WPH Press. Tucson, AZ, 11/7/21
Men’s R48 Pro Final: Carroll vs. Lucho
Killian Carroll was seeking history on Sunday morning, as he was aiming to break his tie with Paul Brady for the most R48 Men’s Pro titles in the history of the tour.
Carroll and Lucho played jaw-dropping handball in the first game, with the best handball in the world on full display. Killian ran his right elbow into the right side wall three times in the first game, but was undeterred, seemingly playing better after each crash. Lucho was unable to convert several opportunities with Killian leading 11-10, ultimately falling 15-11. Carroll sensed Lucho’s fatigue in game two and elevated his game, finding the bottom board with both hands to run away with the game and match to make history with 16 R48 Men’s titles.
“Feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I’m overwhelmed,” stated Carroll. “Definitely as I was climbing in pro stop wins the record entered my mind. I’m thrilled to have the top score. This is the most nervous I’ve been in a long, long time. Luis battles like always and it’s really difficult. I felt like he was controlling the first game. I want to thank everyone who supports me in Ireland and Boston.”
Final: Carroll def Lucho 15-11, 15-2
R48 Playoffs
David Fink extended his record-breaking fifth place titles with a dominant win against Stephen Cooney in the fifth place final, while Shorty Ruiz overcame Abraham Montijo to win ninth.
5th place final: Fink def Cooney 25-8
9th place final: Ruiz def Montijo 25-11
Men’s R48 Pro 2021 Memorial Finishes
1st: Carroll
2nd: Lucho
3rd: Lenning/Danos
5th: Fink
6th: Cooney
7th: Canales/Esser
9th: Ruiz
10th: Montijo
11th: Langmack/Iglesias
Women’s Pro Singles Final: Moler vs. Davis
Moler and Davis found their way to one another in the Women’s Pro final, just as they seem to do in each event that both enter. The first game featured six lead changes, with the momentum shifting throughout. Both players mixed their serves, with Ashley alternating between lob serves and power serves, while Tracy hit power serves to the left and right. Moler took a 13-10 lead, but Davis tightened up her back wall game, eliminating her back wall mistakes and tying the game at 13. Moler was able to score the final two points of the game to seize the momentum of the match. Moler built a 10-2 lead in game two and fought off a furious Davis rally, ending the match with a right-hand kill.
“This (win) is for my guys here, I love my guys,” stated Moler to ESPN courtside reporter Kara Mack. “It’s hard to get through it (the interview) without crying. I’ve been working a lot on my serve. Fred Lewis has coached me, and 15 minutes of being in the court with him made a world of difference. I just need to focus and I always think of Scarlett (my daughter) to stay focused. I’m just happy to be on the court, happy to be playing, and so happy the tour is back.”
Final: Moler def Davis 15-13, 15-9
Men’s Pro Doubles Final: Flying Cordovas vs. Carroll/Langmack
The Flying Cordovas and Carroll/Langmack staged the longest match of the tournament in the doubles final, with rallies lasting an average of 9+ shots during the 97-minute final. The Cordovas dropped game one but rallied to win the next two to claim the prestigious Memorial title. “You could really see Daniel stepping it up in the second game and that’s what the Cordovas needed because both were playing passively and just hitting the ball back,” stated Abraham Montijo.
“Feels real good, I started to feel pressure at the end,” stated Danos. “You start pushing your body beyond the limit.”
“I saw Daniel stepping up,” stated Lucho. “It feels great to win with Daniel.”
Flying Cordovas def Carroll/Langmack 8-15, 15-8, 15-10
Thank you
Thank you to Dave Vincent, Lolita Vincent, Ashley Moler, Shorty Ruiz, Tricia Fink, David Fink, Scott Cleveland, Jeff Healam, Con Man Jim, Pete Jorgensen, Matt Goode, Linda Manning, Kris Gurrad, Kara Mack, Che Lowenstein, the Tucson Racquet Club, and all of the donors and players for making the 2021 Memorial such a huge success.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2021 Tucson Memorial/Race 4 Eight X Stop #1 HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer