The 2025-26 IRT season is coming to an end, and the competition is heating up for the year-end #1 spot. The second to last event this season is the 2026 Pro Nationals, coming to you from Missoula, Montana. It’s the first time a Tier 1 has ever featured in Montana, and its the return of the venerable “Pro Nationals” title for events for the first time since 2009 in Chicago. Before that, it was a decade-long property run by Mike Coulter out of Las Vegas and was perhaps the 2nd most popular stop on tour for years.
R2 Sports App link: https://www.r2sports.com/website/event-website.asp?TID=51565
23 players made the treck to Montana for the Singles draw; there’s no doubles so it’s win or go home all weekend for the pros.
top20 players missing; #7 Parrilla is still nursing an injury, #10 Lalo had a conflict. #12 Alonso and #14 Martell make it a quartet of top Mexicans missing this draw, and the two leading Argentines (Garcia and Miranda) did not make the long flight.
Many of the Bolivians stuck around for the week in between Los Cab and Montana, with Moscoso & Carrasco staying in California and winning titles at the Paddleball US Open, while others went to San Antonio or Iowa last weekend to compete in minor IRT events.
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Let’s preview the draw. Here’s some notable qualifying matches that i’m looking forward to:
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In the round of 32s,
– we get the sole Montana Resident in this draw Gatlin Sutherland going up against Carrasco in a fun one.
– In the 16/17 matchup we get Blase Zera versus Juan Herrera II for a shot at Kane.
– Canadian vet Lee Connell has a good shot at a main draw.
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round of 16:
– The 8/9 is Manilla vs Natera, should be a good match.
– I like the upset watch for Gastelum vs Montoya, for Trujillo over Acuna, and for Carter against Mar.
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Projected Qtrs:
– Kane vs Manilla in a battle of lefties
– Montoya over Acuna to setup a rematch of Los Cab semis against kane.
– Flores makes it 3 out of 4 this season over Jake
– Moscoso cruises past Mar once again.
Semis: I’m predicting the exact same semis that we saw in Los Cab.
– Kane tops Montoya in a rematch of two weeks ago. Montoya will get his points and make his acrobatic gets, but won’t get a win.
– Moscoso handles his countryman Flores once again.
Finals;
I’m predicting we get Kane vs Conrrado in the finals for the fourth time out of the last five events. They went 11-9 in a 2+ hour marathon in California and should do the same here.
All the marbles are up for grabs here on out: if Kane wins this event or the season finale in St. Louis, he sews up his 16th career pro title. But, if Moscoso wins here it’ll all come down to the potential final in June for who gets the #1.
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Look for Streaming in the regular places; follow the IRT on Facebook and sign up to get notifications when they go Live.
Look for Carrie Reitmeier, Favio Soto, Pablo Fajre, and the IRTLive crew all weekend on the microphone, calling the shots!
Thanks to the Tourney Directors Andy Weber for putting this event on!
IRT Club Fantasy: If you’re in the IRT Club, sign up to play Fantasy Racquetball along with myself, Brian Pineda, and other club members. Also, be sure to tune into our Fantasy Fast Break podcast, which we do before and after every IRT Tier 1 event!
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