Day 3
Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 4/6/25
The largest crowds of the season filled the Tucson Racquet Club downstairs bleachers and upstairs balcony to watch two thrilling playoff finals and the R48LTE Hall of Fame final.
Final: Mulkerrins vs. Ure
Martin Mulkerrins and Ray Ure met for the second time in a final this season, with Mulkerrins taking their first finals encounter at the 2024 Portland Classic in October. Mulkerrins was seeking his thirteenth Race 4 Eight title in his sixth final of the season, while Ure was aiming to become the youngest champion in R48 Men’s Pro history.
Mulkerrins enjoyed a perfect start, winning the first three rallies of the match with superb serves and kills. Mulkerrins would lead 7-4 before a Ure streak tied the game at seven. Mulkerrins seamlessly shifted gears from there, holding Ure scoreless for the rest of the first game by mixing lob and power serves and keeping Ure in the back court with perfectly placed ceiling and wrap shots, even debuting a left-handed scoop to the ceiling off the back wall. “I’ve been working on that shot,” Mulkerrins would later say.
Mulkerrins continued his mastery of the court in the second game, racing to a 14-3 lead with precision defense and bottom board kills. “I don’t think I missed a shot up until fourteen,” Mulkerrins would later say. Mulkerrins would need three serves to close out the match and his thirteenth Race title and leaving no doubt that he is one of the best to ever play on the Race tour.
Final: Mulkerrins def Ure 15-7, 15-4
R48LTE Playoffs
David Fink needed overtime comebacks in both of his fifth place matches, overcoming 9-19 and 19-23 deficits against Mark Doyle in the semifinals and a 21-24 deficit in the final against Lucho Cordova. Fink bounced back into the top five in the Race rankings after his fifteenth career fifth place title.
Fifth Place Playoffs: Fink def Lucho 26-24
Max Langmack and National Handball Captain Jeff Streibig played close throughout their winner-take-all (ranking points and prize money) ninth place final, with neither leading by more than three in there fifty-minute battle. Langmack won the final two points of the match after being tied at twenty-three to secure the win.
Ninth Place Playoffs: Langmack vs. Streibig 25-23
R48LTE Hall of Fame Finishes
1st: Mulkerrins
2nd: Ure
3rd: Canales/Burgos
5th: Fink
6th: Lucho
7th: Esser/Doyle
9th: Langmack
USHA Masters National Singles Champions
35+: Jeff Streibig
40+: Scottie Moler
45+: Bill Mehilos
50+: Alex Garcia
55+: Leo Canales
65+: Lloyd Garcia
70+: Joe Thomas
75+: Ed Campbell
80+: James Ward
Carl Porter Award Winner: Rodney Fink
Handball megadonor and contributor Rodney Fink was honored with the prestigious Carl Porter Award by the USHA in a special presentation at the Hall of Fame banquet at the USHA headquarters. Fink was presented by Vern Roberts and joined by a number of friends and family, many of whom traveled thousands of miles to enjoy the presentation. “This is a tremendous honor for me,” stated Fink, who thanked all of his friends, fiancé, and fellow players at the banquet.
Thank you!
Thank you to the USHA’s Matt Krueger, Sam Esser, Belisa Camacho, Mikaila Esser and the rest of the USHA’s team for an outstanding event. Thank you to the WPH staff for filming and running the pro event. Thank you to Ashley Ruiz, Braulio Ruiz, Lolita de Vincent, Ryan Watkins, Dave Vincent, the BOD and members of the WPH team.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2025 R48LTE USHA Hall of Fame HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer