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R48 Donuts and Match-Point Down Comebacks

WPH Research Department, 7/8/24

Through 88 R48 Men’s Pro Events in twelve Race 4 Eight seasons, the tour has seen incredible comebacks and demoralizing blowouts. The WPH Research Department dug deep into the archives to identify all of the donut games in the history of the main draw and all of the comebacks from match-point down in the history of the tour. The WPH Research Department has opened a lot of wounds for our fans…much to the dismay of our players.

  • There have been 37 donut games (round of 16 through the finals) and 33 match-point down comebacks in the history of the main draw
  • David Fink and Killian Carroll have each served eight donuts (tied for the most donuts served)
  • David Fink and Emmett Peixoto are the only players to serve a donut and lose the match
  • Two of the thirty-seven donuts were served in eleven-point tiebreakers
  • Despite being known for his comebacks, Killian Carroll has only saved match point and come back to win one time (2024 Chapman)
  • Aaron Garner received a donut in his only R48 semifinal #welcometothebigtime
  • There have been two golden games in the history of the tour (the donut recipient did not win one rally) – both of these golden games occurred at the 2024 Hall of Fame
  • Mr. Consistency, Vic Perez, has won the most matches from match-point down (5) – Perez has never lost a match when holding match point
  • Danos Cordova rallied from match point down three times in ten months and four times in fifteen months (December 2022-March 2024)
  • Seasons 7 and 12 had the most match-point down comebacks: 7 in each season
  • Season 12 had the most donut games: 7
  • 5 different R48 #1’s received donuts
  • 10 different R48 #1’s served donuts
  • Naty Alvarado, Jr. was the only player to face match points and win in consecutive matches (at the inaugural R48 stop at the 2011 Plummer)
  • Danos Cordova has the most match-point down comebacks in one season (3)
  • Canales and Ure played the longest game in R48 history in which both players held match points – 20-18 at the 2024 Juarez Open
  • Emmett Peixoto was the only player to break a bone while holding match point and eventually losing – broken left thumb vs. Ortiz when leading 15-14 in game two at the 2017 E4 R48 Atlanta
  • David Fink was the only player to face match point and win then forfeit the next round – 2013 U. S. Open vs. Cooney
  • No player has ever faced match point in a final and come back to win
  • 13 different R48 pros have served donuts in the 37 total donuts served in twelve seasons
  • 28 different R48 pros have received donuts in the 37 total donuts served in twelve seasons
  • 5 different R48 served and received donuts
  • No match has ever featured two donuts (the most lopsided main draw match in history was 15-0, 15-1)
  • David Fink was the only player to hold match points in the second and third games and lose

Donut games Round of 16 Through Finals on the R48 2011-2024

Season 1: 2011-2012

Luis Moreno def David Chapman 21-20, 21-0, QF, U.S. Open 2011

Season 2: 2012-2013

Naty Alvarado, Jr. def Aaron Garner 1-15, 15-0, 15-7 SF Houston 2012

Season 3: 2013-2014

None

Season 4: 2014-2015

Naty Alvarado, Jr. def Abraham Montijo 21-2, 19-21, 11-0, R16 U.S. Open 2014

Sean Lenning def Mando Ortiz 6-15, 15-2, 15-0 QF Houston, 2015

Paul Brady def Abraham Montijo 15-4, 15-0, R16 San Francisco, 2015

Paul Brady def Andy Nett 15-3, 15-0, Finał NYAC 2015

Season 5: 2015-2016

Killian Carroll def Marcos Chavez 15-0, 15-5, R16 Tucson Memorial 2015

David Fink def Abraham Montijo 15-2, 15-0, R16 New Orleans 2016

Killian Carroll def Emmett Peixoto 0-15, 15-13, 15-13, R16 New Orleans 2016

Mando Ortiz def Gavin Buggy 15-0, 15-4, R16, Portland 2016

Season 6: 2016-2017

Charly Shanks def Luis Cordova 21-0, 21-5, R18 U.S. Open 2016

Killian Carroll def Ryan Pesch 15-0, 15-2, R16 New Orleans 2017

Luis Moreno def Marcos Chavez 15-0, 15-5, R16 Houston 2017

Killian Carroll def Luis Cordova 12-15, 15-0, 15-6, Final, Salt Lake City 2017

Season 7: 2017-2018

David Fink def Ryan Pesch 15-0, 15-2, R16 Atlanta 2017

Killian Carroll def Dalton Beall 15-0, 15-8, R16 Las Vegas 2018

Sean Lenning def Erik Torres 15-7, 15-0, R16 Las Vegas 2018

Sean Lenning def Dave Munson 15-9, 15-0, R8, Houston 2018

Season 8: 2018-2019

Killian Carroll def Abraham Montijo 15-0, 15-2, R16 Portland 2018

Luis Cordova def George Garcia 15-1, 15-0, R8 New Orleans 2019

David Fink def Adam Bernhard 15-0, 15-9, R16 San Francisco 2019

Daniel Cordova def Sean Lenning 10-15, 15-3, 15-0, Semifinal Salt Lake City 2019

Season 9: 2019-2020

David Fink def Leo Canales 15-13, 15-0, R16 Atlanta 2019

Luis Cordova def Dalton Beall 15-0, 15-2, R8 Portland 2019

Daniel Cordova def David Fink 15-11, 0-15, 15-10, Semifinals Pittsburgh 2020

Season 10: 2021-2022

Sean Lenning def Max Langmack 15-0, 15-5, R16 Tucson 2021

Killian Carroll def David Schiller 15-0, 15-2, R16 Houston 2022

Diarmaid Nash def Luis Cordova 15-9, 15-0, Semifinals Houston 2022

Season 11: 2022-2023

Shorty Ruiz def Bill Mehilos 15-0, 15-1 R16 Houston 2023

Killian Carroll def Shanne Dunne 15-0, 15-7, Salt Lake City 2023

Season 12: 2023-2024

Martin Mulkerrins def Danos Cordova 15-12, 14-16, 15-0 Portland R16 2044

David Fink def Sam Esser 19-21, 21-10, 11-0, R48 Tucson 2023

Danos Cordova def Diarmuid Mulkerrins 15-0, 15-8, R16 Montana 2024

David Fink def Max Langmack 15-5, 15-0, R16 Tucson 2024 *Golden Game

David Fink def Leo Canales 12-15, 15-0, 15-8, R8 Tucson 2024

Luis Cordova def Vic Perez 15-0, 14-16, 15-9, R8 Tucson 2024

Martin Mulkerrins def Danos Cordova 15-9, 15-0, Semifinals Tucson 2024 *Golden Game

Players to face match point(s) and win a main draw Men’s Pro R48 match: 2011-2024

Season 1: 2011-2012

Alvarado vs. Shanks Plummer 2011 (Alvarado 12-21, 21-17, 11-10

Alvarado vs. Al. Garner Plummer 2011 (Alvarado 16-21, 21-20, 11-7)

Season 2: 2012-2013

None

Season 3: 2013-2014

Fink vs. Iglesias Tucson 2013 (Fink 27-25)

Fink vs. Cooney Simple Green U.S. Open (2013) 17-21, 21-19, 11-10

Shanks vs. Peixoto 2013 Denver 2013 (Shanks 28-26)

Season 4: 2014-2015

Perez vs. Ortiz Tucson 2014 (Perez 10-15, 16-14, 15-8)

Crehan vs. Fink NYAC 2015 (Crehan, 1-15, 17-15, 15-13)

Season 5: 2015-2016

Ortiz vs. L. Cordova Salt Lake City 2016 (Ortiz 11-14, 16-14, 15-2)

Season 6: 2016-2017

None

Season 7: 2017-2018

Ortiz vs. Peixoto Atlanta 2017 (Ortiz 7-15, 17-15, 15-1)

McCarthy vs. Lenning Tucson 2017 (McCarthy 3-15, 16-14, 15-2)

Lenning vs. Nash Montana 2018 (Lenning 8-15, 15-13, 19-17)

Chavez vs. Ruiz Las Vegas 2018 (Chavez 17-15, 11-14, 17-15)

Munson vs. Chavez 2018 Houston (Munson 3-15, 17-15, 15-13)

Ortiz vs. Pet. Funchion NYAC 2018 (Ortiz 6-15, 16-14, 15-9)

Perez vs. Chavez NYAC 2018 (Perez 15-10, 11-15, 17-15)

Season 8: 2018-2019

Perez vs. Chavez 2019 New Orleans R48LTE (13-15, 17-15, 15-11)

Canales vs. Ortiz 2019 Tucson R48LTE Hall of Fame (16-14, 12-15, 16-14)

Ruiz vs. Peixoto 2019 San Francisco (7-15, 15-6, 16-14)

Iglesias vs. Peixoto 2019 Salt Lake City (5-15, 16-14, 15-2)

Season 9: 2019-2020

Perez vs. Fink 2020 Red Death (15-12, 3-15, 16-14)

Season 10: 2021-2022

None

Season 11: 2022-2023

  1. Cordova vs. Canales, Jr. 2022 R48 Icebreaker (21-5, 11-21, 11-10)
  2. Doyle vs. D. Fink 2023 R48 Mardi Gras (12-15, 16-14, 17-15)
  3. Mulkerrins vs. Langmack 2023 R48 Houston (5-15, 16-14, 15-5)
  4. Esser vs. Burgos 2023 R48LTE Hall of Fame (8-15, 15-7, 17-15)
  5. Doyle def Ruiz 2023 R48LTE Hall of Fame (8-15, 17-15, 15-11)

Lenning def Mulkerrins 2023 R48LTE Hall of Fame (8-15, 16-14, 15-8)

Season 12: 2023-2024

  1. Cordova def Hernandez 2023 R48 Portland Classic (7-15, 16-14, 15-9)
  2. Cordova def L. Cordova 2023 R48 Memorial (15-12, 3-15, 16-14)
  3. Carroll def M. Mulkerrins 2024 Chapman Memorial (15-10, 3-15, 16-14)
  4. Cooney def L. Collado 2024 Juarez (1-15, 16-14, 15-5)
  5. Cordova def D. Mulkerrins 2024 Juarez (11-15, 15-13, 16-14)
  6. Canales def R. Ure 2024 Juarez (15-4, 1-15, 20-18)
  7. Perez def I. Burgos 2024 Tucson R48LTE Hall of Fame 5-15, 16-14, 15-6

Race 4 Eight Pro Player Bios HERE

WPH Coaching Centers HERE

DF’s R48 Fun Facts and Trends + List of Race 4 Eight Champions HERE

2024/25 Race 4 Eight Schedule and Entries HERE

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David Fink

WPH Senior Writer

DV: David Vincent formed the World Players of Handball in 2005 and ushered live handball viewing into our living rooms for the first time. Since its inception, the World Players of Handball has broadcast over 1,500 matches live. Dave Vincent serves as the lead play-by-play announcer for virtually all matches, combining his unique perspective and personality with a lifetime of handball experience. DV brings 25 years of broadcast radio experience (in Oregon and California) to World Players of Handball & ESPN broadcasts and provides professionalism and wit to the amazing game of handball. DV also serves as the Executive Director of the World Player of Handball at the WPH headquarters in Tucson, AZ, working daily to grow the game of handball through innovation.
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