The 2024 Tucson Memorial Wraps: Day 3

Sunday

Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 9/22/24

The first event of the 2024/25 Race 4 Eight season concluded at the Memorial, the Daytona 500 of the Race 4 Eight.

R48 Men’s Pro Final: Martin vs. Lucho

After losing the last two Memorial finals to the Cordova brothers, Martin Mulkerrins was a man on a mission at the 2024 Memorial. After concussive Saturday victories that demoralized Race 4 Eight top 10 pros Ivan Burgos and Leo Canales, Mulkerrins was equally destructive on Sunday morning. Mulkerrins never allowed Lucho to settle into the match, playing nearly perfect handball in the two-game sweep. Mulkerrins had an answer for virtually every shot Lucho hit, while Lucho had no answers for the Mulkerrins power serve and two-handed attack.

“Lucho needs to take full swings to put the pressure on (Martin),” stated Danos between games.

Martin’s power and precision never allowed Lucho to take full swings, as Martin captured his second Memorial title in one of the most dominant performances in the history of the tour.

“Delighted with the win,” Martin would tell ESPN’s Kara Mack after donning his Memorial cowboy hat. “I was focused on my own performance and I think I served and killed well. It’s hard to compare games (from previous events). I took July and August off and trained in the CrossFit Gym with Ciana (in Ireland). I’m in the courts every day at Texas A&M with the team and I make the time to train and practice in the court. I’d be here all day if I was trying to thank everybody. The WPH has been fantastic supporters of me since I started coming to my first stop in 2013. It’s a huge honor to have my name on that (Memorial) trophy. We wouldn’t be here without the WPH and thank you to everybody who contributes to it.”

Final: M. Mulkerrins def Lucho 15-5, 15-5

R48 Playoffs

Ivan Burgos played lights out handball in the fifth place final, driving the ball with tremendous power and running down virtually every shot Ray Ure hit in a one-sided fifth place final.

“Fifth place is an advancement and it means I’m improving,” Burgos told ESPN’s Kara Mack. “Playing good handball means staying in most nights so I can wake up early to train. I would have wanted to do better against Mulkerrins but there is always next time.”

5^th Place Final: Burgos def Ure 25-11

9^th Place Final: Perez def Langmack 25-19

R48 Men’s Pro Memorial Finishes

1^st: M. Mulkerrins

2^nd: Lucho

3^rd: Danos/Canales

5^th: Burgos

6^th: Ure

7^th: Fink/Doyle

9^th: Perez

10^th: Langmack

11^th: Munson/D. Mulkerrins

13^th: Lenning/O’Connor/Esser/T. Schmitt

17^th: McGrath

WR48 Final: Ni Churraoin vs. Munroe

Ciana Ni Churraoin was aiming for her first WR48 title in her seventh final, while Clodagh Munroe was also seeking her first WR48 title in her second final.

Both players appeared to be nervous from the outset, trading errors and side outs. With the score tied at four, CNC unleashed her power and offense, forcing Munroe to paddle-swing and make errors. CNC ended the first game on an eleven-point streak and continued to apply pressure in the second.

Munroe was not able to summon the type of comeback that carried her into the final, as she continued to struggle off the back wall with her left. CNC made very few mistakes in the second, running away with her first title ten years after her first WR48 start.

“It was a lot of fun,” stated CNC to ESPN’s Kara Mack in the post-match interview. “It was a nice change (to win). “I’m always excited to play and nervous as well and trying to keep focusing on what I am going to do before I play. At 12-3 (in the second), I was just focusing on what serve I was going to hit. I switched up my serve in the second because most of my serves in the first game were short. Very excited about my first (Race 4 Eight) title.”

Final: Ni Churraoin def Munroe 15-4, 15-3

WR48 Playoffs

Playing fresh and free from her tournament control responsibilities, Dr. Ashley Ruiz was sharp in the third place final against Mikaila Esser. Ruiz grabbed a huge lead on the strength of controlled drives that kept Esser off-balance. A late Esser rally was too late, as Ruiz grabbed an impressive third place finish.

3^rd Place Final: Ruiz def Esser 25-19

5^th Place Final: Daskalakis def Holden 25-9

W48 Memorial Finishes

1^st: Ni Churraoin

2^nd: Munroe

3^rd: Ruiz

4^th: Esser

5^th: Daskalakis

SR48 Final: Fink vs. Munson

David Fink and Dave Munson met for the second time in the last SR48 events in the final, with Fink winning their first SR48 matchup at January’s 2024 Chapman.

Fink started well in the final, scoring four points in the first service inning, but an error allowed Munson to work his way into the game. Fink steadied himself after a Munson streak, playing the ceiling and using the walls to create openings. After closing out the first game, Fink drove Munson into the back court with pass shots in the second, winning points outright or setting up front court kill shots.

With the win, Fink clinched his fifteenth SR48 title in sixteen SR48 starts.

“It seemed like Dave never missed a first serve,” Munson would later say.

“I’m definitely happy with the way I played,” stated Fink in his Memorial cowboy hat. “Dave is a very tough player with a lot of experience, so I know I have to play well to win rallies. I’m thrilled to be able to play in the SR48 tour and want to thank the WPH for giving me and all of the players the opportunity to compete and experience these events.”

Final: Fink def Munson 15-7, 15-4

SR48 Playoffs

Alex Garcia was too strong for his California SR48 rival Sal Duenas in the third place final, using his lethal right hand (and biceps) to dominate Duenas. Congratulations to Sal Duenas for notching a top four finish in his first SR48 start. 

3^rd Place Final: A. Garcia def Duenas 15-1, 15-2

5^th Place Final: R. Martinez def Castro 25-17

S48 Memorial Finishes

1^st: Fink

2^nd: Munson

3^rd: A. Garcia

4^th: Duenas

5^th: R. Martinez

Men’s Pro Big Ball Doubles

Samzon Hernandez returned to his peak form in the Big Ball Pro Doubles final, dominating the court with stiff arm left-hand kills and passes and setting up front court opportunities for “Man Ram” Capullo. Team Samzon/Man Ram overwhelmed Team Cordova in the first but Team Cordova regrouped in the second as they aimed to slam the WPH Big Ball doubles season. Team Samzon/Man Ram appeared to have all four hands on the trophy at 13-11 in the second, but two quick Cordova points brought the brothers to within two points of forcing a tiebreaker. Team Samzon/Man Ram hit a kill to set up match point and a Danos error ended the match.

Final: Hernandez/Capullo def Team Cordova 15-8, 15-13

2024 Memorial List of Champions

R48 Men’s Pro: Martin Mulkerrins

WR48: Ciana Ni Churraoin

SR48: David Fink

Men’s Pro Big Ball Doubles: Team Samzon/Capullo

Men’s B Big Ball Doubles: Team Guardardo/Moreno

Men’s Open Small Ball Doubles: Team Montijo/O’Connor

A Singles: Meleci Gonzalez

B Singles: Alex Smith

Junior Singles: Diego Melchor

60 Doubles: Team Lewis/Lippman

70 Singles: Steve Lippman

Thank you!

Thank you to the WPH staff, all of the volunteers, the Tucson Racquet Club, and all of the players for traveling to the 2024 Memorial for a great event.

Follow the draws and results from the 2024 Race 4 Eight Tucson Memorial HERE

David Fink

WPH Senior Writer