Many are happy to see the end of 2016, as they feel it was filled with unfortunate events. However, 2016 was a great year in sports. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in over a century, and that was only the third best championship win of the year! The first was Leicester City winning the English Premier League, when their odds of doing so at the start of the season were 5000-1, and the second was when the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from 3-1 down in their final series against the Golden State Warriors, who had the best regular season record in NBA history.
In addition, Peyton Manning retired as a Super Bowl winner with the Denver Broncos, Sidney Crosby won his second Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brazil won Olympic gold in Men’s Soccer on home soil, Portugal wins its first ever European Football Championship, and in the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament final the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels had the best finish to a championship game you will ever see.
But this is The Racquetball Blog, so here are the best racquetball stories of 2016.
10) American women. Apologies for starting on a down note, but we have highlighted the issue of women’s player development in the USA for several years now, as their top players were in the second halves of their careers, and there were no clear successors to them. Three things illustrate the situation. One, the final rankings of the 2015-16 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) season had only one USA player in the top 10: Rhonda Rajsich, who was #2. Previously, the fewest US players in the top ten was three in 2013-14, but as recently as 2009-10 eight of the top ten were American. Two, at this year’s International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Cali, Colombia, no American woman got a medal in Women’s Singles for the first time ever. But it’s worse than that, because no American woman made it past the Round of 16! Forget about reaching the podium. No US woman was in the quarterfinals! This from a country that produced 11 of the first 15 Women’s Singles World Champions. Finally, so far on the LPRT this season only two of the 32 semi-final spots have been filled by USA players. It’s stunning, and if you’re a US coach, very concerning.
9) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger. Although the US women haven’t been doing well in singles, Ruiz and Tisinger produced one of the upsets of the year at the IRF World Championships as they won gold by defeating three time defending champions Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico. The final went breaker, as the Americans won the first and Mexicans the second. In the breaker, Ruiz and Tisinger led most of the way, but it was a nervy finish, as Longoria and Salas got to within two down at 10-8. But Ruiz and Tisinger held on to win. It was a great match that’s well worth watching again.
8) Gabriela Martinez. It was 2010 when we saw a little girl running around at the World Junior Championships in Los Angeles, jumping on any open court she saw, hitting the ball around with exuberance. “Who is this girl? Gabriela Martinez? Where is she from? Guatemala? Really? Huh.” Flash forward six years, and that girl is U16 World Junior Champion for a second year, and was silver medalist at the 2016 IRF World Championships, losing only to Paola Longoria in the final. Martinez is the type of girl the USA used to produce regularly, but hasn’t recently. Instead, Martinez will be the girl Americans have trouble with for the next 15 years.
7) Rhonda Rajsich. Rajsich was the #1 player in the world, a two time World Champion, and four time US Open Champion. But beginning in July at the World Championships, her results have dropped off. She lost in the Round of 16 at Worlds, and hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals in any of the five LPRT events she’s played this season. Then in late October came the sad news that her father, Dennis, died. He was often seen at racquetball tournaments, and was a big part of his daughter’s life. She hasn’t played an LPRT event since, although we understand Rajsich plans to play at the next LPRT event in February, and it will be great to see her back on tour. But we heard someone describe climbing Mount Everest recently, and he said when you get to the top, you’re only halfway. And on Everest people die on the way down more often than the way up. We think there’s an analogy between climbing Everest and sports careers. Coming down from being on top can be more difficult than going up to the top.
6) Jason Thoerner. USA Racquetball appointed a new Executive Director late in 2016, and reached into its own ranks in selecting Jason Thoerner for the position. Thoerner has a wide background in racquetball, including as a USA Team player and World Champion in Men’s Doubles in 2008 with Mitch Williams. He worked with Head-Penn for several years, and in recent years was on the board of USA Racquetball, where he was serving as the USA Racquetball President at the time of his appointment to the ED position. USA Racquetball is one of the leading racquetball organizations, and as the USA likely has the most racquetball players overall, USA Racquetball is arguably the most important racquetball organization in the world. Thus, it’s important that they do things well. Thoerner’s appointment is intriguing, and from our interactions with him, we think he could have a very positive impact on the organization, and the sport in general.
5) Frédérique Lambert. From near the end of the last LPRT season and on into the current one, Lambert has risen up the rankings to the 2nd spot. Since February, Lambert has been in eight LPRT finals, and won the first event of this season. She has become Paola Longoria’s biggest rival, and already has a win against Longoria back in 2015. Lambert is the highest ranked Canadian women's player, since Christie Huczek (née Van Hees) was #1 back in 2005.
4) Rocky Carson. If racquetball had an Iron Man, it would be Carson. Carson has not missed an International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Tier 1 or Grand Slam event since 2000, and he’s been in the top 10 every season since the 1999-2000 season; those 17 seasons of top 10s is second only to Cliff Swain’s 20. Moreover, Carson is not just durable, he has an incredible record of excellence, which was highlighted this year by his 5th consecutive IRF Men’s Singles World Championship. He hasn’t lost at Worlds since 2008.
3) Paola Longoria. Longoria had an undefeated year on the LPRT, and her #1 finish at end of the 2015-16 season was Longoria’s 7th season ending #1, which tied her for most career #1s with Michelle Gould. Longoria’s popularity is incredible, and evidence of it is her more than 240,000 Twitter followers. She’s used that popularity to grow the game by hosting LPRT events in Mexico each season, and this has helped to develop more players, not only in Mexico but in Central and South America.
2) Kane Waselenchuk. Waselenchuk is the #1 IRT player, and although he was hindered somewhat by medical issues in 2016, he arguably had a better year than in 2015. Waselenchuk is the most talented athlete you’ll ever see, and he’s worked to translate that talent into skill that is off the charts. Waselenchuk is in the class of Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi and LeBron James. Could his talent have made him a great in another sport? We wouldn’t have bet against it, although Waselenchuk is not tall, and height is a definite advantage in some other sports, like basketball, or even hockey, which 20 years ago favoured taller players more than it does now (we do understand that Waselenchuk’s a good hockey player). It would have been interesting to see him play baseball - middle infielder perhaps? - or soccer, but in either of those sports you generally don’t get to touch the ball much during a game. In racquetball, Waselenchuk hits over half of the balls, because his shots typically end the rally, so he can really demonstrate how great he is. And Waselenchuk is great.
1) Men’s professional racquetball. For a few seasons now, there have been two men’s professional racquetball tours: the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and the World Racquetball Tour (WRT). The IRT is the more established tour, and has the best players, while the WRT has generally younger players, and has strong ties to one racquetball company. However, the WRT has also partnered with the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) to webcast IRF events, which has improved their tournament video streams. In a marketplace, one generally thinks that competition is good. However, sports are not a marketplace, and competition between sport organizations can be bad. We think one of the reasons for the decline of boxing was the creation of different boxing organizations, which made it unclear to fans who was the true World Champion. Thus, if a casual racquetball fan - or especially a non-racquetball person - sees someone as the #1 player on the World Racquetball Tour, he or she would naturally think “oh, that must be the best racquetball player.” But we think the evidence is clear that it’s the players on IRT who are the best, but trying to explain that to casual fans, or people outside racquetball, would confuse them, and you never want to confuse fans or potential fans.
Moreover, there are only so many places to host events, and due to the expenses and logistics of hosting events, if a site is hosting an IRT event, they aren’t likely to host a WRT event, and vice versa. In addition, there’s only so many players, so draws can be smaller, and with fewer quality players, than they might otherwise be if players choose to play on one tour or the other. Indeed, with no coordination between the tours, there are some weekends with both an IRT and a WRT event. This is clearly not ideal.
It would be best to have just one men’s racquetball tour, but it’s unclear how that’s going to happen, as the IRT and WRT do not seem to be on friendly terms.
Everyone wants to grow the sport, and the WRT specifically promotes this as a mission, but it’s unclear whether a pro tour in general, let alone the WRT in particular, can directly impact the growth of the sport, because there has to be support on the local level (shoes on the court, as it were) to get that done. Pro tours can give younger players something to aspire to, but growing the game shouldn’t be just about getting kids to play racquetball, although that’s important. You want to bring in all ages to play.
A pro tour should be a natural outcome of a groundswell of popularity and players, who are all pushing each other to be the best they can be. The question in racquetball has become do we still have that groundswell and those players? To close the circle where we started, the USA doesn’t seem to have the players on the women’s side. And it’s unclear whether there are enough men’s players for two pro tours either.
A new year is always a time for resolutions for improvement. The great hockey coach Bob Johnson was known for saying “it’s a great day for hockey.” In that spirit, let’s make 2017 a great year for racquetball.
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Monday, December 19, 2016
Weekend Round-Up - Landeryou wins twice in Minot
James Landeryou won the 2016 Minot Open Pro-Am - a Tier 4 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event in Minot, North Dakota - on the weekend to finish off what is probably his best year, as the Canadian was runner up at Racquetball Canada’s first National Team Selection Event of the season in November, and got 3rd place at the Canadian National Championships back in May, when he was in the semi-finals for the first time.
In Minot, Landeryou defeated fellow Canuck Kurtis Cullen in the final, 11-2, 0-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-5. Landeryou beat Troy Vanbemmelen, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, in one semi, while Cullen defeated Lee Connell in the other, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6.
Landeryou teamed up with Connell to win the doubles division, as they beat Richard Eisemann and Vanbemmelen in the final, 15-3, 15-7. In the semis, Landeryou and Connell defeated Justin Johnson and Brian Knowles, 15-5, 15-7, and Eisemann and Vanbemmelen needed a tie-breaker to get past Cullen and Tanner Prentice, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7.
The IRT is on a holiday break now, but will kick off 2017 with the Coast to Coast California Open in Reseda, California on the first weekend of the year, January 5-8. The second event of 2017 will be two weeks later at the Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 19-22.
2016 Minot Open Pro-Am - IRT Tier 4
Minot, North Dakota, December 16-18, 2016
Final
James Landeryou d. Kurtis Cullen, 11-2, 0-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-5
Semi-finals
James Landeryou d. Troy Vanbemmelen, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9
Kurtis Cullen d. Lee Connell, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6
Doubles Final
James Landeryou & Lee Connell d. Richard Eisemann & Troy Vanbemmelen, 15-3, 15-7
Doubles Semi-finals
James Landeryou & Lee Connell d. Justin Johnson & Brian Knowles, 15-5, 15-7
Richard Eisemann & Tory Vanbemmelen d. Kurtis Cullen & Tanner Prentice, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
In Minot, Landeryou defeated fellow Canuck Kurtis Cullen in the final, 11-2, 0-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-5. Landeryou beat Troy Vanbemmelen, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, in one semi, while Cullen defeated Lee Connell in the other, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6.
Landeryou teamed up with Connell to win the doubles division, as they beat Richard Eisemann and Vanbemmelen in the final, 15-3, 15-7. In the semis, Landeryou and Connell defeated Justin Johnson and Brian Knowles, 15-5, 15-7, and Eisemann and Vanbemmelen needed a tie-breaker to get past Cullen and Tanner Prentice, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7.
The IRT is on a holiday break now, but will kick off 2017 with the Coast to Coast California Open in Reseda, California on the first weekend of the year, January 5-8. The second event of 2017 will be two weeks later at the Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 19-22.
2016 Minot Open Pro-Am - IRT Tier 4
Minot, North Dakota, December 16-18, 2016
Final
James Landeryou d. Kurtis Cullen, 11-2, 0-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-5
Semi-finals
James Landeryou d. Troy Vanbemmelen, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9
Kurtis Cullen d. Lee Connell, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6
Doubles Final
James Landeryou & Lee Connell d. Richard Eisemann & Troy Vanbemmelen, 15-3, 15-7
Doubles Semi-finals
James Landeryou & Lee Connell d. Justin Johnson & Brian Knowles, 15-5, 15-7
Richard Eisemann & Tory Vanbemmelen d. Kurtis Cullen & Tanner Prentice, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Longoria wins twice at 25th NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic
Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) should have a Merry Christmas, as she won both singles and doubles at the last LPRT event of 2016 Sunday at the 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland. In singles, Longoria defeated LPRT #2 Frédérique Lambert, 11-2, 11-3, 10-12, 11-1, while in doubles she and partner Samantha Salas had to come back from a game down to defeat Lambert and Jessica Parrilla, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7. Longoria ends the year undefeated both this season and in the calendar year on the LPRT.
In the singles final, Longoria cruised through the first two games, but Lambert started well in game three, taking a 3-0 lead. However, points came slowly for both players from there. Thirty three rallies later, Lambert’s lead was gone, as Longoria tied her at 6-6. From there Longoria scored four of the next five points to put her on match point at 10-7, and it looked like it would be over in three straight games.
But Lambert caught fire. She fought off the first match point with a great backhand pinch shot, yet didn’t score on her serve, giving Longoria a second match point. However, Longoria skipped a backhand shot, gifting Lambert back the serve.
That time Lambert made good, as she hit five consecutive winners, including a backhand reverse pinch from her shoulder that was her 11th point. Another winning backhand gave her the game, 12-10.
Sadly for Lambert, the fire went out in game four, as Longoria slowly built a 5-0 lead from 21 rallies. Lambert got the serve back then, and called a timeout. However, she didn’t score, and Longoria then extended her lead to 8-0. Lambert got on the board, making it 8-1, but that was all she could muster, as Longoria finished the game, 11-1, and the match in four games.
In doubles, Lambert and Parrilla took the early lead in game one, 5-0, but Longoria and Salas tied them, 5-5. However, a Lambert backhard rekill shot stopped Longoria and Salas there, and then a series of winners from Lambert gave her side back the lead, as they ran it up to 12-5.
Longoria and Salas staged a comeback, and got within three at 12-9, when Lambert and Parrilla called a timeout. When play resumed, Parrilla got them the serve back with a forehand pinch winner.
Parrilla then was called for an avoidable hinder, putting her side half out. However, they did get to game point after Lambert hit two consecutive backhand pinch winners. But a Salas forehand return quashed their first game point.
A series of five half-out or side outs followed that was ended when Longoria hit a drive serve ace against Lambert that made the score 14-10. But Lambert hit a backhand winner on Longoria’s next serve, and after they called a timeout she and Parrilla closed out the game, 15-10, as Lambert hit a forehand rekill winner on what was their fourth game point.
The teams were tied early in game two at 2-2, but then Longoria and Salas scored points on 9 of the next 10 rallies to lead 11-2. Lambert and Parrilla did stage a comeback, but only got to nine, as Longoria and Salas won 15-9.
A similar thing happened in the breaker, as again they were tied 2-2 and again Longoria and Salas took a big lead from there, making it 7-2. But here Lambert and Parrilla responded, and closed the lead to one at 7-6. Salas ended their run with a forehand cross court shot.
With the serve back, Longoria and Salas scored twice, making it 9-6. Lambert and Parrilla called a timeout, and then a Lambert forehand got them the serve back on the ensuing rally.
Lambert and Parrilla made it 9-7 when Lambert hit another forehand winner, but lost the serve when Parrilla skipped a forehand shot. It was a tricky situation, as the ball came big off the back wall, but towards the side wall and past Salas, who might have been screening the ball a bit. Yet Parrilla didn’t ask for a hinder, and may not have got one if she held up.
Serving at 9-7, Longoria hit a backhand winner to give them match point at 10-7. Salas then had a big forehand set up on the next rally, which she skipped, as the ball slid to the front wall. However, her partner Longoria picked her up on the next rally by hitting a good drive serve that Lambert skipped on the return.
The LPRT is now on a two month break, as their first event of 2017 will be the Winter Classic in Overland Park, Kansas, February 17-19. If you missed any of the action from the Christmas Classic, you can view matches via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Final
1) Paola Longoria d. 2) Frédérique Lambert, 11-2, 11-3, 10-12, 11-1
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the singles final, Longoria cruised through the first two games, but Lambert started well in game three, taking a 3-0 lead. However, points came slowly for both players from there. Thirty three rallies later, Lambert’s lead was gone, as Longoria tied her at 6-6. From there Longoria scored four of the next five points to put her on match point at 10-7, and it looked like it would be over in three straight games.
But Lambert caught fire. She fought off the first match point with a great backhand pinch shot, yet didn’t score on her serve, giving Longoria a second match point. However, Longoria skipped a backhand shot, gifting Lambert back the serve.
That time Lambert made good, as she hit five consecutive winners, including a backhand reverse pinch from her shoulder that was her 11th point. Another winning backhand gave her the game, 12-10.
Sadly for Lambert, the fire went out in game four, as Longoria slowly built a 5-0 lead from 21 rallies. Lambert got the serve back then, and called a timeout. However, she didn’t score, and Longoria then extended her lead to 8-0. Lambert got on the board, making it 8-1, but that was all she could muster, as Longoria finished the game, 11-1, and the match in four games.
In doubles, Lambert and Parrilla took the early lead in game one, 5-0, but Longoria and Salas tied them, 5-5. However, a Lambert backhard rekill shot stopped Longoria and Salas there, and then a series of winners from Lambert gave her side back the lead, as they ran it up to 12-5.
Longoria and Salas staged a comeback, and got within three at 12-9, when Lambert and Parrilla called a timeout. When play resumed, Parrilla got them the serve back with a forehand pinch winner.
Parrilla then was called for an avoidable hinder, putting her side half out. However, they did get to game point after Lambert hit two consecutive backhand pinch winners. But a Salas forehand return quashed their first game point.
A series of five half-out or side outs followed that was ended when Longoria hit a drive serve ace against Lambert that made the score 14-10. But Lambert hit a backhand winner on Longoria’s next serve, and after they called a timeout she and Parrilla closed out the game, 15-10, as Lambert hit a forehand rekill winner on what was their fourth game point.
The teams were tied early in game two at 2-2, but then Longoria and Salas scored points on 9 of the next 10 rallies to lead 11-2. Lambert and Parrilla did stage a comeback, but only got to nine, as Longoria and Salas won 15-9.
A similar thing happened in the breaker, as again they were tied 2-2 and again Longoria and Salas took a big lead from there, making it 7-2. But here Lambert and Parrilla responded, and closed the lead to one at 7-6. Salas ended their run with a forehand cross court shot.
With the serve back, Longoria and Salas scored twice, making it 9-6. Lambert and Parrilla called a timeout, and then a Lambert forehand got them the serve back on the ensuing rally.
Lambert and Parrilla made it 9-7 when Lambert hit another forehand winner, but lost the serve when Parrilla skipped a forehand shot. It was a tricky situation, as the ball came big off the back wall, but towards the side wall and past Salas, who might have been screening the ball a bit. Yet Parrilla didn’t ask for a hinder, and may not have got one if she held up.
Serving at 9-7, Longoria hit a backhand winner to give them match point at 10-7. Salas then had a big forehand set up on the next rally, which she skipped, as the ball slid to the front wall. However, her partner Longoria picked her up on the next rally by hitting a good drive serve that Lambert skipped on the return.
The LPRT is now on a two month break, as their first event of 2017 will be the Winter Classic in Overland Park, Kansas, February 17-19. If you missed any of the action from the Christmas Classic, you can view matches via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Final
1) Paola Longoria d. 2) Frédérique Lambert, 11-2, 11-3, 10-12, 11-1
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Longoria & Lambert to renew rivalry in final of 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic
The main theme of the 2016-17 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) season will continue Sunday at the 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland, when LPRT #1 Paola Longoria faces LPRT #2 Frédérique Lambert in the final. The two have met in four of the five events they have both entered this season with Longoria coming out on top each time. Lambert has defeated Longoria, but only once.
Longoria reached the final by defeating her long time doubles partner Samantha Salas, 11-5, 11-1, 11-8, in one semi-final while Lambert beat Jessica Parrilla, who is her doubles partner for this tournament, in the other semi, 8-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5.
Longoria and Lambert will also face off in the doubles final on Sunday, as Longoria and Salas beat Cristina Amaya and Veronica Sotomayor, 15-5, 15-7, in one semi-final Saturday, and Lambert and Parrilla defeated Alexandra Herrera and Carla Muñoz, 15-13, 15-8, in the other.
Sunday’s action begins with the singles final at 11 AM EST and can be viewed via the LPRT LiveStream channel with the doubles final to follow the singles final.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Samantha Salas, 11-5, 11-1, 11-8
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 3) Jessica Parrilla, 8-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria v. 2) Frédérique Lambert 11 AM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor, 15-5, 15-7
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla d. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz, 15-13, 15-8
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball….
Longoria reached the final by defeating her long time doubles partner Samantha Salas, 11-5, 11-1, 11-8, in one semi-final while Lambert beat Jessica Parrilla, who is her doubles partner for this tournament, in the other semi, 8-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5.
Longoria and Lambert will also face off in the doubles final on Sunday, as Longoria and Salas beat Cristina Amaya and Veronica Sotomayor, 15-5, 15-7, in one semi-final Saturday, and Lambert and Parrilla defeated Alexandra Herrera and Carla Muñoz, 15-13, 15-8, in the other.
Sunday’s action begins with the singles final at 11 AM EST and can be viewed via the LPRT LiveStream channel with the doubles final to follow the singles final.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Samantha Salas, 11-5, 11-1, 11-8
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 3) Jessica Parrilla, 8-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria v. 2) Frédérique Lambert 11 AM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor, 15-5, 15-7
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla d. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz, 15-13, 15-8
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball….
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic Quarterfinals
There were some close games and one upset in the quarterfinals of the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria defeated 8th seed Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-1, 12-10, to advance to the semi-finals, where she’ll face a familiar opponent in Samatha Salas, who as the 5th seed upset 4th seed Alexandra Herrera, 11-1, 11-6, 11-3.
On the bottom of the draw, 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert needed four games to get past 10th seed Veronica Sotomayor, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7. Lambert plays 3rd seed Jessica Parrilla in the semi-finals, as Parrilla beat Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4.
After dropping the first game against Lambert, Sotomayor led early in game two. Lambert did tie it at 8-8, but Sotomayor was able to finish off the game, 12-10. The story was similar in game three, as Sotomayor went out to a 6-1 lead.
Again Lambert caught up at 8-8, and this time she pushed on to win it, 11-9, with her second game point. Lambert went on to close it out in four games by taking the fourth 11-7.
In Longoria and Muñoz’s match, Longoria cruised through the first two games, but then in game three, Muñoz took the early advantage with leads of 3-0 and 7-2. Muñoz hit several jam serves to the left side that initially forced Longoria to turn around to play the ball as it came off the back wall and towards the right side wall.
Longoria tied the game at 8-8, and then went up 9-8. However, it was Muñoz who got to 10 first, leading 10-9. A Longoria backhand denied Muñoz that game point, and Longoria scored on the next three rallies to win 12-10, ending the match with a backhand cross court shot.
The semi-finals will begin at 4 and 5 PM Saturday and can be viewed via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The doubles semis will follow the singles semis. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-1, 12-10
5) Samantha Salas d. 4) Alexandra Herrera, 11-1, 11-6, 11-3
3) Jessica Parrilla d. 6) Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 10) Veronica Sotomayor, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 5) Samantha Salas - 5 PM
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 3) Jessica Parrilla - 4 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor - 6 PM
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
On the bottom of the draw, 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert needed four games to get past 10th seed Veronica Sotomayor, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7. Lambert plays 3rd seed Jessica Parrilla in the semi-finals, as Parrilla beat Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4.
After dropping the first game against Lambert, Sotomayor led early in game two. Lambert did tie it at 8-8, but Sotomayor was able to finish off the game, 12-10. The story was similar in game three, as Sotomayor went out to a 6-1 lead.
Again Lambert caught up at 8-8, and this time she pushed on to win it, 11-9, with her second game point. Lambert went on to close it out in four games by taking the fourth 11-7.
In Longoria and Muñoz’s match, Longoria cruised through the first two games, but then in game three, Muñoz took the early advantage with leads of 3-0 and 7-2. Muñoz hit several jam serves to the left side that initially forced Longoria to turn around to play the ball as it came off the back wall and towards the right side wall.
Longoria tied the game at 8-8, and then went up 9-8. However, it was Muñoz who got to 10 first, leading 10-9. A Longoria backhand denied Muñoz that game point, and Longoria scored on the next three rallies to win 12-10, ending the match with a backhand cross court shot.
The semi-finals will begin at 4 and 5 PM Saturday and can be viewed via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The doubles semis will follow the singles semis. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-1, 12-10
5) Samantha Salas d. 4) Alexandra Herrera, 11-1, 11-6, 11-3
3) Jessica Parrilla d. 6) Cristina Amaya, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 10) Veronica Sotomayor, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 5) Samantha Salas - 5 PM
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 3) Jessica Parrilla - 4 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor - 6 PM
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, December 9, 2016
Seven of top eight into quarterfinals at 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic
Seven of the top eight seeds have reached the quarterfinals at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland. Leading the way is LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who handily defeated Amie Brewer, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1, in the Round of 16. In the quarters, Longoria will face 8th seed Carla Muñoz who was also a winner in three straight games, as she beat 9th seed Adrienne Haynes, 11-2, 11-4, 11-8.
The exception to the “Top 8 Rules” rule was Veronica Sotomayor, the 10th seed, who upset 7th seed Susana Acosta in four games, 13-15, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9. The win pits Sotomayor against 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Lambert beat Kelani Bailey, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9.
You can watch the quarterfinals beginning at 10 AM Saturday morning via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The semi-finals will begin at 4 and 5 PM on Saturday. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Amie Brewer, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1
8) Carla Muñoz d. 9) Adrienne Haynes, 11-2, 11-4, 11-8
5) Samantha Salas d. 12) Samantha Simmons, 11-0, 11-2, 11-2
4) Alexandra Herrera d. 13) Laura Brandt, 11-3, 11-0, 11-1
3) Jessica Parrilla d. 14) Hollie Scott, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7
6) Cristina Amaya d. 11) Jordan Cooperrider, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4
10) Veronica Sotomayor d. 7) Susana Acosta, 13-15, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 15) Kelani Bailey, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Carla Muñoz
4) Alexandra Herrera v. 5) Samantha Salas
3) Jessica Parrilla v. 6) Cristina Amaya
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Veronica Sotomayor
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Amie Brewer d. 16) Kelly Gremley, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 11-1
9) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz - BYE
5) Samantha Salas - BYE
12) Samantha Simmons - BYE
13) Laura Brandt - BYE
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
3) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
14) Hollie Scott - BYE
11) Jordan Cooperrider - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya - BYE
7) Susana Acosta - BYE
10) Veronica Sotomayor - BYE
15) Kelani Bailey - BYE
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor d. 5) Susana Acosta & Jordan Cooperrider, 15-7, 12-15, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz d. 6) Hollie Scott & Samantha Simmons, 15-3, 15-5
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz
Follow the bouncing ball….
The exception to the “Top 8 Rules” rule was Veronica Sotomayor, the 10th seed, who upset 7th seed Susana Acosta in four games, 13-15, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9. The win pits Sotomayor against 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Lambert beat Kelani Bailey, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9.
You can watch the quarterfinals beginning at 10 AM Saturday morning via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The semi-finals will begin at 4 and 5 PM on Saturday. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Amie Brewer, 11-1, 11-1, 11-1
8) Carla Muñoz d. 9) Adrienne Haynes, 11-2, 11-4, 11-8
5) Samantha Salas d. 12) Samantha Simmons, 11-0, 11-2, 11-2
4) Alexandra Herrera d. 13) Laura Brandt, 11-3, 11-0, 11-1
3) Jessica Parrilla d. 14) Hollie Scott, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7
6) Cristina Amaya d. 11) Jordan Cooperrider, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4
10) Veronica Sotomayor d. 7) Susana Acosta, 13-15, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 15) Kelani Bailey, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Carla Muñoz
4) Alexandra Herrera v. 5) Samantha Salas
3) Jessica Parrilla v. 6) Cristina Amaya
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Veronica Sotomayor
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Amie Brewer d. 16) Kelly Gremley, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 11-1
9) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz - BYE
5) Samantha Salas - BYE
12) Samantha Simmons - BYE
13) Laura Brandt - BYE
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
3) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
14) Hollie Scott - BYE
11) Jordan Cooperrider - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya - BYE
7) Susana Acosta - BYE
10) Veronica Sotomayor - BYE
15) Kelani Bailey - BYE
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor d. 5) Susana Acosta & Jordan Cooperrider, 15-7, 12-15, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz d. 6) Hollie Scott & Samantha Simmons, 15-3, 15-5
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz
Follow the bouncing ball….
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic - Preview
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour’s (LPRT’s) last event of 2016 begins Friday in Laurel, Maryland, where the 25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic will take place. As with their last event, the Kitsap Splat, there’s a small draw this weekend, but 8 of the top 9 players will be competing in Laurel, including LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who is undefeated this season and hasn’t lost an LPRT match since March of 2015, when Frédérique Lambert defeated her in the New Jersey Open.
Lambert has had a great start to this season, and as a result is now ranked #2 on the LPRT. Odds are that she and Longoria will face off in the Christmas Classic Final come Sunday.
However, Lambert’s path to the final won’t be an easy one, as she’ll play either veteran left hander Susana Acosta or Veronica Sotomayor in the quarterfinals, and then probably 3rd seed Jessica Parrilla or 6th Cristina Amaya in the semi-finals.
Longoria’s path to the final will likely have a semi-final showdown with either 4th seed Alexandra Herrera or 5th seed Samantha Salas, who was runner up to Longoria at this year’s US Open.
They are also playing doubles this weekend with Longoria and Salas as the top seeds and Lambert and Parrilla as 2nd seeds. They both have byes in the quarterfinals, but the other quarterfinal matches could be interesting. Amaya and Sotomayor will take on Susana Acosta and Jordan Cooperrider in one quarter with Herrera and Carla Muñoz playing Hollie Scott and Samantha Simmons in the other.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday at 10 and 11 AM and the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Kelly Gremley v. 17) Amie Brewer
9) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz - BYE
5) Samantha Salas - BYE
12) Samantha Simmons - BYE
13) Laura Brandt - BYE
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
3) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
14) Hollie Scott - BYE
11) Jordan Cooperrider - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya - BYE
7) Susana Acosta - BYE
10) Veronica Sotomayor - BYE
15) Kelani Bailey - BYE
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor v. 5) Susana Acosta & Jordan Cooperrider
3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Hollie Scott & Samantha Simmons
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Lambert has had a great start to this season, and as a result is now ranked #2 on the LPRT. Odds are that she and Longoria will face off in the Christmas Classic Final come Sunday.
However, Lambert’s path to the final won’t be an easy one, as she’ll play either veteran left hander Susana Acosta or Veronica Sotomayor in the quarterfinals, and then probably 3rd seed Jessica Parrilla or 6th Cristina Amaya in the semi-finals.
Longoria’s path to the final will likely have a semi-final showdown with either 4th seed Alexandra Herrera or 5th seed Samantha Salas, who was runner up to Longoria at this year’s US Open.
They are also playing doubles this weekend with Longoria and Salas as the top seeds and Lambert and Parrilla as 2nd seeds. They both have byes in the quarterfinals, but the other quarterfinal matches could be interesting. Amaya and Sotomayor will take on Susana Acosta and Jordan Cooperrider in one quarter with Herrera and Carla Muñoz playing Hollie Scott and Samantha Simmons in the other.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday at 10 and 11 AM and the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM. The singles final will be 11 AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
25th Annual NES Associates LPRT Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2016
Laurel, Maryland
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Kelly Gremley v. 17) Amie Brewer
9) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz - BYE
5) Samantha Salas - BYE
12) Samantha Simmons - BYE
13) Laura Brandt - BYE
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
3) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
14) Hollie Scott - BYE
11) Jordan Cooperrider - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya - BYE
7) Susana Acosta - BYE
10) Veronica Sotomayor - BYE
15) Kelani Bailey - BYE
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Veronica Sotomayor v. 5) Susana Acosta & Jordan Cooperrider
3) Alexandra Herrera & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Hollie Scott & Samantha Simmons
2) Frédérique Lambert & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, December 5, 2016
Weekend Round-up - Martinez wins Monterrey Open
Edson Martinez won the Monterrey Open - a Tier 4 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - on the weekend in Monterrey, Mexico. Martinez defeated Javier Mar in the final, 11-6, 11-5, 11-1.
In the semi-finals, Martinez beat Eduardo Garay, 12-10, 11-0, 7-11, 11-8, and Mar defeated Rodrigo Garay due to an injury forfeit.
The IRT will kick off 2017 with a bang, as they will play three tournaments back to back to back beginning with the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California, January 5-8, followed by the 18th Annual NYC Open on Long Island, New York, January 12-15, and finishing with the Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 19-22.
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be in action this coming weekend, when their traditional event - the 25th Annual NES Associates Christmas Classic - will take place in Laurel, Maryland.
2016 Monterrey Open - IRT Tier 4
Monterrey, Mexico - December 1-4, 2016
Final
Edson Martinez d. Javier Mar, 11-6, 11-5, 11-1
Semi-finals
Javier Mar d. Rodrigo Garay, injury forfeit
Edson Martinez d. Eduardo Garay, 12-10, 11-0, 7-11, 11-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the semi-finals, Martinez beat Eduardo Garay, 12-10, 11-0, 7-11, 11-8, and Mar defeated Rodrigo Garay due to an injury forfeit.
The IRT will kick off 2017 with a bang, as they will play three tournaments back to back to back beginning with the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California, January 5-8, followed by the 18th Annual NYC Open on Long Island, New York, January 12-15, and finishing with the Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 19-22.
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be in action this coming weekend, when their traditional event - the 25th Annual NES Associates Christmas Classic - will take place in Laurel, Maryland.
2016 Monterrey Open - IRT Tier 4
Monterrey, Mexico - December 1-4, 2016
Final
Edson Martinez d. Javier Mar, 11-6, 11-5, 11-1
Semi-finals
Javier Mar d. Rodrigo Garay, injury forfeit
Edson Martinez d. Eduardo Garay, 12-10, 11-0, 7-11, 11-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
Landa wins twice at 2016 WRT Alamo City Open
Alejandro Landa won twice Sunday, as he successfully defended his singles and doubles titles at the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas. Landa defeated top seed Alejandro Cardona in the singles final, 15-6, 15-10, and teamed up with Felipe Camacho to come back from a game down to win the doubles final against Rodrigo Montoya and Andree Parrilla, winning 12-15, 15-13, 11-4.
In the singles final, Landa and Cardona were close early in game one, but after they were tied at 4-4, Landa ran off six straight points to make it 10-4. Cardona did take a timeout during that run, but to no avail. Although it took 21 rallies to finish game one, that six point stretch got Landa an insurmountable advantage, as he won 15-6.
Game two was also close early, and again the move came after they were tied at 4-4. However, it was Cardona who edged ahead to lead 7-4, and 10-7. Cardona looked in control of the game, and it seemed like the match would go to a third game.
But Landa wasn’t have any of that. He held Cardona at 10, while scoring eight unanswered points to win the match in two straight games. Landa’s cause was helped by an avoidable against Cardona, which seemed appropriate, and an service encroachment call that put Landa on match point at 14-10. He won it on the next rally with a backhand cross court shot that Cardona got his racquet on, but couldn’t hit successfully.
Both Landa and Cardona were drive serving throughout the match, and varied serving to the left and right sides. Their second serves were generally lobs, and often to the right side: each player’s forehand side.
In the doubles final, Landa and Camacho got a good start in game one, as they went out to a 9-2 advantage. But Montoya and Parrilla worked their way back into the game, and tied it at 10-10.
A Landa backhand got him and Camacho the serve back, and they got two points, and each of them hit a winning forehand shot; Camacho’s was a pinch. But Camacho was then forced into a skip, and a Montoya backhand pinch got him and Parrilla the serve back at 12-10 for Landa and Camacho.
Montoya and Parrilla ran off four straight points on consecutive rallies, but then Landa hit a backhand winner to put them half down. There was some controversy at that point, 14-12, as Camacho hit a desperate forehand that wasn’t going very fast and seemed to not reach the front wall. But the referee’s view of the shot was blocked, so he had to call it good, as is what’s normally done when a referee’s view is obscured. Thus, Montoya and Parrilla were denied game winning point.
Yet Landa and Camacho couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity they were gifted, as Montoya hit a winning forehand pinch shot and then Landa skipped a backhand reverse pinch. On the next rally, Montoya hit a backhand shot that was a game winner.
After trying a variety of serves, Montoya and Parrilla settled into lob serves to Camacho. Parrilla’s were close to the right side wall, as he was the right side player, while Montoya’s were to the right side of center. Camacho often tried returning the ball by driving it down the right side to jam Parrilla, but Parrilla was generally able to handle the situation, sometimes with help from his partner.
Montoya and Parrilla got the early advantage in game two, as they led 3-0. But Landa and Camacho took over from there, as they scored seven unanswered points to lead 7-3. They maintained a lead until 11-11. From there it was back and forth with ties at 12-12 and 13-13, and 18 rallies played before it finished, 15-13 for Landa and Camacho.
After two close games, often the tie-breaker is not close, and that was the case Sunday, as Landa and Camacho won 11-4. But again it was close early with the teams tied at 4-4 after playing 29 rallies. However, from there Landa and Camacho won seven straight points to end the match.
The WRT ends its 2016 season in Texas, and that will where it begins the 2017 season, as they next WRT event is the 2017 Longhorn Open in Austin, Texas, January 13-16. That tournament will be followed two weeks later by the 2017 WRT West Coast Championship in Concord, California.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Final Sunday
6) Alejandro Landa d. 1) Alejandro Cardona, 15-6, 15-10
Doubles - Final Sunday
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla, 12-15, 15-13, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the singles final, Landa and Cardona were close early in game one, but after they were tied at 4-4, Landa ran off six straight points to make it 10-4. Cardona did take a timeout during that run, but to no avail. Although it took 21 rallies to finish game one, that six point stretch got Landa an insurmountable advantage, as he won 15-6.
Game two was also close early, and again the move came after they were tied at 4-4. However, it was Cardona who edged ahead to lead 7-4, and 10-7. Cardona looked in control of the game, and it seemed like the match would go to a third game.
But Landa wasn’t have any of that. He held Cardona at 10, while scoring eight unanswered points to win the match in two straight games. Landa’s cause was helped by an avoidable against Cardona, which seemed appropriate, and an service encroachment call that put Landa on match point at 14-10. He won it on the next rally with a backhand cross court shot that Cardona got his racquet on, but couldn’t hit successfully.
Both Landa and Cardona were drive serving throughout the match, and varied serving to the left and right sides. Their second serves were generally lobs, and often to the right side: each player’s forehand side.
In the doubles final, Landa and Camacho got a good start in game one, as they went out to a 9-2 advantage. But Montoya and Parrilla worked their way back into the game, and tied it at 10-10.
A Landa backhand got him and Camacho the serve back, and they got two points, and each of them hit a winning forehand shot; Camacho’s was a pinch. But Camacho was then forced into a skip, and a Montoya backhand pinch got him and Parrilla the serve back at 12-10 for Landa and Camacho.
Montoya and Parrilla ran off four straight points on consecutive rallies, but then Landa hit a backhand winner to put them half down. There was some controversy at that point, 14-12, as Camacho hit a desperate forehand that wasn’t going very fast and seemed to not reach the front wall. But the referee’s view of the shot was blocked, so he had to call it good, as is what’s normally done when a referee’s view is obscured. Thus, Montoya and Parrilla were denied game winning point.
Yet Landa and Camacho couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity they were gifted, as Montoya hit a winning forehand pinch shot and then Landa skipped a backhand reverse pinch. On the next rally, Montoya hit a backhand shot that was a game winner.
After trying a variety of serves, Montoya and Parrilla settled into lob serves to Camacho. Parrilla’s were close to the right side wall, as he was the right side player, while Montoya’s were to the right side of center. Camacho often tried returning the ball by driving it down the right side to jam Parrilla, but Parrilla was generally able to handle the situation, sometimes with help from his partner.
Montoya and Parrilla got the early advantage in game two, as they led 3-0. But Landa and Camacho took over from there, as they scored seven unanswered points to lead 7-3. They maintained a lead until 11-11. From there it was back and forth with ties at 12-12 and 13-13, and 18 rallies played before it finished, 15-13 for Landa and Camacho.
After two close games, often the tie-breaker is not close, and that was the case Sunday, as Landa and Camacho won 11-4. But again it was close early with the teams tied at 4-4 after playing 29 rallies. However, from there Landa and Camacho won seven straight points to end the match.
The WRT ends its 2016 season in Texas, and that will where it begins the 2017 season, as they next WRT event is the 2017 Longhorn Open in Austin, Texas, January 13-16. That tournament will be followed two weeks later by the 2017 WRT West Coast Championship in Concord, California.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Final Sunday
6) Alejandro Landa d. 1) Alejandro Cardona, 15-6, 15-10
Doubles - Final Sunday
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla, 12-15, 15-13, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Landa has chance to defend title at 2016 WRT Alamo City Open
Some close games in the semi-finals of the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas, but both matches were over in two straight games. Top seed Alejandro Cardona defeated 5th seed Rodrigo Montoya, 15-3, 15-13, and in what was a replay of last year’s Alamo City Open final, 6th seed Alejandro Landa upset 2nd seed Jaime Martell, 15-11, 15-13, which was also what happened last year.
Landa did the double last year in San Antonio, as won both singles and doubles - playing with Cardona, and he has a chance to do it again this year, although his chance came at Cardona’s expense, as Landa and Felipe Camacho defeated Cardona and Martell, 15-13, 15-10, in one semi-final, while Montoya and Andree Parrilla beat Gerardo Franco and Francisco Troncoso, 15-8, 15-9, in the other semi.
Landa and Martell was a battle of two power players with Landa having the edge, as they both drove serve on first serve, primarily doing so to the left, but hitting the occasional serve to the right side. Cardona is also a power player, and on Saturday he had too much power for Montoya, who seems to be more of a control player.
The singles final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM CST with the doubles final to follow immediately afterwards. You can watch the final live via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 5) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-3, 15-13
6) Alejandro Landa d. 2) Jaime Martell, 15-11, 15-13
Singles - Final Sunday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 12:30 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell, 15-13, 15-10
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla d. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso, 15-8, 15-9
Doubles - Final Sunday
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa
Follow the bouncing ball….
Landa did the double last year in San Antonio, as won both singles and doubles - playing with Cardona, and he has a chance to do it again this year, although his chance came at Cardona’s expense, as Landa and Felipe Camacho defeated Cardona and Martell, 15-13, 15-10, in one semi-final, while Montoya and Andree Parrilla beat Gerardo Franco and Francisco Troncoso, 15-8, 15-9, in the other semi.
Landa and Martell was a battle of two power players with Landa having the edge, as they both drove serve on first serve, primarily doing so to the left, but hitting the occasional serve to the right side. Cardona is also a power player, and on Saturday he had too much power for Montoya, who seems to be more of a control player.
The singles final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM CST with the doubles final to follow immediately afterwards. You can watch the final live via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 5) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-3, 15-13
6) Alejandro Landa d. 2) Jaime Martell, 15-11, 15-13
Singles - Final Sunday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 12:30 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell, 15-13, 15-10
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla d. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso, 15-8, 15-9
Doubles - Final Sunday
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa
Follow the bouncing ball….
Quarterfinal upsets at 2016 WRT Alamo City Open
Two quarterfinals over at the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas, and there have been two upsets. Sixth seed Alejandro Landa defeated 3rd seed Andree Parrilla, 15-12, 15-11, and 5th seed Rodrigo Montoya beat 4th seed David Horn, 15-10, 15-6.
Landa and Montoya will play in the semi-finals Saturday night. Landa will face top seed Alejandro Cardona, who beat Francisco Troncoso, 15-1, 15-7, while Montoya plays 2nd seed Jaime Martell, who needed a tie-breaker to defeat Gerardo Franco, 15-10, 13-15, 11-6.
The quarterfinals continue Saturday afternoon with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Quarterfinals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 8) Francisco Troncoso, 15-1, 15-7
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 4) David Horn, 15-10, 15-6
6) Alejandro Landa d. 3) Andree Parrilla, 15-12, 15-11
2) Jaime Martell d. 7) Gerardo Franco, 15-10, 13-15, 11-6
Singles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 5) Rodrigo Montoya - 7:10 PM
2) Jaime Martell v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 6:05 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - 8:15 PM
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - 8:15 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Landa and Montoya will play in the semi-finals Saturday night. Landa will face top seed Alejandro Cardona, who beat Francisco Troncoso, 15-1, 15-7, while Montoya plays 2nd seed Jaime Martell, who needed a tie-breaker to defeat Gerardo Franco, 15-10, 13-15, 11-6.
The quarterfinals continue Saturday afternoon with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Quarterfinals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 8) Francisco Troncoso, 15-1, 15-7
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 4) David Horn, 15-10, 15-6
6) Alejandro Landa d. 3) Andree Parrilla, 15-12, 15-11
2) Jaime Martell d. 7) Gerardo Franco, 15-10, 13-15, 11-6
Singles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 5) Rodrigo Montoya - 7:10 PM
2) Jaime Martell v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 6:05 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - 8:15 PM
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - 8:15 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Top 8 seeds through to quarterfinals at 2016 WRT Alamo City Open
The top 8 seeds are all through to the quarterfinals at the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas, so no surprises in the Round of 16. But there was a close call, as the 4th seed David Horn needed a tie-breaker to defeat 20th seed Alejandro Almada, 15-14, 14-15, 11-10.
Horn faces 5th seed Rodrigo Montoya in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Montoya beat Ross Smith Jr., 15-9, 15-1, in the 16s.
On the other side of the draw, the anticipated quarterfinal match between Andree Parrilla and Alejandro Landa is on, as they both won their respective Round of 16 matches. Parrilla defeated Felipe Camacho in two straight games, 15-10, 15-6, and Landa beat Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-6.
The quarterfinals start Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 16) Eddie Sada, 15-3, 15-5
8) Francisco Troncoso d. 24) Daniel Neri, 15-9, 15-9
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 21) Ross Smith Jr, 15-9, 15-1
4) David Horn d. 20) Alejandro Almada, 15-14, 14-15, 11-10
3) Andree Parrilla d. 14) Felipe Camacho, 15-10, 15-6
6) Alejandro Landa d. 11) Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-6
7) Gerardo Franco d. 10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr, 15-6, 15-4
2) Jaime Martell d. 18) Cesar Delgado, 15-4, 15-1
Singles - Quarterfinals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 8) Francisco Troncoso - 1:45 PM
4) David Horn v. 5) Rodrigo Montoya - 11:35 AM
3) Andree Parrilla v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 10:30 AM
2) Jaime Martell v. 7) Gerardo Franco - 12:40 PM
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat d. 8) William Craig & Luis Molina, 15-14, 15-5
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson d. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr, 15-10, 7-15, 11-4
10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza d. 7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr, forfeit
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell d. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat, 15-8, 15-5
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr, 13-15, 15-12, 11-7
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso d. 6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson, 15-14, 15-12
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla d. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza, 15-7, 15-12
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - 8:15 PM
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - 8:15 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Horn faces 5th seed Rodrigo Montoya in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Montoya beat Ross Smith Jr., 15-9, 15-1, in the 16s.
On the other side of the draw, the anticipated quarterfinal match between Andree Parrilla and Alejandro Landa is on, as they both won their respective Round of 16 matches. Parrilla defeated Felipe Camacho in two straight games, 15-10, 15-6, and Landa beat Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-6.
The quarterfinals start Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona d. 16) Eddie Sada, 15-3, 15-5
8) Francisco Troncoso d. 24) Daniel Neri, 15-9, 15-9
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 21) Ross Smith Jr, 15-9, 15-1
4) David Horn d. 20) Alejandro Almada, 15-14, 14-15, 11-10
3) Andree Parrilla d. 14) Felipe Camacho, 15-10, 15-6
6) Alejandro Landa d. 11) Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-6
7) Gerardo Franco d. 10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr, 15-6, 15-4
2) Jaime Martell d. 18) Cesar Delgado, 15-4, 15-1
Singles - Quarterfinals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 8) Francisco Troncoso - 1:45 PM
4) David Horn v. 5) Rodrigo Montoya - 11:35 AM
3) Andree Parrilla v. 6) Alejandro Landa - 10:30 AM
2) Jaime Martell v. 7) Gerardo Franco - 12:40 PM
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat d. 8) William Craig & Luis Molina, 15-14, 15-5
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson d. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr, 15-10, 7-15, 11-4
10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza d. 7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr, forfeit
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell d. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat, 15-8, 15-5
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa d. 4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr, 13-15, 15-12, 11-7
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso d. 6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson, 15-14, 15-12
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla d. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza, 15-7, 15-12
Doubles - Semi-finals Saturday
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell v. 5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - 8:15 PM
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla v. 3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - 8:15 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, December 2, 2016
2016 WRT Alamo City Open - Round of 32
The Round of 32 is over at the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas, and there’s been no real surprises, although there were a couple of tie-breakers and the lower seeded player won both.
In one, 18th seed Cesar Delgado came back from a game down to beat 15th seed Erik Mendoza by the narrowest of margins, 5-15, 15-12, 11-10. In the other, 21st seed Ross Smith Jr defeated 12th seed Arturo Burruel, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7.
Delgado’s win puts him into the Round of 16 against WRT #2 Jaime Martell, while Smith will play 4th seed Rodrigo Montoya.
As anticipated, WRT #3 Andre Parrilla will face Felipe Camacho in the 16s, as Camacho beat A. J. Fernandez, 15-8, 15-5, in the Round of 32.
The Round of 16 begins later Friday afternoon with the quarterfinals starting Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 32
1) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
16) Eddie Sada d. 17) Lorenzo Valdez, forfeit
24) Daniel Neri d. 9) Luis Avila, forfeit
8) Francisco Troncoso d. 25) Jose Salas, 15-6, 15-3
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 28) John Casey, 15-3, 15-4
21) Ross Smith Jr d. 12) Arturo Burruel, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7
20) Alejandro Almada d. 13) Justus Benson, 15-8, 15-14
4) David Horn - BYE
3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Felipe Camacho d. 19) A. J. Fernandez, 15-8, 15-5
11) Sebastian Fernandez d. 22) Sam Hojat, 15-6, 15-7
6) Alejandro Landa d. 27) Brady Yelverton, 15-0, 15-6
7) Gerardo Franco d. 26) Brennan Jennings, 15-3, 15-6
10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr d. 23) Miguel Garuea, 15-3, 15-9
18) Cesar Delgado d. 15) Erik Mendoza, 5-15, 15-12, 11-10
2) Jaime Martell - BYE
Singles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 16) Eddie Sada
8) Francisco Troncoso v. 24) Daniel Neri
5) Rodrigo Montoya v. 21) Ross Smith Jr
4) David Horn v. 20) Alejandro Almada
3) Andree Parrilla v. 14) Felipe Camacho
6) Alejandro Landa v. 11) Sebastian Fernandez
7) Gerardo Franco v. 10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr
2) Jaime Martell v. 18) Cesar Delgado
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
8) William Craig & Luis Molina v. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson v. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr
7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr v. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
In one, 18th seed Cesar Delgado came back from a game down to beat 15th seed Erik Mendoza by the narrowest of margins, 5-15, 15-12, 11-10. In the other, 21st seed Ross Smith Jr defeated 12th seed Arturo Burruel, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7.
Delgado’s win puts him into the Round of 16 against WRT #2 Jaime Martell, while Smith will play 4th seed Rodrigo Montoya.
As anticipated, WRT #3 Andre Parrilla will face Felipe Camacho in the 16s, as Camacho beat A. J. Fernandez, 15-8, 15-5, in the Round of 32.
The Round of 16 begins later Friday afternoon with the quarterfinals starting Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 32
1) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
16) Eddie Sada d. 17) Lorenzo Valdez, forfeit
24) Daniel Neri d. 9) Luis Avila, forfeit
8) Francisco Troncoso d. 25) Jose Salas, 15-6, 15-3
5) Rodrigo Montoya d. 28) John Casey, 15-3, 15-4
21) Ross Smith Jr d. 12) Arturo Burruel, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7
20) Alejandro Almada d. 13) Justus Benson, 15-8, 15-14
4) David Horn - BYE
3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Felipe Camacho d. 19) A. J. Fernandez, 15-8, 15-5
11) Sebastian Fernandez d. 22) Sam Hojat, 15-6, 15-7
6) Alejandro Landa d. 27) Brady Yelverton, 15-0, 15-6
7) Gerardo Franco d. 26) Brennan Jennings, 15-3, 15-6
10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr d. 23) Miguel Garuea, 15-3, 15-9
18) Cesar Delgado d. 15) Erik Mendoza, 5-15, 15-12, 11-10
2) Jaime Martell - BYE
Singles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona v. 16) Eddie Sada
8) Francisco Troncoso v. 24) Daniel Neri
5) Rodrigo Montoya v. 21) Ross Smith Jr
4) David Horn v. 20) Alejandro Almada
3) Andree Parrilla v. 14) Felipe Camacho
6) Alejandro Landa v. 11) Sebastian Fernandez
7) Gerardo Franco v. 10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr
2) Jaime Martell v. 18) Cesar Delgado
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
8) William Craig & Luis Molina v. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson v. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr
7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr v. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
2016 WRT Alamo City Open - Preview
The World Racquetball Tour (WRT) is back in action this weekend with their last tournament of 2016: the Alamo City Open in San Antonio, Texas. Alejandro Cardona is the #1 WRT player, but he hasn’t won a WRT event since the WRT Midwest Championships back in May. Since then WRT tournaments have been won by Javier Mar, Andre Parrilla, Rodrigo Montoya and, most recently, Jaime Martell.
Nonetheless, it looks like Cardona will finish the 2016 season at #1, as he’s well ahead of #2 Martell in the rankings (8222 points to 6174). However, Martell is only four points ahead of Parrilla at #3, so this weekend’s tournament will determine who closes out 2016 as #2. Martell and Parrilla are seeded 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the draw, so they would meet in the semi-finals.
But Parrilla will have a tougher time getting there, as in his part of the draw are both Felipe Camacho, seeded 14th, and 6th seed Alejandro Landa, who could be Parrilla’s opponents in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. Advantage Martell.
If Cardona’s going to get to the final, he’ll likely have to defeat the winner of 4th seed David Horn and 5th seed Montoya.
Thus, the WRT looks like it is ending 2016 with a bang.
The Round of 32 will begin Friday morning with the Round of 16 to follow late Friday afternoon and evening. The quarterfinals begin Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 32
1) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
16) Eddie Sada v. 17) Lorenzo Valdez
9) Luis Avila v. 24) Daniel Neri
8) Francisco Troncoso v. 25) Jose Salas
5) Rodrigo Montoya v. 28) John Casey
12) Arturo Burruel v. 21) Ross Smith Jr
13) Justus Benson v. 20) Alejandro Almada
4) David Horn - BYE
3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Felipe Camacho v. 19) A. J. Fernandez
11) Sebastian Fernandez v. 22) Sam Hojat
6) Alejandro Landa v. 27) Brady Yelverton
7) Gerardo Franco v. 26) Brennan Jennings
10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr v. 23) Miguel Garuea
15) Erik Mendoza v. 18) Cesar Delgado
2) Jaime Martell - BYE
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
8) William Craig & Luis Molina v. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson v. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr
7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr v. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Nonetheless, it looks like Cardona will finish the 2016 season at #1, as he’s well ahead of #2 Martell in the rankings (8222 points to 6174). However, Martell is only four points ahead of Parrilla at #3, so this weekend’s tournament will determine who closes out 2016 as #2. Martell and Parrilla are seeded 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the draw, so they would meet in the semi-finals.
But Parrilla will have a tougher time getting there, as in his part of the draw are both Felipe Camacho, seeded 14th, and 6th seed Alejandro Landa, who could be Parrilla’s opponents in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. Advantage Martell.
If Cardona’s going to get to the final, he’ll likely have to defeat the winner of 4th seed David Horn and 5th seed Montoya.
Thus, the WRT looks like it is ending 2016 with a bang.
The Round of 32 will begin Friday morning with the Round of 16 to follow late Friday afternoon and evening. The quarterfinals begin Saturday morning at 10:30 AM with the semi-finals Saturday evening at 6:05 and 7:10 PM. The final is set for Sunday at 12:30 PM. You can watch the action live on Saturday and Sunday via the WRT website.
2016 WRT Alamo City Open
December 2-4 - San Antonio, Texas
Singles - Round of 32
1) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
16) Eddie Sada v. 17) Lorenzo Valdez
9) Luis Avila v. 24) Daniel Neri
8) Francisco Troncoso v. 25) Jose Salas
5) Rodrigo Montoya v. 28) John Casey
12) Arturo Burruel v. 21) Ross Smith Jr
13) Justus Benson v. 20) Alejandro Almada
4) David Horn - BYE
3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Felipe Camacho v. 19) A. J. Fernandez
11) Sebastian Fernandez v. 22) Sam Hojat
6) Alejandro Landa v. 27) Brady Yelverton
7) Gerardo Franco v. 26) Brennan Jennings
10) Miguel Rodriguez Jr v. 23) Miguel Garuea
15) Erik Mendoza v. 18) Cesar Delgado
2) Jaime Martell - BYE
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Alejandro Cardona & Jaime Martell - BYE
8) William Craig & Luis Molina v. 9) A. J. Fernandez & Sam Hojat
5) Felipe Camacho & Alejandro Landa - BYE
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Miguel Rodriguez Jr - BYE
3) Gerardo Franco & Francisco Troncoso - BYE
6) Alejandro Almada & Justus Benson v. 11) George Bustos & Ross Smith Jr
7) Arturo Burrel & Kenny Green Jr v. 10) Mike Cantu & Erik Mendoza
2) Rodrigo Montoya & Andree Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, November 28, 2016
Beltran, Longoria win San Luis Open
Alvaro Beltran won the San Luis Open - an International Racquetball Tour (IRT) satellite event - in San Luis Potosi, Mexico on the weekend. But he needed a tie-breaker to win it, as Edson Martinez pushed him to five games in the final before Beltran came out on top, 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 1-11, 11-7.
Martinez also played a five game match in the semi-finals, as he came back from 2-1 down to defeat Andree Parrilla, 10-12, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4. In the other semi-final, Beltran beat Jordy Alonso in three straight games, 11-5, 11-1, 11-6.
Also of note, Paola Longoria won Women's Open at the San Luis Open, as she defeated Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-3, in the final. Monserrat Mejia took 3rd place by beating Maritza Franco, 15-11, 15-5.
In the semi-finals, Longoria beat Franco, 15-1, 15-0, while Parrilla defeated Monserrat Mejia, 15-4, 15-5.
The next IRT Tier 1 event is the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California, January 5-8, 2017. But the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be in action at the 25th Annual NES Associates Christmas Classic, December 9-11 in Laurel, Maryland.
San Luis Open 2016
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - November 25-27, 2016
Men's Open
Final
Alvaro Beltran d. Edson Martinez, 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 1-11, 11-7
Semi-finals
Alvaro Beltran d. Jordy Alonso, 11-5, 11-1, 11-6
Edson Martinez d. Andree Parrilla, 10-12, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4
Quarterfinals
Alvaro Beltran d. Fabian Parrilla, 11-0, 11-0, 11-7
Jordy Alonso d. Augstin Tristan, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6
Edson Martinez d. Alfonso Aguilar, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5
Andree Parrilla d. Ruben Martinez, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8
Women's Open
Final
Paola Longoria d. Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-3
3rd Place
Monserrat Mejia d. Maritza Franco, 15-11, 15-5
Semi-finals
Paola Longoria d. Maritza Franco, 15-1, 15-0
Jessica Parrilla d. Monserrat Mejia, 15-4, 15-5
Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria d. Ana Kristin Rivera, 15-4, 15-0
Maritza Franco d. Ana Laura Flores, 8-15, 15-8, 11-9
Monserrat Mejia d. Nancy Enriquez, 15-2, 15-8
Jessica Parrilla d. Erin Rivera, 15-6, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Martinez also played a five game match in the semi-finals, as he came back from 2-1 down to defeat Andree Parrilla, 10-12, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4. In the other semi-final, Beltran beat Jordy Alonso in three straight games, 11-5, 11-1, 11-6.
Also of note, Paola Longoria won Women's Open at the San Luis Open, as she defeated Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-3, in the final. Monserrat Mejia took 3rd place by beating Maritza Franco, 15-11, 15-5.
In the semi-finals, Longoria beat Franco, 15-1, 15-0, while Parrilla defeated Monserrat Mejia, 15-4, 15-5.
The next IRT Tier 1 event is the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California, January 5-8, 2017. But the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be in action at the 25th Annual NES Associates Christmas Classic, December 9-11 in Laurel, Maryland.
San Luis Open 2016
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - November 25-27, 2016
Men's Open
Final
Alvaro Beltran d. Edson Martinez, 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 1-11, 11-7
Semi-finals
Alvaro Beltran d. Jordy Alonso, 11-5, 11-1, 11-6
Edson Martinez d. Andree Parrilla, 10-12, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4
Quarterfinals
Alvaro Beltran d. Fabian Parrilla, 11-0, 11-0, 11-7
Jordy Alonso d. Augstin Tristan, 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6
Edson Martinez d. Alfonso Aguilar, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5
Andree Parrilla d. Ruben Martinez, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8
Women's Open
Final
Paola Longoria d. Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-3
3rd Place
Monserrat Mejia d. Maritza Franco, 15-11, 15-5
Semi-finals
Paola Longoria d. Maritza Franco, 15-1, 15-0
Jessica Parrilla d. Monserrat Mejia, 15-4, 15-5
Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria d. Ana Kristin Rivera, 15-4, 15-0
Maritza Franco d. Ana Laura Flores, 8-15, 15-8, 11-9
Monserrat Mejia d. Nancy Enriquez, 15-2, 15-8
Jessica Parrilla d. Erin Rivera, 15-6, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event - Valleyfield, Québec
Samuel Murray and Jennifer Saunders won the Men's and Women's divisions, respectively, at the Canadian Racquetball National Team Selection Event on Sunday in Valleyfield, Québec. Murray won by defeating James Landeryou in the Men's final, 15-4, 15-4, while Saunders beat Michèle Morissette, 15-7, 15-8, in the Women's final.
The Men's final was surprising in that neither of the top seeds - #1 Mike Green and #2 Tim Landeryou - were in the final, as they both lost in the semi-finals. Murray defeated Tim Landeryou in the semi-finals, 15-9, 15-13, while James Landeryou, Tim's younger brother, upset Canada's #1 player Mike Green, 15-11, 0-15, 11-8. It's not often you lose a game at zero, but still win the match, yet James Landeryou did that in the semis.
On the Women's side, Saunders defeated 5th seed Danielle Drury, 15-5, 15-4, in one semi-final, while Morissette outlasted 2nd seed Valerie Fallu, 15-13, 5-15, 11-2, in the other.
The next Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event will be in Calgary, February 3-5, 2017. The results from Valleyfield and Calgary, as well as the 2016 Canadian National Championships, will be used to determine the players that will represent Canada in the 2017 Pan American Championships in Costa Rica in April.
2016 Racquetball Canada Selection Event
November 25-27, Valleyfield, Québec
Men's Open
Final
3) Samuel Murray d. 5) James Landeryou, 15-4, 15-4
Semi-finals
5) James Landeryou d. 1) Mike Green, 15-11, 0-15, 11-8
3) Samuel Murray d. 2) Tim Landeryou, 15-9, 15-13
Quarterfinals
1) Mike Green d. 8) Nathaniel Husulak, 15-9, 15-8
5) James Landeryou d. 4) Pedro Castro, 15-6, 5-15, 11-3
3) Samuel Murray d. 6) Nicolas Bousquet, 15-9, 15-2
2) Tim Landeryou d. 7) Tommy Murray, 15-7, 12-15, 13-11
Women's Open
Final
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 3) Michèle Morissette, 15-7, 15-8
3rd place
2) Valerie Fallu d. 5) Danielle Drury, 14-16, 15-7, 12-10
Semi-finals
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 5) Danielle Drury, 15-5, 15-4
3) Michèle Morissette d. 2) Valerie Fallu, 15-13, 5-15, 11-2
Quarterfinals
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 8) Marjolaine Parent, 15-2, 15-0
5) Danielle Drury d. 4) Christine Richardson, 15-3, 9-15, 11-9
3) Michèle Morissette d. 6) Cassie Prentice, 15-7, 15-1
2) Valerie Fallu d. 7) Juliette Parent, 15-1, 15-1
Follow the bouncing ball….
The Men's final was surprising in that neither of the top seeds - #1 Mike Green and #2 Tim Landeryou - were in the final, as they both lost in the semi-finals. Murray defeated Tim Landeryou in the semi-finals, 15-9, 15-13, while James Landeryou, Tim's younger brother, upset Canada's #1 player Mike Green, 15-11, 0-15, 11-8. It's not often you lose a game at zero, but still win the match, yet James Landeryou did that in the semis.
On the Women's side, Saunders defeated 5th seed Danielle Drury, 15-5, 15-4, in one semi-final, while Morissette outlasted 2nd seed Valerie Fallu, 15-13, 5-15, 11-2, in the other.
The next Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event will be in Calgary, February 3-5, 2017. The results from Valleyfield and Calgary, as well as the 2016 Canadian National Championships, will be used to determine the players that will represent Canada in the 2017 Pan American Championships in Costa Rica in April.
2016 Racquetball Canada Selection Event
November 25-27, Valleyfield, Québec
Men's Open
Final
3) Samuel Murray d. 5) James Landeryou, 15-4, 15-4
Semi-finals
5) James Landeryou d. 1) Mike Green, 15-11, 0-15, 11-8
3) Samuel Murray d. 2) Tim Landeryou, 15-9, 15-13
Quarterfinals
1) Mike Green d. 8) Nathaniel Husulak, 15-9, 15-8
5) James Landeryou d. 4) Pedro Castro, 15-6, 5-15, 11-3
3) Samuel Murray d. 6) Nicolas Bousquet, 15-9, 15-2
2) Tim Landeryou d. 7) Tommy Murray, 15-7, 12-15, 13-11
Women's Open
Final
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 3) Michèle Morissette, 15-7, 15-8
3rd place
2) Valerie Fallu d. 5) Danielle Drury, 14-16, 15-7, 12-10
Semi-finals
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 5) Danielle Drury, 15-5, 15-4
3) Michèle Morissette d. 2) Valerie Fallu, 15-13, 5-15, 11-2
Quarterfinals
1) Jennifer Saunders d. 8) Marjolaine Parent, 15-2, 15-0
5) Danielle Drury d. 4) Christine Richardson, 15-3, 9-15, 11-9
3) Michèle Morissette d. 6) Cassie Prentice, 15-7, 15-1
2) Valerie Fallu d. 7) Juliette Parent, 15-1, 15-1
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, November 21, 2016
2016 IRF World Junior Championships - SUMMARY
The 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships wrapped up on Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. As expected, the home country came out on top of the overall standings, as they were tops in both boy’s and girl’s competitions. Leading the Mexico team was Cristian Longoria, who won gold in both Boy’s U18 Singles and Doubles. This was the fourth consecutive year Longoria won both singles and doubles at World Juniors, and his second consecutive year winning doubles with Gerardo Franco. Longoria has one more year of junior eligibility, so he could do it again in 2017.
Perhaps surprising to some, Longoria’s win in Boy’s U18 Singles was Mexico’s first in that division since 2007, when Ruben Estrada won gold in Coachabomba, Bolivia. In contrast, Longoria and Franco’s gold in U18 Doubles is Mexico’s fourth in a row.
Longoria’s younger team-mate, Eduardo Portillo was also a double gold medalist, as he won both Boy’s U16 Singles and U16 Doubles. But in Boy’s U14, there was no double gold winner, although Diego Garcia of Bolivia won gold in Boy’s U14 Singles and silver in Doubles, so he was close to a double gold achievment.
A three other boys were double medalists: Cristian Miña and Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia, and Jose Ramos of Mexico.
On the girl’s side, Gabriela Martinez was a double gold medalist, winning Girl’s U16 Singles and U18 Doubles with her sister Andrea. Those two gold give Martinez a total of six World Junior gold medals, and this with two years of junior eligibility to go.
Romina Rivero of Bolivia was also a double gold medalist, as she won gold in Girl’s U14 Singles and Doubles. Her singles gold medal was her second gold in U14 in as many years.
Six girls were double medalists, including Americans Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider, Guadalupe Griffin and Monserrat Mejia of Mexico, Valeria Centallas of Bolivia, and Alexis Iwaasa of Canada.
The IRF will be posting videos of the matches that were recorded in San Luis Potosi on their IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles
GOLD: Erika Manilla (USA)
SILVER: Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
BRONZE: Jordan Cooperrider (USA) and Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador)
Boy's U18 Singles
GOLD: Cristian Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER: Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Wayne Antone (USA) and Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Girl's U16 Singles
GOLD: Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER: Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
BRONZE: Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) and Andrea Ramirez (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles
GOLD: Eduardo Portillo (Mexico)
SILVER: Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
BRONZE: Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) and Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia)
Girl's U14 Singles
GOLD: Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
SILVER: Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
BRONZE: Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) and Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico)
Boy's U14 Singles
GOLD: Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
SILVER: Jose Ramos (Mexico)
BRONZE: Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) and Felipe Cardona (Colombia)
Girl's U18 Doubles
GOLD: Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER: Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA)
BRONZE: Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) and Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia)
Boy's U18 Doubles
GOLD: Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER: Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA)
BRONZE: Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) and Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador)
Girl's U16 Doubles
GOLD: Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
SILVER: Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA)
BRONZE: Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada)
Boy's U16 Doubles
GOLD: Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico)
SILVER: Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica) and Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile)
Girl's U14 Doubles
GOLD: Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
SILVER: Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico)
BRONZE: Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) and Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador)
Boy's U14 Doubles
GOLD: Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico)
SILVER: Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada) and Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador)
Girls Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 992
SILVER: USA - 764
BRONZE: Bolivia - 692
4) Guatemala - 412
5) Costa Rica - 328
6) Ecuador & Canada - 316
8) Korea - 60
9) Colombia - 48
10) Chile - 40
11) Puerto Rico - 28
Boys Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 1332
SILVER: Bolivia - 988
BRONZE: USA - 620
4) Costa Rica - 496
5) Ecuador - 400
6) Canada - 378
7) Guatemala - 256
8) Chile - 246
9) Colombia - 196
10) Honduras - 160
11) Korea - 66
12) Argentina - 38
Overall Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 2324
SILVER: Bolivia - 1680
BRONZE: USA - 1384
4) Costa Rica - 824
5) Ecuador - 716
6) Canada - 694
7) Guatemala - 668
8) Chile - 286
9) Colombia - 244
10) Honduras - 160
11) Korea - 126
12) Argentina - 38
13) Puerto Rico - 28
Follow the bouncing ball....
Perhaps surprising to some, Longoria’s win in Boy’s U18 Singles was Mexico’s first in that division since 2007, when Ruben Estrada won gold in Coachabomba, Bolivia. In contrast, Longoria and Franco’s gold in U18 Doubles is Mexico’s fourth in a row.
Longoria’s younger team-mate, Eduardo Portillo was also a double gold medalist, as he won both Boy’s U16 Singles and U16 Doubles. But in Boy’s U14, there was no double gold winner, although Diego Garcia of Bolivia won gold in Boy’s U14 Singles and silver in Doubles, so he was close to a double gold achievment.
A three other boys were double medalists: Cristian Miña and Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia, and Jose Ramos of Mexico.
On the girl’s side, Gabriela Martinez was a double gold medalist, winning Girl’s U16 Singles and U18 Doubles with her sister Andrea. Those two gold give Martinez a total of six World Junior gold medals, and this with two years of junior eligibility to go.
Romina Rivero of Bolivia was also a double gold medalist, as she won gold in Girl’s U14 Singles and Doubles. Her singles gold medal was her second gold in U14 in as many years.
Six girls were double medalists, including Americans Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider, Guadalupe Griffin and Monserrat Mejia of Mexico, Valeria Centallas of Bolivia, and Alexis Iwaasa of Canada.
The IRF will be posting videos of the matches that were recorded in San Luis Potosi on their IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles
GOLD: Erika Manilla (USA)
SILVER: Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
BRONZE: Jordan Cooperrider (USA) and Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador)
Boy's U18 Singles
GOLD: Cristian Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER: Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Wayne Antone (USA) and Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Girl's U16 Singles
GOLD: Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER: Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
BRONZE: Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) and Andrea Ramirez (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles
GOLD: Eduardo Portillo (Mexico)
SILVER: Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
BRONZE: Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) and Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia)
Girl's U14 Singles
GOLD: Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
SILVER: Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
BRONZE: Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) and Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico)
Boy's U14 Singles
GOLD: Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
SILVER: Jose Ramos (Mexico)
BRONZE: Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) and Felipe Cardona (Colombia)
Girl's U18 Doubles
GOLD: Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER: Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA)
BRONZE: Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) and Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia)
Boy's U18 Doubles
GOLD: Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER: Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA)
BRONZE: Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) and Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador)
Girl's U16 Doubles
GOLD: Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
SILVER: Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA)
BRONZE: Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada)
Boy's U16 Doubles
GOLD: Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico)
SILVER: Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica) and Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile)
Girl's U14 Doubles
GOLD: Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
SILVER: Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico)
BRONZE: Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) and Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador)
Boy's U14 Doubles
GOLD: Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico)
SILVER: Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
BRONZE: Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada) and Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador)
Girls Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 992
SILVER: USA - 764
BRONZE: Bolivia - 692
4) Guatemala - 412
5) Costa Rica - 328
6) Ecuador & Canada - 316
8) Korea - 60
9) Colombia - 48
10) Chile - 40
11) Puerto Rico - 28
Boys Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 1332
SILVER: Bolivia - 988
BRONZE: USA - 620
4) Costa Rica - 496
5) Ecuador - 400
6) Canada - 378
7) Guatemala - 256
8) Chile - 246
9) Colombia - 196
10) Honduras - 160
11) Korea - 66
12) Argentina - 38
Overall Team Points
GOLD: Mexico - 2324
SILVER: Bolivia - 1680
BRONZE: USA - 1384
4) Costa Rica - 824
5) Ecuador - 716
6) Canada - 694
7) Guatemala - 668
8) Chile - 286
9) Colombia - 244
10) Honduras - 160
11) Korea - 126
12) Argentina - 38
13) Puerto Rico - 28
Follow the bouncing ball....
Weekend Round Up - Scott, Carter & Cullen win
There were some smaller events this past weekend, as well as the big ones on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT). In Bremerton, Washington at the Kitsap Splat tournament, Hollie Scott won women’s open by defeating Linda Tyler, 15-7, 15-4, in the final. Scott got to the final by defeating Cheyenne Hayes in one semi-final, 15-7, 15-6, while Tyler beat Samantha Simmons, 15-11, 15-12, in the other semi.
Thomas Carter won the 25th Annual Turkey Shoot tournament - a Tier 3 IRT event - in Lombard, Illinois. Carter defeated Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 7-3, injury forfeit, in the final. In the semi-finals, Carter beat Alok Mehta, 11-5, 11-6, 11-1, and Herrera defeated Jeremy Dixon, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6.
Kurtis Cullen won Grumpy Garry’s Racquetball Extravaganza III - a Tier 5 IRT event - in Brandon, Manitoba on the weekend. Cullen defeated Sam Morrissette, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7, in the final. In the semi-finals, Cullen defeated Cam Wachs, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4, while Morrissette upset Lee Connell, 11-8, 11-2, 14-12.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Women’s Open - Final
Hollie Scott d. Linda Tyler, 15-7, 15-4
Semi-finals
Linda Tyler d. Samantha Simmons, 15-11, 15-12
Hollie Scott d. Cheyenne Hayes. 15-7, 15-6
25th Annual Turkey Shoot - Tier 3 IRT - November 18-20, 2016
Lombard, Illinois
Final
Thomas Carter d. Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 7-3, injury forfeit
Semi-finals
Juan Herrera d. Jeremy Dixon, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6
Thomas Carter d. Alok Mehta, 11-5, 11-6, 11-1
Grumpy Garry’s Racquetball Extravaganza III - November 18-20, 2016
Brandon, Manitoba
Final
Kurtis Cullen d. Sam Morrissette, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
Semi-finals
Sam Morrissette d. Lee Connell, 11-8, 11-2, 14-12
Kurtis Cullen d. Cam Wachs, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thomas Carter won the 25th Annual Turkey Shoot tournament - a Tier 3 IRT event - in Lombard, Illinois. Carter defeated Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 7-3, injury forfeit, in the final. In the semi-finals, Carter beat Alok Mehta, 11-5, 11-6, 11-1, and Herrera defeated Jeremy Dixon, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6.
Kurtis Cullen won Grumpy Garry’s Racquetball Extravaganza III - a Tier 5 IRT event - in Brandon, Manitoba on the weekend. Cullen defeated Sam Morrissette, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7, in the final. In the semi-finals, Cullen defeated Cam Wachs, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4, while Morrissette upset Lee Connell, 11-8, 11-2, 14-12.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Women’s Open - Final
Hollie Scott d. Linda Tyler, 15-7, 15-4
Semi-finals
Linda Tyler d. Samantha Simmons, 15-11, 15-12
Hollie Scott d. Cheyenne Hayes. 15-7, 15-6
25th Annual Turkey Shoot - Tier 3 IRT - November 18-20, 2016
Lombard, Illinois
Final
Thomas Carter d. Juan Herrera, 11-6, 11-3, 7-3, injury forfeit
Semi-finals
Juan Herrera d. Jeremy Dixon, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6
Thomas Carter d. Alok Mehta, 11-5, 11-6, 11-1
Grumpy Garry’s Racquetball Extravaganza III - November 18-20, 2016
Brandon, Manitoba
Final
Kurtis Cullen d. Sam Morrissette, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
Semi-finals
Sam Morrissette d. Lee Connell, 11-8, 11-2, 14-12
Kurtis Cullen d. Cam Wachs, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Mexico wins 4 of 6 doubles title at 2016 IRF World Junior Championships
The Mexico won four of the six doubles titles at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, including gold in Boy's U18, as Gerardo Franco and Cristian Longoria beat the USA's Jake Birnel and Mauro Rojas, 15-11, 15-9.
However in Girl's U18, the sisters from Guatemala - Gabriela and Andrea Martinez - came out on top of a double round robin competition. They were level with the USA's Jordan Cooperrider and Erika Manilla for wins and losses at 5-1. But Guatemala and the USA were split in the head to head matches, with Guatemala winning their games by a wider margin than the USA won theirs, so the gold goes to Guatemala.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-1, 15-4
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) d. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-14, 15-7
Final Standings
1) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 5-1
2) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 5-1
3) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 2-4
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-6
Boy's U18 Doubles - Final
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA), 15-11, 15-9
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA), 15-3, 15-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - BYE
Final Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 4-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-2
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-4
Boy's U16 Doubles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-12
Girl's U14 Doubles - Final
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico), 15-11, 15-13
Boy's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia), 15-6, 15-8
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
However in Girl's U18, the sisters from Guatemala - Gabriela and Andrea Martinez - came out on top of a double round robin competition. They were level with the USA's Jordan Cooperrider and Erika Manilla for wins and losses at 5-1. But Guatemala and the USA were split in the head to head matches, with Guatemala winning their games by a wider margin than the USA won theirs, so the gold goes to Guatemala.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-1, 15-4
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) d. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-14, 15-7
Final Standings
1) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 5-1
2) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 5-1
3) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 2-4
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-6
Boy's U18 Doubles - Final
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA), 15-11, 15-9
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA), 15-3, 15-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - BYE
Final Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 4-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-2
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-4
Boy's U16 Doubles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-12
Girl's U14 Doubles - Final
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico), 15-11, 15-13
Boy's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia), 15-6, 15-8
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
Longoria wins 2016 LPRT Kitsap Splat
Paola Longoria won the 2016 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Kitsap Splat in Bremerton, Washington Saturday by defeating fellow Mexican Alexandra Herrera, 11-4, 11-5, 12-10, in the final. Earlier in the day, Longoria beat Adrienne Haynes in the semi-finals, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2.
In the other semi, left-hander Herrera defeated Jessica Parrilla, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8.
If you missed any of this weekend's LPRT action, check out their LPRT LiveStream channel to see it or see it again.
The LPRT will be in action next at their traditional Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland, December 9-11.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Final - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 11-4, 11-5, 12-10
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Adrienne Haynes, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 2) Jessica Parrilla, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Hollie Scott, 11-3, 11-4, 11-1
5) Adrienne Haynes d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 4-1, injury forfeit
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Cecilia Pratt, 11-3, 11-1, 11-5
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 7) Samantha Simmons, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the other semi, left-hander Herrera defeated Jessica Parrilla, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8.
If you missed any of this weekend's LPRT action, check out their LPRT LiveStream channel to see it or see it again.
The LPRT will be in action next at their traditional Christmas Classic in Laurel, Maryland, December 9-11.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Final - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 11-4, 11-5, 12-10
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Adrienne Haynes, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 2) Jessica Parrilla, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Hollie Scott, 11-3, 11-4, 11-1
5) Adrienne Haynes d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 4-1, injury forfeit
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Cecilia Pratt, 11-3, 11-1, 11-5
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 7) Samantha Simmons, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Waselenchuk wins 2016 IRT St Louis Winter Rollout
It was number 1 versus number 2 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) St Louis Winter Rollout tournament in St Louis, Missouri Saturday, and as usual Kane Waselenchuk, IRT #1, defeated Rocky Carson, IRT #2, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1, to win his 102nd IRT tournament.
In the semi-finals, Waselenchuk beat Jose Rojas, 11-2, 11-6, 12-10, and Carson defeated Alvaro Beltran, 2-11, 11-4, 11-1, 11-9.
Some of the IRT pros played doubles in St. Louis, and Felipe Camacho and Samuel Murray came out on top via a pair of tie-breaker wins. In the final, Camacho and Murray beat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado, 15-10, 6-15, 11-6, while in the semis, they defeated Charlie Pratt and Dylan Reid, 15-8, 11-15, 11-10. Franco and Mercado beat Matthew Davenport & Joe Koch, 15-13, 15-1, in other semi.
The IRT is now off until January, when they'll play three Tier 1 tournaments in as many weeks starting with the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California January 5-8.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Final
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 2) Rocky Carson, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1
Semi-finals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 4) Jose Rojas, 11-2, 11-6, 12-10
2) Rocky Carson d. 6) Alvaro Beltran, 2-11, 11-4, 11-1, 11-9
Doubles Final
Felipe Camacho & Samuel Murray d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado, 15-10, 6-15, 11-6
Doubles Semi-finals
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado d. Matthew Davenport & Joe Koch, 15-13, 15-1
Felipe Camacho & Samuel Murray d. Charlie Pratt & Dylan Reid, 15-8, 11-15, 11-10
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the semi-finals, Waselenchuk beat Jose Rojas, 11-2, 11-6, 12-10, and Carson defeated Alvaro Beltran, 2-11, 11-4, 11-1, 11-9.
Some of the IRT pros played doubles in St. Louis, and Felipe Camacho and Samuel Murray came out on top via a pair of tie-breaker wins. In the final, Camacho and Murray beat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado, 15-10, 6-15, 11-6, while in the semis, they defeated Charlie Pratt and Dylan Reid, 15-8, 11-15, 11-10. Franco and Mercado beat Matthew Davenport & Joe Koch, 15-13, 15-1, in other semi.
The IRT is now off until January, when they'll play three Tier 1 tournaments in as many weeks starting with the Coast to Coast California Open in Oakridge, California January 5-8.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Final
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 2) Rocky Carson, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1
Semi-finals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 4) Jose Rojas, 11-2, 11-6, 12-10
2) Rocky Carson d. 6) Alvaro Beltran, 2-11, 11-4, 11-1, 11-9
Doubles Final
Felipe Camacho & Samuel Murray d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado, 15-10, 6-15, 11-6
Doubles Semi-finals
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado d. Matthew Davenport & Joe Koch, 15-13, 15-1
Felipe Camacho & Samuel Murray d. Charlie Pratt & Dylan Reid, 15-8, 11-15, 11-10
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Singles champions at 2016 IRF World Junior Championships
The singles champions at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico come from four countries with two each from Bolivia and Mexico and one each from Guatemala and the USA.
It was the girls' divisions that had champions from three different countries, as American Erika Manilla defeated Costa Rican Melania Sauma, 15-13, 15-3, to win Girl's U18, Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez repeated as Girl's U16 champion with a win over Mexico's Monserrat Mejia in the final, 15-13, 15-7, and Bolivian Romina Rivero won a tie-breaker against Mexican Delia Aguilar, 10-15, 15-14, 11-5, to win Girl's U14.
Mexicans won the two older boys' divisions - U18 and U16 - with Bolivia taking the youngest one - Boy's U14. Cristian Longoria of Mexico beat Cristhian Miña of Bolivia, 15-10, 15-12, to win Boy's U18. Boy's U16 was a Mexico-Mexico battle with Eduardo Portillo getting the best of Sebastian Fernandez, 15-9, 15-14. Finally, Diego Garcia of Bolivia beat Jose Ramos of Mexico, 15-1, 13-15, 11-3, to win Boy's U14.
The IRF will be putting up videos of matches from World Juniors on their IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Final
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-3
Boy's U18 Singles - Final
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-12
Girl's U16 Singles - Final
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico), 15-13, 15-7
Boy's U16 Singles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico), 15-9, 15-14
Girl's U14 Singles - Final
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico), 10-15, 15-14, 11-5
Boy's U14 Singles - Final
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 2) Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-1, 13-15, 11-3
Follow the bouncing ball....
It was the girls' divisions that had champions from three different countries, as American Erika Manilla defeated Costa Rican Melania Sauma, 15-13, 15-3, to win Girl's U18, Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez repeated as Girl's U16 champion with a win over Mexico's Monserrat Mejia in the final, 15-13, 15-7, and Bolivian Romina Rivero won a tie-breaker against Mexican Delia Aguilar, 10-15, 15-14, 11-5, to win Girl's U14.
Mexicans won the two older boys' divisions - U18 and U16 - with Bolivia taking the youngest one - Boy's U14. Cristian Longoria of Mexico beat Cristhian Miña of Bolivia, 15-10, 15-12, to win Boy's U18. Boy's U16 was a Mexico-Mexico battle with Eduardo Portillo getting the best of Sebastian Fernandez, 15-9, 15-14. Finally, Diego Garcia of Bolivia beat Jose Ramos of Mexico, 15-1, 13-15, 11-3, to win Boy's U14.
The IRF will be putting up videos of matches from World Juniors on their IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Final
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-3
Boy's U18 Singles - Final
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-12
Girl's U16 Singles - Final
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico), 15-13, 15-7
Boy's U16 Singles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico), 15-9, 15-14
Girl's U14 Singles - Final
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico), 10-15, 15-14, 11-5
Boy's U14 Singles - Final
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 2) Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-1, 13-15, 11-3
Follow the bouncing ball....
2016 LPRT Kitsap Splat - Quarterfinals and Round of 16
Adrienne Haynes has made a semi-final for the first time since February of 2013, as she defeated Cristina Amaya in the quarterfinals Friday at the 2016 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Kitsap Splat in Bremerton, Washington. Haynes was up 2-1 in games, and up in the fourth game when Amaya had to retire due to injury. Haynes won 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 4-1, injury forfeit.
Haynes plays the winner of LPRT #1 Paola Longoria and Hollie Scott in one semi-final, which 2nd seed Jessica Parrilla and 3rd seed Alexandra Herrera will face off in the other semi.
The LPRT semi-finals can be seen live Saturday via the LPRT LiveStream channel at 1 and 2 PM with the final scheduled for 7 PM Saturday night. All time Pacific.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Hollie Scott d. 9) Linda Tyler, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
5) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
6) Cecilia Pratt d. 11) Grace Hughes, 11-4, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7
7) Samantha Simmons v. 10) Cheyenne Hayes, 5-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-2, 11-6
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Hollie Scott
5) Adrienne Haynes d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 4-1, injury forfeit
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Cecilia Pratt, 11-3, 11-1, 11-5
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 7) Samantha Simmons
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria or 8) Hollie Scott v. 5) Adrienne Haynes
2) Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera
Follow the bouncing ball….
Haynes plays the winner of LPRT #1 Paola Longoria and Hollie Scott in one semi-final, which 2nd seed Jessica Parrilla and 3rd seed Alexandra Herrera will face off in the other semi.
The LPRT semi-finals can be seen live Saturday via the LPRT LiveStream channel at 1 and 2 PM with the final scheduled for 7 PM Saturday night. All time Pacific.
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Hollie Scott d. 9) Linda Tyler, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
5) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
6) Cecilia Pratt d. 11) Grace Hughes, 11-4, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7
7) Samantha Simmons v. 10) Cheyenne Hayes, 5-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-2, 11-6
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Hollie Scott
5) Adrienne Haynes d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 4-1, injury forfeit
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Cecilia Pratt, 11-3, 11-1, 11-5
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 7) Samantha Simmons
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria or 8) Hollie Scott v. 5) Adrienne Haynes
2) Jessica Parrilla v. 3) Alexandra Herrera
Follow the bouncing ball….
2016 IRT St Louis Winter Rollout
It's a bit of a case of the usual suspects in the semi-finals of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) St Louis Winter Rollout tournament in St Louis, Missouri. Kane Waselenchuk, IRT #1, and Rocky Carson, IRT #2, are both in the semis, and joining them are Alvaro Beltran and Jose Rojas.
Daniel De La Rosa, IRT #3, is the surprise absentee, but Beltran defeated De La Rosa in the quarterfinals Friday, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5. Beltran will play Carson in the semis Saturday, as Carson beat Jansen Allen, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4, in the quarters.
On the top side of the draw, Waselenchuk faces Jose Rojas in the other semi-final. In the quarters, Waselenchuk beat Mario Mercado, 11-6, 11-1, 11-0, and Rojas defeated Charlie Pratt in four games, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1.
The semi-finals will go Saturday at 11 AM and noon, and will be streamed live via the IRT Network with the final Saturday at 7 PM. All times Central.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Dylan Reid, 11-3, 11-1, 11-7
Mario Mercado d. 8) Marco Rojas, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5
Charlie Pratt d. 5) Sebastian Franco, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-6
4) Jose Rojas d. Scott McClellan, 11-5, 11-1, 11-5
3) Daniel De La Rosa d. David Horn, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
6) Alvaro Beltran d. Robert Collins, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8
7) Jansen Allen d. Felipe Camacho, 5-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-2
2) Rocky Carson d. Samuel Murray, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Mario Mercado, 11-6, 11-1, 11-0
4) Jose Rojas d. Charlie Pratt, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1
6) Alvaro Beltran d. 3) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5
2) Rocky Carson d. 7) Jansen Allen, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 4) Jose Rojas
2) Rocky Carson v. 6) Alvaro Beltran
Follow the bouncing ball….
Daniel De La Rosa, IRT #3, is the surprise absentee, but Beltran defeated De La Rosa in the quarterfinals Friday, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5. Beltran will play Carson in the semis Saturday, as Carson beat Jansen Allen, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4, in the quarters.
On the top side of the draw, Waselenchuk faces Jose Rojas in the other semi-final. In the quarters, Waselenchuk beat Mario Mercado, 11-6, 11-1, 11-0, and Rojas defeated Charlie Pratt in four games, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1.
The semi-finals will go Saturday at 11 AM and noon, and will be streamed live via the IRT Network with the final Saturday at 7 PM. All times Central.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Dylan Reid, 11-3, 11-1, 11-7
Mario Mercado d. 8) Marco Rojas, 11-6, 11-5, 11-5
Charlie Pratt d. 5) Sebastian Franco, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-6
4) Jose Rojas d. Scott McClellan, 11-5, 11-1, 11-5
3) Daniel De La Rosa d. David Horn, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
6) Alvaro Beltran d. Robert Collins, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8
7) Jansen Allen d. Felipe Camacho, 5-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-2
2) Rocky Carson d. Samuel Murray, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Mario Mercado, 11-6, 11-1, 11-0
4) Jose Rojas d. Charlie Pratt, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1
6) Alvaro Beltran d. 3) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5
2) Rocky Carson d. 7) Jansen Allen, 11-1, 11-3, 11-4
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 4) Jose Rojas
2) Rocky Carson v. 6) Alvaro Beltran
Follow the bouncing ball….
Doubles semi-finals at 2016 IRF World Junior Championships
The Bolivia-Mexico dominance shows itself in the doubles semi-finals as it did in the singles semis at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as three of the six finals will be Bolivia versus Mexico. The exceptions are in the U18 divisions, and Girl's U16, where Bolivia doesn't have a team.
Huge result in Girl's U18, as Guatemalans Gabriela and Andrea Martinez defeated the USA team of Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider Friday, 15-9, 15-0, to put both teams on 4-1 in the double round robin. The first time they met, earlier in the week, the USA won by scores of 15-13, 15-5. But by beating the USA by a greater score in their second meeting Guatemala may have earned themselves the gold medal, if they can win their last match against Bolivians Brenda Laime and Flavia Meneses, who are winless so far this week.
In Boy's U18, Mexico will play the USA as Mexicans Gerardo Franco and Cristian Longoria defeated Bolivians Prado Mendoza and Cristhian Miña, 15-10, 15-3, in the semi-finals, and the USA's Jake Birnel and Mauro Rojas beat Christian Chavez and Jorge Ochoa of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-9.
That gave the Bolivians a chance, and they tied the score at 14-14, with the 13th and 14th points coming off American skips, one each by Coooperrider and Manilla. The USA called a timeout at that point, and when play resumed, they got the serve back via a Cooperrider forehand pinch serve return winner. The USA won it on the next rally as Manilla hit a strong backhand cross court.
The top four seeds all got through to the semis across the divisions except in Boy's U14, when Canadians Ian Frattinger and Sean Sauvé, who were 5th seeds, beat 4th seeds Antonio Rojas and Sahil Thakur of the USA, 10-15, 15-5, 11-8.
Look for live streaming of matches from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA), 15-9, 15-0
Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-8
Saturday
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) v. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia)
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) v. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico)
Standings
1) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 4-1
2) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 4-1
2) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 2-3
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-5
Boy's U18 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-3
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) d. 3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-9
Boy's U18 Doubles - Final
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA)
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada), 15-0, 15-0 - forfeit
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - BYE
Saturday
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA)
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - BYE
Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 3-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-4
Boy's U16 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-5
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) d. 3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile), 14-15, 15-4, 11-0
Boy's U16 Doubles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) v. 2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia)
Girl's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) - BYE
4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 5) Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-0, 15-3
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 6) Nikita Chauhan & Elena Dent (USA), 15-8, 10-15, 11-5
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Yun Chaeen & Cho Seungmin (Korea), 15-2, 15-2
Girl's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) d. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-6, 9-15, 11-5
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-5
Girl's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) v. 3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada), 11-15, 15-8, 11-7
3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-6
Boy's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
Huge result in Girl's U18, as Guatemalans Gabriela and Andrea Martinez defeated the USA team of Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider Friday, 15-9, 15-0, to put both teams on 4-1 in the double round robin. The first time they met, earlier in the week, the USA won by scores of 15-13, 15-5. But by beating the USA by a greater score in their second meeting Guatemala may have earned themselves the gold medal, if they can win their last match against Bolivians Brenda Laime and Flavia Meneses, who are winless so far this week.
In Boy's U18, Mexico will play the USA as Mexicans Gerardo Franco and Cristian Longoria defeated Bolivians Prado Mendoza and Cristhian Miña, 15-10, 15-3, in the semi-finals, and the USA's Jake Birnel and Mauro Rojas beat Christian Chavez and Jorge Ochoa of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-9.
That gave the Bolivians a chance, and they tied the score at 14-14, with the 13th and 14th points coming off American skips, one each by Coooperrider and Manilla. The USA called a timeout at that point, and when play resumed, they got the serve back via a Cooperrider forehand pinch serve return winner. The USA won it on the next rally as Manilla hit a strong backhand cross court.
The top four seeds all got through to the semis across the divisions except in Boy's U14, when Canadians Ian Frattinger and Sean Sauvé, who were 5th seeds, beat 4th seeds Antonio Rojas and Sahil Thakur of the USA, 10-15, 15-5, 11-8.
Look for live streaming of matches from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA), 15-9, 15-0
Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-8
Saturday
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) v. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia)
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) v. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico)
Standings
1) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 4-1
2) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 4-1
2) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 2-3
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-5
Boy's U18 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-3
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) d. 3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-9
Boy's U18 Doubles - Final
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA)
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada), 15-0, 15-0 - forfeit
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - BYE
Saturday
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA)
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - BYE
Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 3-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-4
Boy's U16 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-5
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) d. 3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile), 14-15, 15-4, 11-0
Boy's U16 Doubles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) v. 2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia)
Girl's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) - BYE
4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 5) Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-0, 15-3
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 6) Nikita Chauhan & Elena Dent (USA), 15-8, 10-15, 11-5
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Yun Chaeen & Cho Seungmin (Korea), 15-2, 15-2
Girl's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) d. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-6, 9-15, 11-5
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-5
Girl's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) v. 3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada), 11-15, 15-8, 11-7
3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-6
Boy's U14 Doubles - Final
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
Semi-finals at 2016 World Junior Championships
The semi-finals at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico have produced Bolivia and Mexico finalists in most divisions. An exception is Girl's U18, where American Erika Manilla will play Costa Rican Melania Sauma in the final.
In the semi-finals, Manilla defeated team-mate Jordan Cooperrider in a tie-breaker, 15-9, 13-15, 11-7, while Sauma beat Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador, 15-10, 15-7.
In Boy's U18, it's Mexico versus Bolivia as Cristian Longoria of Mexico defeated the USA's Wayne Antone, 15-10, 15-8, in one semi-final, while Bolivian Cristhian Miña beat Set Cubillos of Colombia, 15-3, 15-5, in the other.
The other exception to the Bolivia-Mexico rule is in Girl's U16, as the defending champion Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala will play Mexico's Monserrat Mejia. In the semi-finals, Martinez defeated Andrea Ramirez of Mexico, 15-1, 15-9, and Mejia beat Alexis Iwaasa of Canada, 15-3, 15-6.
Note, earlier we'd reported that in Boy’s U16, as Marco Sarmiento of Honduras had defeated Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia in the quarterfinals, which would have given Honduras its first medal at World Junior, but it appears that was an error, as Ruiz was in the semi-finals. However, Ruiz lost to Mexico's Eduardo Portillo, 15-4, 15-10. Portillo will play fellow Mexican Sebastian Fernandez in the final, as Fernandez squeaked out a tie-breaker win over the other Bolivian player Gerson Miranda, 15-11, 9-15, 11-10.
You can watch some of the matches live from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA), 15-9, 13-15, 11-7
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador), 15-10, 15-7
Girl's U18 Singles - Final
1) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
Boy's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Wayne Antone (USA), 15-10, 15-8
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 10) Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-3, 15-5
Boy's U18 Singles - Final
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
Girl's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada), 15-3, 15-6
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico), 15-1, 15-9
Girl's U16 Singles - Final
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 4) Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-4, 15-10
3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. 2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia), 15-11, 9-15, 11-10
Boy's U16 Singles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
Girl's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico) d. 1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia), 0-15, 15-4, 11-7
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico), 15-6, 15-13
Girl's U14 Singles - Final
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) v. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
Boy's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico), 15-1, 15-0
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia), 15-6, 15-3
Boy's U14 Singles - Final
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) v. 2) Jose Ramos (Mexico)
Follow the bouncing ball....
In the semi-finals, Manilla defeated team-mate Jordan Cooperrider in a tie-breaker, 15-9, 13-15, 11-7, while Sauma beat Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador, 15-10, 15-7.
In Boy's U18, it's Mexico versus Bolivia as Cristian Longoria of Mexico defeated the USA's Wayne Antone, 15-10, 15-8, in one semi-final, while Bolivian Cristhian Miña beat Set Cubillos of Colombia, 15-3, 15-5, in the other.
The other exception to the Bolivia-Mexico rule is in Girl's U16, as the defending champion Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala will play Mexico's Monserrat Mejia. In the semi-finals, Martinez defeated Andrea Ramirez of Mexico, 15-1, 15-9, and Mejia beat Alexis Iwaasa of Canada, 15-3, 15-6.
Note, earlier we'd reported that in Boy’s U16, as Marco Sarmiento of Honduras had defeated Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia in the quarterfinals, which would have given Honduras its first medal at World Junior, but it appears that was an error, as Ruiz was in the semi-finals. However, Ruiz lost to Mexico's Eduardo Portillo, 15-4, 15-10. Portillo will play fellow Mexican Sebastian Fernandez in the final, as Fernandez squeaked out a tie-breaker win over the other Bolivian player Gerson Miranda, 15-11, 9-15, 11-10.
You can watch some of the matches live from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA), 15-9, 13-15, 11-7
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador), 15-10, 15-7
Girl's U18 Singles - Final
1) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
Boy's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Wayne Antone (USA), 15-10, 15-8
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 10) Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-3, 15-5
Boy's U18 Singles - Final
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
Girl's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada), 15-3, 15-6
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico), 15-1, 15-9
Girl's U16 Singles - Final
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 4) Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-4, 15-10
3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. 2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia), 15-11, 9-15, 11-10
Boy's U16 Singles - Final
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
Girl's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico) d. 1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia), 0-15, 15-4, 11-7
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico), 15-6, 15-13
Girl's U14 Singles - Final
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) v. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
Boy's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico), 15-1, 15-0
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia), 15-6, 15-3
Boy's U14 Singles - Final
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) v. 2) Jose Ramos (Mexico)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Thursday, November 17, 2016
2016 IRF World Junior Championships - Doubles quarterfinals
The doubles quarterfinals Thursday at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico have determined who will be on the podium come Saturday, although they will still need to determine who is standing where on that podium.
The USA team of Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider continue to look like they will be on top of the podium for the Girl’s U18 division, as they won their fourth in as many matches Wednesday. However, the Bolivians Brenda Laime and Flavia Meneses gave them a scare in game two, before Manilla and Cooperrider won in two straight games. But in game two, the Bolivians were up 10-2. The USA team came back and went ahead at 14-10, but couldn’t close it then.
That gave the Bolivians a chance, and they tied the score at 14-14, with the 13th and 14th points coming off American skips, one each by Coooperrider and Manilla. The USA called a timeout at that point, and when play resumed, they got the serve back via a Cooperrider forehand pinch serve return winner. The USA won it on the next rally as Manilla hit a strong backhand cross court.
The top four seeds all got through to the semis across the divisions except in Boy's U14, when Canadians Ian Frattinger and Sean Sauvé, who were 5th seeds, beat 4th seeds Antonio Rojas and Sahil Thakur of the USA, 10-15, 15-5, 11-8.
Look for live streaming of matches from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-14
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-8, 15-7
Standings
1) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 4-0
2) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 3-1
2) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 1-3
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-4
Boy's U18 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 5) Devin Halko & Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-7, 15-11
3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador) d. 6) Alexander Pirie & Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-7
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) - BYE
Boy's U18 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) v. 3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador)
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) d. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada), 15-1, 15-3
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE
Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 2-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-3
Boy's U16 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 8) Sergio Ortega & Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-4, 15-5
4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica) d. 5) Ricardo Diaz & Dane Elkins (USA), 15-7, 15-4
3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile) d. 6) Geovani Mendoza & Javier Nathan (Guatemala), 15-13, 15-4
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) d. 7) Spencer Bell & Kaleb Osborne (Canada), 15-7, 15-8
Boy's U16 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) v. 4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica)
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) v. 3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile)
Girl's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) - BYE
4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 5) Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-0, 15-3
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 6) Nikita Chauhan & Elena Dent (USA), 15-8, 10-15, 11-5
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Yun Chaeen & Cho Seungmin (Korea), 15-2, 15-2
Girl's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) v. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. 3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 8) Jose Cardona & Luis Perez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-2
5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada) d. 4) Antonio Rojas & Sahil Thakur (USA), 10-15, 15-5, 11-8
3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 6) Esteban Rodriguez & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 8-15, 15-1, 11-3
2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador) d. 7) Diego Gatica & Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 15-5, 15-1
Boy's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada)
2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador) v. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
The USA team of Erika Manilla and Jordan Cooperrider continue to look like they will be on top of the podium for the Girl’s U18 division, as they won their fourth in as many matches Wednesday. However, the Bolivians Brenda Laime and Flavia Meneses gave them a scare in game two, before Manilla and Cooperrider won in two straight games. But in game two, the Bolivians were up 10-2. The USA team came back and went ahead at 14-10, but couldn’t close it then.
That gave the Bolivians a chance, and they tied the score at 14-14, with the 13th and 14th points coming off American skips, one each by Coooperrider and Manilla. The USA called a timeout at that point, and when play resumed, they got the serve back via a Cooperrider forehand pinch serve return winner. The USA won it on the next rally as Manilla hit a strong backhand cross court.
The top four seeds all got through to the semis across the divisions except in Boy's U14, when Canadians Ian Frattinger and Sean Sauvé, who were 5th seeds, beat 4th seeds Antonio Rojas and Sahil Thakur of the USA, 10-15, 15-5, 11-8.
