Basque pelota blog in english – Dos paredes

Asegarce announced this morning that Patxi Ruiz will retire from professional pelota. The 32 year old defender from Estella has struggled with a long term back injury which has kept him off the fronton entirely for thirteen months. He last played on 9^th January 2012, in the Pairs Championship in Tolosa, with no knowledge that that match would prove his last. He has been a professional for fifteen years, making his debut at Labrit on 14^th November 1998. His greatest triumph was the 2003 Manomanista title, which he won over Aimar Olaizola. He was also runner up in the Pairs Championship of 2002, where he played alongside Asier Olaizola, and he took the Navarrese Cuatro y Medio title in 2004. Asegarce will organise a tribute to Ruiz, to take place on a date yet to be determined. We wish him well for his future life.