16th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships

The 16th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships begin Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and we've got the draws for you below. Americans Rocky Carson and Rhonda Rajsich are trying for their 3rd World Championships in a row. Carson's draw looks fine, but Rajsich has her rival Paola Longoria of Mexico on her side of the draw, as Longoria is seeded 5th in the event despite being the #1 player on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization last season.

But pro results don't count here, as the seeding were done based on results from two of the last three World Championships, and two years ago in Seoul, South Korea Rajsich defeated Longoria in the semi-finals. Longoria's never gotten past the semis at Worlds.

The other tough draw is in men's doubles as Canada and Mexico are on the same side of the draw and have their highest ranked players playing doubles. Mike Green and Vincent Gagnon are #1 and #2 in Canada and Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno are the highest ranked Mexicans on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT). They will potentially meet in the semi-finals.

Waselenchuk is out

Of note, Kim Waselenchuk is not in Santo Domingo. Asked why, US Team Leader Lori Kirk stated a "health issue" prevented Waselenchuk from playing. Aimee Ruiz has been called in to replace Waselenchuk and will play doubles with Rajsich.

World Games Qualifying

This event is the qualifying event for the 2013 World Games to be held in Cali, Colombia. Thus, players will playoff down to the final 16 to determine the World Games participants and seedings. Only the players here can qualify for World Games, so if a player who qualifies does not go to Cali, that player will not be substituted for. The qualifying spot goes to the player not the player's country.

There will be live streaming of the event via the IRF website. Play begins Saturday with the men's and women's singles and doubles competitions, which will conclude on Tuesday. Then there will be an off day before the team competition begins on Thursday and that will conclude next Saturday.

16th IRF World Championships
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Men's Singles - Round of 32

Rocky Carson (USA) BYE
Pedro Manolo Sandoval (Guatemala) v. Ashish Mehta (India)

Alejandro Herrera (Colombia) BYE
Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) BYE

Cesar Castro (Venezuela) BYE
Ricardo Delgado (Panama) v. Gary Lynch (Ireland)

Agustin Tristan (Catalunya) v. David Matamoros (Honduras)
Takaaki Hirose (Japan) BYE

Kris Odegard (Canada) BYE
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Ernesto Centeno (Nicaragua)

Fernando Rios (Ecuador) BYE
Kadim Carrasco (Bolivia) BYE

Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) BYE
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) BYE

Santiago Ugalde (Argentina) v. Miguel Santiago (Puerto Rico)
Gilberto Meija (Mexico) BYE

Jose Rojas (USA) BYE
Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. Luciano Garcia (Nicaragua)

Juan Herrera (Colombia) BYE
Mingyu Kim (South Korea) BYE

Luis Reveron (Venezuela) BYE
Stephen O'Loan (Ireland) BYE

Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. Ronaldo Bier (Honduras)
Michimune Kono (Japan) BYE

Tim Landeryou (Canada) BYE
Santiago Canedo (Chile) v. Timothy Baghurst (England)

Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Cesar Dominguez (Panama)
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) BYE

Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) BYE
Taobaldo Fumero Adams (Costa Rica) BYE

Venkat Vejju (India) v. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Polo Gutierrez (Mexico) BYE

Women's Singles - Round of 32

Rebeca Tristan (Catalunya) v. Diana Maura (Panama)
Natalia Corti (Argentina) v. Giulia Barboni (Panama)

Women's Singles - Round of 16

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. either Rebeca Tristan (Catalunya) or Diana Maura (Panama)
Mariana Paredes (Venezuela) v. Cristina Cordova (Ecuador)

Angela Grisar (Chile) v. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. Toshiko Sakamoto (Japan)

Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Lisa Lopezcepero (Puerto Rico)
Maria Jose Vargas (Bolivia) v. Claudine Garcia (Dominican Republic)

Jung Eun Anh (South Korea) v. Sofia Soley Saborio (Costa Rica)
Brandi Jacobson Prentice (Canada) v. Veronique Guillemette (Argentina)

Cheryl Gudinas (USA) v. Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. Maria Paz Munoz (Ecuador)

Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Marie Gomar (Guatemala)
Carolina Gomez (Colombia) v. Naomi Wikimoto (Japan)

Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) v. Anna Maldonado (Puerto Rico)
Yira Portes (Dominican Republic) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)

Malhee Kwon (South Korea) v. Melani Sauma Masis (Costa Rica)
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. either Natalia Corti (Argentina) or Giulia Barboni (Panama)

Men's Doubles - Round of 16

Miguel Santiago & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) v. Nirup Shetty & Sathwik Rai (India)
Ricardo Delgado & Cesar Dominguez (Panama) v. Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Gary Lynch & Stephen O'Loan (Ireland) v. Rolando Bier & David Matamoros (Honduras)

Men's Doubles - Quarter finals

Jansen Allen & Tony Carson (USA) v. either Miguel Santiago & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) or Nirup Shetty & Sathwik Rai (India)

Santiago Canedo & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Daniel Maggi & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)

Hiroshi Shimizu & Michimune Kono (JPN) v. Ramon De Leon & Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Republic)

Edwin Galicia & Pedro Manolo Sandoval (Guatemala) v. Luis Reveron & Roberto Santander (Venezuela)

Mike Green & Vincent Gagnon (Canada) v. either Ricardo Delgado & Cesar Dominguez (Panama) or Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Sangsoo Lee & Eunbyung Kim (South Korea) v. Ricardo Monroy & Roland Keller (Bolivia)
Andres Acuña & Ivan Villegas (Costa Rica) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Alvarez (Ecuador)

Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. either Gary Lynch & Stephen O'Loan (Ireland) or Rolando Bier & David Matamoros (Honduras)

Women's Doubles - Round of 16

Aimee Ruiz & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Dian Maura & Giulia Barboni (Panama)
Cristina Cordova & Maria Paz Munoz (Ecuador) v. Mariana Paredes & Vivianna Reveron (Venezuela)

Maiko Satoh & Etsuko Noda (Japan) v. Maria Montaro & Delgado Marinangely (Dominican Republic)
Anna Maldonado & Lisa Lopezcepero (Puerto Rico) v. Angela Grisar & Carla Muñoz (Chile)

Josée Grand'Maître & Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Véronique Guillemette & Natalie Corti (Argentina)
Carola Loma & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) v. Naomi Sasso Kessler & Deborah Kessler Payne (Costa Rica)

Malhee Kwon & Mi Ok An (South Korea) v. Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (MEX) vs Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia)

Follow the bouncing ball....