Juarez, MEX, WPH Press, 4/1/23
The biggest crowds in Race 4 Eight history filled the Campestre Juarez, as eight of the top players in the world aimed for the first Juarez Race 4 Eight title.
Quarterfinals
Lucho Cordova defended his home turf with a straightforward two-game win against long-time Southwest rival Abraham Montijo. Lucho took game one but Montijo traded kill shots with Lucho in the second. Montijo missed a right-handed setup that would have tied the score at ten and Lucho finished the match from there, scoring five straight points to sail into the semifinals.
Danos Cordova returned to the form that has seen him win three Race 4 Eight titles, blitzing Tucson’s Sam Esser in the first game of their quarterfinal. Esser bounced back after a slow start, seizing a 13-7 lead in game two by showing his two-handed offensive attack that has seen him rise to as high as number five on the Race tour. A timeout at 13-7 and five straight side outs left Esser stuck on 13 where he would stay, as Danos moved into the semifinal.
Sean Lenning overwhelmed one of the tour’s most consistent performers and hometown favorite Leo Canales, breaking away late in game one with the game tied at ten to score twenty of the final twenty-two points of the match to book a spot in his first semifinal of the season.
David Fink and Stephen Cooney met for the second time this season, with Fink winning their first matchup in Montana. Cooney quickly grabbed a 4-0 lead to start the match but Fink found his serve to the left, setting up fly kills and back wall kills to take a one-game lead. Cooney led 10-5 in game two and appeared to be on the verge of forcing a third, but a ten-point streak by Fink that included consecutive ace serves on the final two points ended the match for Fink.
Semifinals
Lucho and Danos met for the second time this season with a spot in the finals on the line. Lucho slowed the game down with a lob serve to the left in the first, never allowing Danos to light the fire that propelled him past Esser in the quarterfinals. After taking game one 15-6, Lucho held match point at 14-5 in the second. Danos rallied, closing the gap to four but ultimately falling short, as Lucho booked his spot in his sixth final of the season.
Sean Lenning and David Fink faced off in the final match of the night, as the pro-Lenning crowd was pushed into delirium with each Lenning kill shot and ace. Lenning led 9-3 but a five-point Fink run temporarily quieted the frenzied Lenning crowd. Lenning found his second wind, scoring six of the final seven points of the game. Fink started quickly in the second, building a 5-1 lead, as the 200+ fans were left sitting on their hands. The crazed fans would not be quiet for long, as Lenning reeled off fourteen consecutive points to take the match.
Round of 8
Lucho def Montijo 15-2, 15-10
Danos def Esser 15-1, 15-13
Lenning def Canales, Jr. 15-11, 15-2
Fink def Cooney 15-4, 15-10
Semifinals
Lucho def Danos 15-6, 15-11
Lenning def Fink 15-9, 15-5
Final (Sunday, 11 am MST): Lucho vs. Lenning
JR WPH Clinic
JR WPH was thrilled to coach twelve of Juarez’s best junior players in a special junior clinic at the 2023 Juarez R48LTE, as the WPH’s David Fink and R48 pro Stephen Cooney taught the corner kill, played King of the Court doubles and organized target-hitting competitions. Each of the kids took turns practicing the corner kill, learning to turn sideways and step with their front foot towards the side wall. The kid’s faces lit up when they had a chance to team with the pros in doubles, as several of the kids killed balls right in front of the coaches. The clinic wrapped up with the kids trying to hit targets.
“This is the reason we run the Race 4 Eight tour, to inspire the next generation of players,” stated Fink. “We love seeing the enthusiasm and smiling faces and hope to see these youngsters on the tour in the next few years.”
Watch the matches live on Facebook HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 2023 R48LTE Juarez HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer