World Outdoor Racquetball Championships - Down to QFs

They're down to the quarter finals at the 2009 Racquetball Warehouse World Outdoor Racquetball Championships (WOR) in Huntington Beach, California. There have been some upsets by the seedings, but last year's champions and runners up remain on course to reach the finals again.

On the women's side, Angela Grisar, the defending champion, easily won her first match against Christie Noller, 15-10, 15-0, as did second seed and last year's runner-up Keely Franks, who defeated Devon Pimentelli, 15-4, 15-6.

There were a couple of surprise vicories in women's play. Janel Tisinger defeated Aimee Ruiz, winner of the USA Racquetball indoor title in May, 15-7, 10-15, 11-6. Tisinger finished fourth at last season's world outdoor tournament. Also, Jackie Paraiso defeated Rhonda Rajsich, 7-15, 15-10, 11-5, in a battle of former #1 indoor players.

The big women's match up of the quarter finals will be a re-match of last season's Pro Nationals final match between Kristen Bellows and Paola Longoria, the new women's #1, that was won by Bellows.

Defending champ and top seed Rocky Carson has comfortably made it through to the quarter finals with wins over Michael Bernstein in the Round of 16, 15-9, 15-5, and Matthew Barserian in the 32s, 15-8, 15-12. Similarly, Alvaro Beltran, second seed, is also into the quarters with wins over Bradley Bowers, 15-8, 15-2, and Jose Diaz, 15-11, 15-8, in the 16s and 32s, respectively.

There have been upsets though. Robert Sostre defeated fourth seed Dillon Silver, 15-12, 15-6, in the Round of 32. But Sostre's good fortune was short lived, as he lost to Charles Pratt in the Round of 16, 15-14, 15-14. Pratt will play Scott Davis in the quarter finals.

Third seed Greg Solis only lasted one round more than Silver, as the 3rd seed lost to Ben Croft, 12-15, 15-4, 11-7, in the Round of 16. Croft, the 8th ranked player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), will play Chris Crowther, the IRT's 9th ranked player, in the quarter finals.

Croft and Crowther's last match was in May at the IRT Pro Nationals in Chicago. A conflict developed between the players in that match which led to Croft being defaulted from the match. If they want to "take it outside" on Saturday, well, they'll already be there.

You can watch the WOR Championships from Huntington Beach on line via Racquetball Online.


2009 Racquetball Warehouse World Outdoor Racquetball Championships
Women's Open Singles - Round of 16
Angela Grisar d. Christie Noller, 15-10, 15-0
Michelle Poage d. Christie Riley, 15-0, 15-3

Jacqueline Paraiso d. Rhonda Rajsich, 7-15, 15-10, 11-5
Janel Tisinger d. Aimee Ruiz, 15-7, 10-15, 11-6

Paola Longoria d. Vivian Gomez, 15-5, 15-12
Kristen Bellows d. Aubrey O'brien, 15-9, 15-12

Diane Moore d. Linda Scales, 15-8, 15-3
Keely Franks d. Devon Pimentelli, 15-4, 15-6

Quarter finals
Angela Grisar vs. Michelle Poage
Jacqueline Paraiso vs. Janel Tisinger

Paola Longoria vs. Kristen Bellows
Diane Moore vs. Keely Franks

Men's Open Singles
Round of 16:
Rocky Carson d. Michael Bernstein, 15-9, 15-5
Alvaro Beltran d. Bradley Bowers, 15-8, 15-2
Ben Croft d. Greg Solis, 12-15, 15-4, 15-7
Charles Pratt d. Robert Sostre, 15-14, 15-14
Scott Davis d. Brian Pineda, 15-7, 15-4
Chris Crowther d. Maykel Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-8
Jose Rojas d. Bradley Kirch, 7-15, 15-13, 11-6
Mike Orr d. Jesus Ocana, 7-15, 15-14, 11-8

Quarter finals
Rocky Carson vs. Mike Orr
Charles Pratt vs. Scott Davis

Ben Croft vs. Chris Crowther
Alvaro Beltran vs. Jose Rojas

Round of 32:
Rocky Carson Iii d. Matthew Barserian, 15-8, 15-12
Alvaro Beltran d. Jose Diaz, 15-11, 15-8
Greg Solis d. Anthony Carson, 15-4, 15-2
Robert Sostre d. Dillon Silver, 15-12, 15-6
Brian Pineda d. Cliff Swain, WBF - Injury
Maykel Rodriguez d. Wayne Pentecost, 15-6, 15-7
Jose Rojas d. Jason Richard Conway, 15-4, 15-14
Jesus Ocana d. Chris Young, 15-4, 15-3
Mike Orr d. Andy Hawthorne, 15-11, 7-15, 11-10
Bradley Kirch d. Lou Orosco, 15-11, 15-12
Chris Crowther d. Rafael Filippini, 15-13, 13-15, 11-5
Scott Davis d. David Horn, 15-11, 15-2
Charles Pratt d. Allan Kazem, 15-1, 11-15, 11-3
Ben Croft d. Andy Solis, 15-11, 15-3
Bradley Bowers d. Brandon Davis, 15-12, 13-15, 11-10
Michael Bernstein d. Gregory Lewerenz, 12-15, 15-7, 11-5

Round of 64:
Jose Diaz d. Ryan Rodgers, 15-9, 15-7
Matthew Barserian d. Carlos Oviedo, 15-13, 7-15, 11-10

Follow the bouncing ball....