2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships: Day 5
The final day at the 2016 National One-Wall Championships kicked off with the Men’s Singles final, as Tyree Bastidas aimed for his fourth consecutive singles title and fifth overall. Tyree would face 1-Wall small ball veteran lefty William Polanco in the early morning final. Tyree took a one-game lead behind strong serving and overhand power during the rallies. Polanco rallied in game two, building an 11-6 lead and seemingly in control of the game. Tyree regained control, scoring 15 of the final 19 points of the match to defend his singles title. “Tyree dominated with powerful serves that got him several aces,” stated WPH reporter and women’s singles champion Danielle Daskalakis. “If Willie returned the serve, Tyree just used his power to take over the rally.”
Tyree slammed in the doubles with Billy O’Donnell, defeating Mike Schneider and William Polanco in two exciting games. “The pace that Tyree and Billy were imposing was really intense and it just looked like Mike and Willie were tiring out,” stated WPH reporter James Flaherty.
Danielle Daskalakis joined Tyree Bastidas in slamming the pro singles and doubles, teaming with Sandy Ng to defeat Theresa Haley and Mel Sky in the women’s doubles final.
Men’s Singles Final: T. Bastidas def Polanco 21-15, 21-15
Men’s Doubles Final: T. Bastidas/O’Donnell def Schneider/Polanco 21-15, 21-9
Women’s Doubles Final: Daskalakis/Ng def Haley/Sky 21-13, 21-3
Men’s doubles finalists picture courtesy of James Flaherty
Women’s doubles champions picture courtesy of Danielle Daskalakis
2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships: Day 4
Saturday featured the men’s open singles semifinals and the women’s open singles final at the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships in Coney Island. Just two men’s singles stars would still be standing after four grueling days in Brooklyn’s scorching summer sun following Saturday’s semifinal matches.
Tyree Bastidas continued his impressive play in his quest to repeat as the USHA National One-Wall champion, turning back frequent rival Billy O’Donnell in two games to reach the final. William Polanco and Jurell Bastidas played virtually even throughout game one of the bottom bracket men’s singles semifinal, with Polanco edging Bastidas 21-18. Polanco surged in game two, using the momentum from a close first game win to cruise in game two to meet Tyree in Sunday’s final.
Danielle Daskalakis repeated as the women’s singles champion with alarming ease, outscoring her semifinal and final opponents by a combined score of 84-12. Daskalakis will aim for the slam in the women’s doubles final on Sunday with partner Sandy Ng.
Men’s Singles Semifinals
- Bastidas def O’Donnell
Polanco def J. Bastidas
Men’s Singles Final (Sunday): T. Bastidas vs. Polanco
Women’s Singles Final
Daskalakis def E. Huang 21-2, 21-3
To follow the draws from the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships, click here
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships: Day Three (8/5/2016)
Bright sunshine and high humidity greeted the men’s singles quarterfinalists on day three of the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships, as players would have to battle not only their opponents, but the brutally hot conditions as well.
Tyree Bastidas played like the defending champion is his quarterfinal win against Eddie Perez, dominating the match from start to finish. “Just watching Tyree it’s going to be very hard for anyone to beat him,” stated WPH reporter and Race 4 Eight pro Stephen Cooney. “He looks much sharper than he did a few weeks ago (at the Speaker’s Cup) and he is doing crazy things with that ball.” Billy O’Donnell dominated Juned Kahn to book a spot in the semifinals opposite Tyree. William Polanco cruised past current world 1-Wall finalist Victor Lopierre to book his spot in the semis. Mike Schneider entered the event as one of the favorites but was upset by Jurell Bastidas, making him the only one of the top four seeds to not advance to the semis. Schneider and J. Bastidas split the first two games, with Schneider seemingly carrying the momentum into the tiebreaker on the heels of a 21-11 second game win. Jurell erased the Schneider momentum in the tiebreaker with a blistering serve that struck the wall just inches off the ground. “Jurell’s serve is just too good and makes it nearly impossible to get into a rally when it’s on,” stated Cooney.
Danielle Daskalakis kept her hopes alive for a repeat title in the women’s singles by defeating WPH ambassador Vernonica Figueroa in two games, while En-Lin Huang and Theresa Haley played the match of the day in the women’s bottom bracket semifinal, with Huang overcoming Haley 11-8 in the tiebreaker.
Men’s Singles Quarterfinals
- Bastidas def E. Perez 21-6, 21-2
O’Donnell def Khan 21-10, 21-8
Polanco def Lopierre 21-14, 21-9
- Bastidas vs. Schneider (2) 21-8, 11-21, 11-6
Men’s Singles Semifinals (Saturday)
- Bastidas vs. O’Donnell
Polanco vs. J. Bastidas
Women’s Singles Semifinals
Daskalakis vs. Figueroa 21-5, 21-2
- Huang def Haley 18-21, 21-13, 11-8
Women’s Singles Final
Daskalakis vs. E. Huang
To follow the draws from the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships, click here
Picture courtesy of myfreeconcert.com
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships: Day Two (8/4/2016)
Day two at the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships featured the top eight men’s seeds in action, with each looking to cement his spot amongst the 1-Wall small ball’s Elite 8 and move onto Friday’s quarterfinal action.
The intense heat and humidity at Coney Island produced several scintillating round of 16 matches, with several 1-Wall superstars being ushered out of the draw. The match of the day featured longtime former doubles partners and multiple-time 1-Wall national doubles champions William Polanco and Pee Wee Castro battling. Polanco won game one and held match point in game two but was unable to convert, with the clutch Castro forcing a tiebreaker. The tiebreaker featured outrageous shot making and drama, with Polanco ultimately edging his former partner 11-8 in the decider. Victor Lopierrre continued his outstanding 1-Wall play, overcoming 6th seeded Robert Lee in two games. Top seeds Tyree Bastidas and Mike Schneider were impressive in their opening round wins, as were Billy O’Donnell, Juned Khan, Jurell Bastidas, and Eddie Perez.
Round of 16 Results (Thursday)
- Bastidas def Hossain 21-4, injury def
- Perez def Rebaza 15-21, 21-8, 11-8
Khan def Kaplan 21-19, 21-15
O’Donnell def Milman 21-4, 21-9
Polanco def Castro 21-11, 20-21, 11-8
Lopierre def R. Lee 21-14, 21-19
- Bastidas def Cooney 21-10, 21-15
Schneider def E. Lee 21-11, 21-14
Round of 8 Matchups (Friday)
- Bastidas vs. E. Perez
Khan vs. O’Donnell
Polanco vs. Lopierre
- Bastidas vs. Schneider
To follow the draws from the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships, click here
Photo courtesy of Mike Schneider
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships: Day One (8/3/2016)
The 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships kicked day one of five off with exciting round of 32 matches on Wednesday, with cross over stars and accomplished 1-Wall veterans hitting the famed Coney Island 1-Wall courts. Current WPH R48 Player’s Champion and USHA Four Wall National Champion Killian Carroll entered the USHA National One Wall Championship for the first time, losing to 1-Wall veteran Jonathan Milman in two close games. Teenage sensation Sheikh Hossain outlasted two-time RFC 1-Wall small ball finalist James Flaherty in a tiebreaker and Yuber “Pee Wee” Castro returned to Coney Island to win a thrilling tiebreaker against Nick Roman.
Thursday will see the top eight seeds in action, as defending champion Tyree Bastidas will aim to repeat, Mike Schneider will aim to continue the stellar play that saw him capture the Speaker’s Cup two weeks ago, current 1-Wall small ball world finalist Victor Lopierre will look to make another deep run in a 1-Wall major, and top 1-Wall stars William Polanco, Joe Kaplan, and Jurell Bastidas will face formidable challenges.
Thursday’s Round of 16 Matchups:
- Bastidas vs. Hossain
Perez vs. Rebaza
Kaplan vs. Khan
Milman vs. O’Donnell
Polanco vs. Castro
Lopierre vs. Lee
- Bastidas vs. Cooney
Lee vs. Schneider
To follow the draws from the 2016 USHA National One-Wall Championships, click here
Photo courtesy of Robert Lee
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
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