WPH Press, Austin, TX, 11/17/26
The University of Texas Handball Team presented the 2024 Texas State Singles Tournament at UT’s Gregory Gym on campus of the University of Texas featuring 123 players in the Lone Star’s most prestigious singles event.
Men’s Open Singles
The eighteen-player Men’s Open Singles field was one of the strongest in Texas history, headlined by Race 4 Eight #1 Martin Mulkerrins and Race 4 Eight #3 Danos Cordova. Joining the top three pros were current Race 4 Eight pros were Austin’s Adam Bernhard, John Chapman, Diarmuid Mulkerrins, and Taylor Schmitt.
Martin Mulkerrins returned to the singles court in Austin for the first time since his semifinal loss to Paul Brady at the World Championships two weeks ago, defeating ATX’s Adam Bernhard to advance to the final.
New Austin resident Danos Cordova made his first start as a local at the 2024 Texas State Singles, defeating John Chapman in the semifinals after Chapman scored one of his career-best wins in the quarterfinals against Diarmuid Mulkerrins.
Mulkerrins appeared to be in control against Danos after losing to one-half of the Flying Cordovas twice during the 2023/24 Race 4 Eight season, serving for the match at 21-16, 20-13. Danos staged an improbable comeback from the brink of defeat, reeling off ace serves and kills to force a tiebreaker.
Mulkerrins was feeling the pressure in the tiebreaker, knowing he was one shot from the title at 20-13 in game two, only to find himself tied at eight in the race to eleven.
“Very tough match,” stated Mulkerrins after the one hour and thirty-five-minute battle. “When the tiebreaker was tied at eight it could have gone either way but thankfully, I got a few kills and an ace serve in the last few points.”
Semifinals
Mulkerrins def Bernhard 15-8, 15-3
Cordova def J. Chapman 15-5, 15-3
Final: M. Mulkerrins def D. Cordova 21-16, 20-21, 11-8
Women’s Open Singles
The Women’s Open singles field was headlined by Irish collegians Aoife Holden and Leah Minogue challenging Texans Kristen Hughes and Scarlett Smith.
Aoife Holden cruised to the final in the upper bracket, while Leah Minogue upset UT’s Kristen Hughes in two close games to set up an all Irish final at Gregory Gym.
Aoife Holden failed to convert a game or match point for the third consecutive week, this time a match point against Minogue in game two. With the comeback, Minogue claimed her first open title on U.S. soil.
Semifinals
Holden def Haas 15-2, 15-3
Minogue def Hughes 15-11, 15-13
Final: Minogue def Holden 14-21, 21-20, 11-5
Thank you to tournament director Robbie Howell for an outstanding event.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2024 Texas State Singles Tournament HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer