Astoria, NY, WPH Press, 7/13/26
Tournament directors Isaias Rivera, Mel Sky, and Impact Pro were proud to present the 2026 U.S. Open 1-Wall Handball Championships at Astoria Heights Playground, featuring 103 of the best 1-Wall Big Ball handball players in the world.
Tavo Ruiz dominated the upper bracket on his march to the final, winning his five matches convincingly to meet Kadeem Bush in the final. Bush was dominant in the bottom bracket, including a statement win in the semifinals against rival Timbo Gonzalez.
Tavo was too strong for Kadeem in the final, controlling the match with his unmatched agility and power. Tavo’s short and deep power serve allowed him to control the center of the court, flying many of Bush’s serve returns and keeping Bush behind him. Tavo built a 15-8 lead and never allowed Bush to close the gap, eventually leading 24-11. Tavo would need more than seven minutes and multiple match points to score the final point, ending the match with a deep ace serve to the left.
“Hard work pays off for sure,” Tavo would later tell the WPH. “I feel like my shot selections and serves were on point, more than they’ve ever been, so everything worked out beautifully. I train five or six days a week, sometimes seven, so that alone keeps me strong.”
Semifinals
Tavo Ruiz def David Velez 21-4
Kadeem Bush def Timbo Gonzalez 21-2
Final: Tavo Ruiz def Kadeem Bush 25-14
2026 U.S. Open 1-Wall Handball Championships Finishes
1st: Tavo Ruiz
2nd: Kadeem Bush
3rd: David Velez
4th: Timbo Gonzalez
5th: Julio Cesar Carlos
6th: Michael Ngai
7th: Luke Thomson
8th: Joshua Garcia
Watch the 2026 U.S. Open Handball Championships Final, courtesy of TensFinest HERE
Follow TensFinest on YouTube HERE
Thank you to 2026 U.S. Open 1-Wall Handball Championships tournament directors Isaias Rivera and Mel Sky for their vision, passion, and generosity to grow the game.
Pictures courtesy of Themyscira Di Prince, Marjorie Garcia, and Handball of Americas
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer