He has all the shots to compete with the elite guys on the IRT. At some point Kane will end his reign as the worlds #1 ranked player and a new young gun will take his place. Most folks “in the know” will tell you that Rojas is the best young player in the country and has the skills to be the best. I suspect he will take a top player to the wire at the 2009 US OPEN.
In closing, the men of the IRT are ready to let it all loose at the 2009 US OPEN. Get your seat early for the greatest show in sports and ENJOY!
3 Responses to “Can you say EXCITEMENT! – A 2009 US OPEN IRT Preview”
You’re giving Alvero Beltran pretty darn good odds for someone who’s out for the season.
seeing my first usopen ever, looking for someone to knock kane off, does jason have one last run? i hope
jack huczek, is really playing well right now! i saw him at sun praire wisconsin last weekend. he’s my pick to click!