R48 Stock Watch
The WPH’s second year in New York was another smashing success, as the WPH, the pro players and fans were treated to a sensational weekend of hospitality by John Duggan, Tommy Solario, John Moran, Carl Obert and the NYAC’s Killers Club. Thank you!
The R48’s last regular season event provided a number of surprises, with the exception of the Paul Brady and Catriona Casey, who continue to obliterate their competition on their respective tours.
Rising:
Paul Brady (+10%): Paul Brady continues to dominate, as evidenced by his combined 120-32 annihilation of Vic Perez, Mando Ortiz, Naty Alvarado and Andy Nett. Brady looks like a man amongst boys and there appears to be no end in sight for his fellow R48 pros. Brady will be the overwhelming favorite to complete his perfect R48 IV season in next month’s Player’s Championship in Salt Lake City
Catriona Casey (+10%): Having never been truly tested in a WR48 match, Ciana Ni Churraoin put Casey to the test in New York’s final, pushing the WR48 #1 to her first tiebreaker in 18 WR48 matches. Casey responded with the poise of a champion, methodically building and maintaining a tiebreaker lead to claim her 6th WR48 title in six WR48 events
Refereeing and Tournament Control (+10%): Head tournament referees Abe Montijo and Luis Cordova ensured that the referees were prepared and in control of each match, making for a professional product on ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports. Tournament managers Aoife McCarthy and Catriona Casey ensured that players were on court and prepared to play, allowing the tournament to run on time with six divisions and only three courts. Thanks!
Kara Mack (+10%): WPH and ESPN Sideline reporter and play-by play broadcaster Kara Mack is simply the best in the business. Enough said
Andy Nett (+8%): Andy Nett advanced to his first R48 semifinal in his 22nd career R48 start with a stunning upset of R48 #2 Luis Moreno in the first round and an emphatic victory over first-time qualifier Colin Crehan in the quarterfinals. Nett became just the fourth player to defeat Luis Moreno and Sean Lenning in the same event (Brady, Shanks, Iglesias) when he defeated Lenning in two games in the semifinals to advance to the final
Ciana Ni Chrraoin (+8%): Ciana advanced to the final in just her first WR48 start and showed she was not just happy to be there, coming back from a 15-1, 7-1 deficit in the final to force a tiebreaker against WR48 #1 Catriona Casey. Ciana could be Casey’s next rival on the WR48, as she possesses all of the physical and mental traits of a future champion
Naty Alvarado (+7%): Alvarado entered just his second event of the R48 IV season and proved that even at 41, he still has the game to beat anyone not named Paul Brady. Alvarado dispatched R48 #3 Emmett Peixoto with alarming ease in the round of 8 and ensured that he will remain in the top eight at season’s end
Precocious Cordovas (+5%): Luis Cordova became the youngest player to qualify for a R48 Player’s Championship at 21 in 2012. Luis’ 22-year old brother Daniel became the second youngest player to ever be invited to the Player’s Championship, earning the Salt Lake City invitation with a 9th place finish at the NYAC
Martina McMahon (+4%) Despite losing to Ni Chrraoin in the semifinals, McMahon displayed the talent of a future superstar. McMahon possesses two phenomenal hands, led by a devastating left that can end rallies from anywhere on the court. McMahon will undoubtedly be a player to watch in the coming years
Round of 16 Losses (+2%): With Luis Moreno losing in the round of 16 in New York, every player currently in the top 16 on the R48 tour has lost in the round of 16 at some point in his Race career (*Paul Brady lost in the first round of the 2014 Player’s Championship, which was the round of 8 in the elite 8-man field
Falling:
Mando Ortiz (-3%): Ortiz appeared to be Brady’s closest rival after the R48 III season, splitting two close matches with “The Gunner.” Ortiz has slumped in the R48 IV season, failing to make the semifinals and not looking like the player that handed Brady his second loss in 11 years at last season’s Player’s Championship
Luis Moreno and David Fink (-4%): Fellow Tucsonians and top five seeds Luis Moreno and David Fink were both bounced in the first round in New York, falling to qualifiers in razor close games. In their combined four games lost, Moreno and Fink lost by two points in each of the four games (all games are win by two), with Fink failing to capitalize on a match point in game two of his match.
Jessica Gawley (-6%): Gawley entered New York looking to rebound from a 15-0, 15-0 thrashing in the finals of San Francisco’s WR48 II Stop #2, but was unable to bounce back in the “Big Apple.” Gawley lost both of her matches at the NYAC and currently owns a three-match WR48 losing streak
Dave Vincent (-7%): Vincent missed the NYAC award banquet for the first time, but showed no remorse in doing so. Sure, he was sitting court-side from 4:15am until 8:00pm on Saturday, but this is why they have coffee. Lacking the ability to delegate has earned the WPH Jefe a negative seven!
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer