Jason Mannino
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1975-01-28) January 28, 1975
United States New York
Sport
SportRacquetball
Turned pro1995
Coached byFran Davis
Retired2010
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking1st 2002-03

Jason Mannino, born January 28, 1975, is a retired American racquetball player. Mannino was the #1 player at the end of the 2002-2003 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) season, and is a two-time winner of the US Open. He was named to the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame in 2020.[1]

Mannino's game style was unique, as he rarely hit drive serves, relying instead on a variety of half lob serves. Then during rallies he frequently dove to keep a rally going, hitting the ball to the ceiling while waiting for an opportunity to hit a winning shot.[2]

Professional career

Mannino began playing full-time on the International Racquetball Tour in 1995, and finished in the top 10 each of his full seasons on tour until his retirement after the 2009-10 season.[3] Indeed, Mannino’s lowest ranking was 7th at the end of his first season, and he was never outside of the top 5 in the next 14 seasons hitting a career high at #1 at the end of the 2002-03 season. His 15 seasons in the top 10 are third most for an IRT player behind only Cliff Swain (20) and Rocky Carson (16).

Overall, Mannino won 22 IRT tournaments in his career, placing him 7th on the all-time list,[3] and was runner up on 18 other occasions, so he had a winning record when in a final (22-18). Mannino’s 193 appearances in IRT tournament puts him 4th all time behind Swain (with 286), Carson (222) and Ruben Gonzalez (216) (through the 2015-16 season).[3]

Mannino's career is highlighted by two US Open titles in 1999 and 2006.[4] In 1999, Mannino defeated Swain in the final, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, Sudsy Monchik in the semi-finals, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3, and Dan Fowler in the quarterfinals, 11-9, 11-0, 11-4. His 2006 win came at the expense of Rocky Carson in the final, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5, Jack Huczek in the semi-finals, 11-5, 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 12-10, in the semi-finals, and Swain in the quarterfinals, 11-8, 13-11, 11-2.

Seven years is the longest period between US Open wins by a player. Also, Mannino's only one of four men - along with Kane Waselenchuk, Sudsy Monchik and Cliff Swain - to win the US Open more than once.

International career

Mannino won a World Junior title in Boy's 18 and under singles in 1994, and in Boy's 18 & under doubles in 1992 with partner Sudsy Monchik.[5] But Mannino never played for Team USA as an adult.

Personal

Originally from New York City, Mannino now resides in San Diego, where he's lived since the early 1990s. His accomplishments are all the more remarkable given that he suffered severe injuries following a car accident when he was 18.[6] Mannino won his World Junior title only two months after beginning to play again following the accident.

During his career and afterwards, Mannino did numerous racquetball instructional clinics and camps often with his coach Fran Davis, and the two of them wrote Championship Racquetball.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "2020". USA Racquetball. Team USA. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Happy 36th Birthday Jason Mannino!". 28 January 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Historical Data Archive
  4. ↑ "USA Racquetball > Record Books > U.S. Open Champions". Archived from the original on 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2009-07-24. USA Racquetball's list of US Open winners
  5. ↑ "RACQUETBALL - International Racquetball Federation - IRF". Archived from the original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  6. ↑ Sports Illustrated, March 6, 1995
  7. ↑ Davis, Fran; Mannino, Jason (2011). Championship Racquetball. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. ISBN 978-0-7360-8979-1.
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