Main Nue: Esku Pilota begins its 2019 Tournament Season--and an Interesting one v two match

Esku Pilota, the organization that manages most 2019 Elite Pro Tournaments (as well as other "Open" Tournaments, recently completed its first EP Tournament of the year. 

Tournois d'Itxassou (source for all TdI scores: Esku Pilota Resultats)

*Not on Esku Pilota Player Page

All matches were played at Atharri Fronton, Itxassou (1) (2)

Note that Tournois d'Itxassou was played on a "hybrid" concha (court). It is a standard mur a gauche (3 wall) with a "drop in" side and back dugout. So there are trinquet elements, but there is no right wall, making for an interesting combination of possibilities. 

FINAL:

May 11, 2019

Etcheverry-Ducassou 40 Ospital-Xala 29 (Pilota Ttiki condensed full match video)

Selected linescore (winners always listed first) (Esku Pilota)

2-2; 3-3; 4-4; 7-7; 8-8; 9-9; 10-10; 17-12; 26-26 28-26; 40-29

*Match article, with audio interview with Baptiste Ducassou and video of the last few points* (Esku Pilota)

This was a hard fought match until almost the 4th decade. Ducassou was interesting to watch in the way he exploited the possibilities of two wall winners to the left side which would go off the court. Equal at 26, Xala gifted E-D two points which sent them on their way to a 14-3 run that turned a "nail biter" into a rout.

Semi-finals

May 7, 2019

Ospital-Xala* 40 P. Larralde-B. Larralde (seeded in) 24 (Pilota Ttiki condensed full match video)

Condensed linescore: (winners always listed first

1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 2-3; 9-3; 9-4; 11-4; 11-6; 14-6; 14-8; 16-8; 16-11; 17-11; 17-12; 20-12; 20-16; 22-16; 22-18; 25-18; 25-19; 28-19; 28-20; 32-20; 32-24; 40-24

As expected, O-X used a strategy of keeping the ball away from P. Larralde as much as possible to create maximum pressure on the other EP debutant in this tournament, brother Bixente Larralde. The strategy worked to perfection, though in the end P. Larralde actually had more balls in play the B. (129-100 by my count). Ospital also had 9 service aces. 

Etcheverry-Ducassou 40 Bielle-Harismendy (seeded in) 31 (Pilota Ttiki condensed full match video)

Selected linescore (winners always listed first)

8-11; 10-12; 13-13; 21-14; 37-28; 37-31; 40-31

Match article for both matches (Esku Pilota)

A 7 point run in early to mid match paved the way for E-D's comfortable win.

Quarter-finals

May 3, 2019

Etcheverry-Ducassou 40 Monce-X. Lambert 27 (Pilota Ttiki condensed full match video)

Selected linescore (winners always listed first)

6-6; 7-7; 8-8; 40-27

This was Maxime Etcheverry's first match as an Esku Pilota Elite Pro. He got off to a bit of a nervous start with several errors, but Ducassou was able to steady the ship, playing excellent defense, and finally helping his team pull away to a relatively easy win. 

Ospital-Xala* 40 Etcheverria*-Guichandut 35 (Pilota Ttiki condensed full video)

Selected Linescore (winners always listed first)

0-7; 10-18; 20-21; 26-26; 28-28; 29-29; 30-30; 34-34; 40-35

Time of match: about 1 and a half hours

Match article for both matches (Esku Pilota)

This turned out to be the most competitive match of the entire tournament, with amateur Enaut Etchererria playing a very strong match, helping his team gain the initiative. But Ospital played a steady, effective match and helped his team to a 10-3 run that put them back in contention. The match was even int the 3rd decade and well into the fourth, before O-X were able to put together a 6-1 run at the end. 

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Independent Matches

May 17, 2019

Trinquet Barria, Hasparren--Trinquet (old and new (1) (2) Hasparren

Etcheverry-B. Larralde (both 1st year Esku Pilota and FFPB Championat de France winners) 40

Ducassou (arriere and FFPB Championnat de France Elite Pro Individual Champion) 26

(Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video

Selected linescore (winners always listed first)

11-5; 12-12; 40-26

A fascinating concept, to pit the singles Elite Pro World Champion against two amateur champions (Pilota Ttiki condensed full match video) who gained experience in the FFPB Elite Pro par Equipes competition. In the end, E-B.L were able to force Ducassou to move enough to take advantage of his increasing fatigue and win comfortably. The trinquet was a little too big for one to beat two on this occasion, but Ducassou made it interesting. 

Lever de rideau (curtain raiser)

Cigarroa*-Benesse* (blue) 40 Alcasena*-Garat* (green) 16 (Pilota Ttiki Youtube condensed full match video)

*Not on the Esku Pilota roster at present.

Selected linescore (winners always listed first)

2-2; 17-2; 30-11; 40-16

Match article for both matches (Esku Pilota)

Promotion Poster (Esku Pilota)

The beginning of this "lever de rideau" tells the story as C-B took a huge lead and then continually increased it to win in a rout.

UPCOMING:

TOURNOIS PILOTARIENAK--ANGLET--MAY 24-29, 2019

SEMI-FINALS

MAY 24

P. LARRALDE-WALTARY v ETCHEGARAY-HARISMENDY

OSPITAL-GUICHANDUT v ECHEVERRIA*-DUCASSOU

MAY 29

FINAL