Easter weekend was an exciting one in handball, as Australia’s top 3-Wall stars battled in Australia’s most prestigious handball event, the Australian National 3-Wall Championships. The WPH hosted a special R48 Showdown/Junior WPH Benefit Fundraiser at the WPH headquarters in Tucson, AZ, pitting R48 stars Daniel Cordova and David Fink in their first meeting.
The Australian National 3-Wall Championships were held in beautiful Adelaide, Australia and attracted the best Australian 3-Wall players in the country. One of Australia’s greatest champions, Jim Cormie, cruised to the final of the men’s open singles with victories against Ruairi Kelly and Chris Doolin, while top-seeded Dylan King defeated Dominic Morabito and Eddy Scheruga en route to the final. King outlasted Cormie in a sensational final, winning game one, dropping game two, and holding off the legend in the third game.
For more information on the Australian 3-Wall Championships, go here
The World Players of Handball was thrilled to present a special Junior WPH Benefit/ Race 4 Eight TRC Showdown between R48 #7 and 2015 WPH Rookie of the Year Daniel Cordova and R48 #8 and four-time year-end R48 Elite 8 member David Fink at the Tucson Racquet Club on Easter weekend.
Despite D. Cordova and Fink being tied at 7th in the Race 4 Eight V Points standings with Daniel’s older brother Luis, D. Cordova and Fink had never faced one another. The Race 4 Eight’s TRC Showdown between D. Cordova and Fink could be a preview of a match to determine the final spot in the top eight at season’s end, as the Cordova brothers and the R48 veteran are desperately battling for the final two spots in the R48 V Elite 8.
“This is a match I’ve been waiting to see for a long time,” stated WPH Executive Director David Vincent. “This is a battle between one of the youngest stars on the R48 tour and one of the oldest, and the best part is that it benefits the Junior WPH.”
The match did not disappoint, as Fink and Cordova’s similar styles produced a number of long and exciting rallies. Fink’s serve was the difference in the first, as the veteran stretched an early lead to cruise, 15-5. Cordova and Fink exchanged the lead four times en route to a 5-all tie in game two, when Cordova surged to a six-point run with a two-way hop serve down the middle. After a timeout, Fink quickly raced back into the game, scoring six consecutive points in the first inning following the timeout and closing the match on a 10-point run to win, 15-5, 15-11.
Tucson’s R48 star Abraham Montijo challenged the 2015 WPH Rookie of the Year in a one-game exhibition after the showdown match, with Cordova claiming victory in a competitive battle.
Thank you to all of the generous donors from the Tucson handball community. Thank you to seventh-ranked R48 pro Daniel Cordova for putting on a tremendous show. All proceeds raised from Saturday’s R48 Showdown will be used to support the Junior WPH New York City 1-WallBall Junior Shootout and Clinics + A Doubles Exhibitions on Saturday, May 28th at Brooklyn’s St. John’s Park, featuring the top stars in 1WallBall hosting clinics and serving as role models to more than 100 junior players expected to compete in various junior singles divisions.
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The World Players of Handball invites you to make a tax-deductible donation today in supporting the growth of the game. 100% of the donations received by the WPH go towards junior handball development. Donate on-line at www.thehandballstore.com, send your generous gifts through PayPal (extremehandball@cs.com) or by mailing checks to: WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718.