Team Texas Represents at 2021 U.S. Open
John Casey, San Antonio, TX The very first time I decided to buy a plane ticket, to really travel to a racquetball tournament, it was for this year’s U.S. Open in Minneapolis, MN. I’d been told by several friends that if I’d ever wanted to, this was the year I should go. After all, it was the 25 th Anniversary of the event and the main sponsor, United Healthcare, would not be guaranteed to return after 2021. Throw in the fact that Covid had pretty much decimated the tournament schedule the entire year prior, and it was a no-brainer. I expected the Open to be amazing—I’d heard so many stories—and it exceeded my expectations. To be fully immersed in the world of racquetball, and at such a scale, was eye-opening. The atmosphere was Olympics-esque. But what made it truly worthwhile and that much more enjoyable was the massive contingent of players from Texas, many of whom I know and am friends with, who also attended. All the usual suspects from the whole state were there... Of the 707 p...