Look for live streaming of matches from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) d. Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-14
Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) d. Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-8, 15-7
Standings
1) Jordan Cooperrider & Erika Manilla (USA) - 4-0
2) Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - 3-1
2) Mariel Morales & Erin Rivera (Mexico) - 1-3
4) Brenda Laime & Flavia Meneses (Bolivia) - 0-4
Boy's U18 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 5) Devin Halko & Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-7, 15-11
3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador) d. 6) Alexander Pirie & Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-7
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) - BYE
Boy's U18 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Gerardo Franco & Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 4) Prado Mendoza & Cristhian Miña (Bolivia)
2) Jake Birnel & Mauro Rojas (USA) v. 3) Christian Chavez & Jorge Ochoa (Ecuador)
Girl's U16 Doubles - Double Round Robin*
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) d. Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada), 15-1, 15-3
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE
Standings
Ana Laura Flores & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 2-0
Briana Jacquet & Ingrid Robledo (USA) - 2-1
Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) & Marjolaine Parent (Canada) - 0-3
Boy's U16 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 8) Sergio Ortega & Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-4, 15-5
4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica) d. 5) Ricardo Diaz & Dane Elkins (USA), 15-7, 15-4
3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile) d. 6) Geovani Mendoza & Javier Nathan (Guatemala), 15-13, 15-4
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) d. 7) Spencer Bell & Kaleb Osborne (Canada), 15-7, 15-8
Boy's U16 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) v. 4) Sergio Acuña & Pablo Freer (Costa Rica)
2) Fernando Ruiz & Bernardo Valencia (Bolivia) v. 3) Johan Adasme & Ari Weissbrot (Chile)
Girl's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) - BYE
4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 5) Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-0, 15-3
3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 6) Nikita Chauhan & Elena Dent (USA), 15-8, 10-15, 11-5
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Yun Chaeen & Cho Seungmin (Korea), 15-2, 15-2
Girl's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Guadalupe Griffin & Valeria Hernandez (Mexico) v. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)
2) Nathalia Pinero & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. 3) Valeria Centellas & Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 8) Jose Cardona & Luis Perez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-2
5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada) d. 4) Antonio Rojas & Sahil Thakur (USA), 10-15, 15-5, 11-8
3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 6) Esteban Rodriguez & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 8-15, 15-1, 11-3
2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador) d. 7) Diego Gatica & Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 15-5, 15-1
Boy's U14 Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Martin Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 5) Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada)
2) Juan Flores & Esteban Jano (Ecuador) v. 3) Roberto Arellano & Diego Garcia (Bolivia)
Note: A double round robin format has each team playing the other teams twice, rather than only once in a regular round robin format.
Follow the bouncing ball....
Pro racquetball preview: St Louis & Bremerton
Almost lost in this week of International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships racquetball is that there are two professional events this weekend, as both the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) are in action starting Friday.
The IRT is in St Louis for the St Louis Racquetball Winter Rollout, while the LPRT is in Bremerton, Washington with the Kitsap Splat!. Each of these events has a small field of players, which must be due in part to World Juniors. Some of the players who have competed on the pro tours this season are competing at World Juniors - like Gabriela Martinez, Jordan Cooperrider and Cristian Longoria, while others are coaching there - like Veronica Sotomayor, Cheryl Gudinas, and Kelani Bailey, or even refereeing - like Natalia Mendez.
Nevertheless, the shows are going on, and the #1 men’s and women’s players are at the respective events looking to extend their winning streaks. In St Louis, Kane Waselenchuk, the IRT’s top player heads a field of 16 that has 11 of the top 12 IRT players, while in Washington state, Paola Longoria, the top LPRT player, is the top of a field of 11 players with four of the top seven LPRT players.
Thus, there should be some tasty matches in St Louis, but they will probably harder to come by in Bremerton.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 4 PM on, and note the semi-finals will be Saturday morning at 11 AM and noon with the final Saturday at 7 PM. All times Central.
The LPRT will be available live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at Noon on Friday with the quarterfinals on Friday from 4 PM on. The semi-finals will be 1 and 2 PM.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Dylan Reid - 11 AM
8) Marco Rojas v. Mario Mercado - 11 AM
5) Sebastian Franco v. Charlie Pratt - 1 PM
4) Jose Rojas v. Scott McClellan - 1 PM
3) Daniel De La Rosa v. David Horn - Noon
6) Alvaro Beltran v. Robert Collins - Noon
7) Jansen Allen v. Felipe Camacho - 10 AM
2) Rocky Carson v. Samuel Murray - 10 AM
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Hollie Scott v. 9) Linda Tyler
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
5) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
6) Cecilia Pratt v. 11) Grace Hughes
7) Samantha Simmons v. 10) Cheyenne Hayes
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
The IRT is in St Louis for the St Louis Racquetball Winter Rollout, while the LPRT is in Bremerton, Washington with the Kitsap Splat!. Each of these events has a small field of players, which must be due in part to World Juniors. Some of the players who have competed on the pro tours this season are competing at World Juniors - like Gabriela Martinez, Jordan Cooperrider and Cristian Longoria, while others are coaching there - like Veronica Sotomayor, Cheryl Gudinas, and Kelani Bailey, or even refereeing - like Natalia Mendez.
Nevertheless, the shows are going on, and the #1 men’s and women’s players are at the respective events looking to extend their winning streaks. In St Louis, Kane Waselenchuk, the IRT’s top player heads a field of 16 that has 11 of the top 12 IRT players, while in Washington state, Paola Longoria, the top LPRT player, is the top of a field of 11 players with four of the top seven LPRT players.
Thus, there should be some tasty matches in St Louis, but they will probably harder to come by in Bremerton.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 4 PM on, and note the semi-finals will be Saturday morning at 11 AM and noon with the final Saturday at 7 PM. All times Central.
The LPRT will be available live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at Noon on Friday with the quarterfinals on Friday from 4 PM on. The semi-finals will be 1 and 2 PM.
2016 St Louis Winter Rollout - November 17-19, 2016
St Louis, Missouri
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Dylan Reid - 11 AM
8) Marco Rojas v. Mario Mercado - 11 AM
5) Sebastian Franco v. Charlie Pratt - 1 PM
4) Jose Rojas v. Scott McClellan - 1 PM
3) Daniel De La Rosa v. David Horn - Noon
6) Alvaro Beltran v. Robert Collins - Noon
7) Jansen Allen v. Felipe Camacho - 10 AM
2) Rocky Carson v. Samuel Murray - 10 AM
2016 Kitsap Splat! November 18-20, 2016
Bremerton, Washington
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Hollie Scott v. 9) Linda Tyler
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
5) Adrienne Haynes - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
6) Cecilia Pratt v. 11) Grace Hughes
7) Samantha Simmons v. 10) Cheyenne Hayes
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Quarterfinal day at 2016 IRF World Junior Championships
It’s quarterfinal day at the 28th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, so a win today puts you on the podium, as you’ll be in semi-finals no Friday. Knowing you’re playing for a medal can add pressure to a match.
Defending champion in Girl’s U16, Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala may have felt some of that pressure as her opponent Brenda Laime of Bolivia was on fire in game one, and got to game point first, leading 14-13. However, Laime wasn’t able to close it out, and Martinez took advantage by scoring two straight points to game one and then cruised through game two, winning the match 15-14, 15-4.
Canadian Alexis Iwaasa, top seed in Girl’s U16, may have felt that pressure, as despite being a World Juniors veteran, she’s not won a medal in singles play. And early in her match against American Briana Jacquet it didn’t look like that would change, as Jacquet was playing well, using a variety of serves that kept Iwaasa off balance. Jacquet took game one, 15-6. But in game two, Iwaasa found a serve that Jacquet had difficulty with: a drive Z to the left - Jacquet’s backhand, and she used it to win game two, 15-9, forcing a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, Iwaasa scored the first two points, but Jacquet took the next six to lead 6-2, and looked good to get the upset win. However, Iwaasa came back and tied the game at 8-8, as she continued to use the Z serve to the left, although she did hit a drive to the right side that stuck in the back corner for an ace.
At 8-8, a questionable avoidable was called on Iwaasa, which she appealed. The line-judges agreed with the referee’s avoidable call, so Jacquet got the serve back. Yet she didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, as Jacquet double faulted.
With the serve back, Iwaasa scored three answered points to win the match, 5-15, 15-9, 11-8, and assure herself her first medal in singles at the World Juniors. In the semi-finals, Iwaasa will face Monserrat Mejia of Mexico, who beat Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador, 15-6, 15-5, in the quarters.
As close as the Iwaasa-Jacquet match was, it wasn’t as close as the battle in Girl’s U14 between top seed Valeria Centellas of Bolivia and 8th seed Maricruz Ortiz of Costa Rica, as it took Centellas three games to win it with only two points separating then in the third game and only a single point in the first two games. Centalles won 15-14, 14-15, 11-9.
Some seismic upsets in Girl’s U18, as 6th seed Melania Sauma of Costa Rica and 7th seed Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador both won on the bottom half of the draw, so one of them will play for gold as they will face off in the semi-finals on Friday. Sauma, the 6th seed, defeated 3rd seed Flavia Meneses of Bolivia, 15-7, 15-9, in one quarterfinal with Muñoz beating 2nd seed Erin Rivera of Mexico, 15-8, 3-15, 11-8.
On the top half of the Girl’s U18 draw, there will be a face off between two Americans, as Erika Manilla defeated Andrea Martinez of Guatemala, 15-7, 15-6, in one quarterfinal, and Jordan Cooperrider beat Denisse Maldonado of Mexico, 15-10, 15-4.
This is the first year since 2010 that the Girl’s U18 semi-finals has not had a player from either Mexico or Bolivia.
In Boy’s U18, there were no upsets in the quarterfinals, but there were two tie-breakers. Top seed Cristian Longoria of Mexico won easily, defeating 8th seed Alexander Pirie of Costa Rica, 15-0, 15-4. Longoria will face 4th seed Wayne Antone, who an All-American match with team-mate Kevin Vazquez, 15-12, 3-15, 11-9.
On the other side of the draw, 3rd seed Cristhian Miña of Bolivia will play 10th seed Set Cubillos in the semis, as Miña beat Trevor Webb of Canada), 15-6, 15-1, and Cubillos outlasted Bolivian Noe Rivera, 15-10, 12-15, 11-3.
A significant result in Boy’s U16, as 5th seed Marco Sarmiento of Honduras upset 4th seed Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia, 15-11, 15-10. The significance is that Sarmiento’s may assure him of the first medal for Honduras in boy’s singles at World Juniors.
You can watch some of the matches live from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 8) Andrea Martinez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-6
4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA) d. 5) Denisse Maldonado (Mexico), 15-10, 15-4
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 3) Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-9
7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador) d. 2) Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-8, 3-15, 11-8
Girl's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA)
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) v. 7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador)
Boy's U18 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 8) Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-4
4) Wayne Antone (USA) d. 5) Kevin Vazquez (USA), 15-12, 3-15, 11-9
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 11) Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-6, 15-1
10) Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. 15) Noe Rivera (Bolivia), 15-10, 12-15, 11-3
Boy's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 4) Wayne Antone (USA)
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) v. 10) Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Girl's U16 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) d. 8) Briana Jacquet (USA), 6-15, 15-9, 11-8
4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 12) Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-5
3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico) d. 6) Ingrid Robledo (USA), 15-4, 15-14
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Brenda Laime (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-4
Girl's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) v. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 9) Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-2
5) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras) d. 4) Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-11, 15-10
3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. 6) Andres Montero (Costa Rica), 12-15, 15-9, 11-0
2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 10) Dane Elkins (USA), 15-9, 15-2
Boy's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 5) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
Girl's U14 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 8) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-14, 14-15, 11-9
4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico) d. 12) Elena Dent (USA), 11-15, 15-2, 11-1
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 11) Sofia Freer (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-2
2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) d. 7) Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-7, 15-1
Girl's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) v. 3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 9) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-0
4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. 5) Antonio Rojas (USA), 5-15, 15-12, 11-6
14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia) v. 11) Jose Cardona (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-13
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 7) Sahil Thakur (USA), 7-15, 15-5, 11-1
Boy's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) v. 4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico)
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Defending champion in Girl’s U16, Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala may have felt some of that pressure as her opponent Brenda Laime of Bolivia was on fire in game one, and got to game point first, leading 14-13. However, Laime wasn’t able to close it out, and Martinez took advantage by scoring two straight points to game one and then cruised through game two, winning the match 15-14, 15-4.
Canadian Alexis Iwaasa, top seed in Girl’s U16, may have felt that pressure, as despite being a World Juniors veteran, she’s not won a medal in singles play. And early in her match against American Briana Jacquet it didn’t look like that would change, as Jacquet was playing well, using a variety of serves that kept Iwaasa off balance. Jacquet took game one, 15-6. But in game two, Iwaasa found a serve that Jacquet had difficulty with: a drive Z to the left - Jacquet’s backhand, and she used it to win game two, 15-9, forcing a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, Iwaasa scored the first two points, but Jacquet took the next six to lead 6-2, and looked good to get the upset win. However, Iwaasa came back and tied the game at 8-8, as she continued to use the Z serve to the left, although she did hit a drive to the right side that stuck in the back corner for an ace.
At 8-8, a questionable avoidable was called on Iwaasa, which she appealed. The line-judges agreed with the referee’s avoidable call, so Jacquet got the serve back. Yet she didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, as Jacquet double faulted.
With the serve back, Iwaasa scored three answered points to win the match, 5-15, 15-9, 11-8, and assure herself her first medal in singles at the World Juniors. In the semi-finals, Iwaasa will face Monserrat Mejia of Mexico, who beat Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador, 15-6, 15-5, in the quarters.
As close as the Iwaasa-Jacquet match was, it wasn’t as close as the battle in Girl’s U14 between top seed Valeria Centellas of Bolivia and 8th seed Maricruz Ortiz of Costa Rica, as it took Centellas three games to win it with only two points separating then in the third game and only a single point in the first two games. Centalles won 15-14, 14-15, 11-9.
Some seismic upsets in Girl’s U18, as 6th seed Melania Sauma of Costa Rica and 7th seed Maria Jose Muñoz of Ecuador both won on the bottom half of the draw, so one of them will play for gold as they will face off in the semi-finals on Friday. Sauma, the 6th seed, defeated 3rd seed Flavia Meneses of Bolivia, 15-7, 15-9, in one quarterfinal with Muñoz beating 2nd seed Erin Rivera of Mexico, 15-8, 3-15, 11-8.
On the top half of the Girl’s U18 draw, there will be a face off between two Americans, as Erika Manilla defeated Andrea Martinez of Guatemala, 15-7, 15-6, in one quarterfinal, and Jordan Cooperrider beat Denisse Maldonado of Mexico, 15-10, 15-4.
This is the first year since 2010 that the Girl’s U18 semi-finals has not had a player from either Mexico or Bolivia.
In Boy’s U18, there were no upsets in the quarterfinals, but there were two tie-breakers. Top seed Cristian Longoria of Mexico won easily, defeating 8th seed Alexander Pirie of Costa Rica, 15-0, 15-4. Longoria will face 4th seed Wayne Antone, who an All-American match with team-mate Kevin Vazquez, 15-12, 3-15, 11-9.
On the other side of the draw, 3rd seed Cristhian Miña of Bolivia will play 10th seed Set Cubillos in the semis, as Miña beat Trevor Webb of Canada), 15-6, 15-1, and Cubillos outlasted Bolivian Noe Rivera, 15-10, 12-15, 11-3.
A significant result in Boy’s U16, as 5th seed Marco Sarmiento of Honduras upset 4th seed Fernando Ruiz of Bolivia, 15-11, 15-10. The significance is that Sarmiento’s may assure him of the first medal for Honduras in boy’s singles at World Juniors.
You can watch some of the matches live from San Luis Potosi via the IRF YouTube channel.
28th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Girl's U18 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) d. 8) Andrea Martinez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-6
4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA) d. 5) Denisse Maldonado (Mexico), 15-10, 15-4
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 3) Flavia Meneses (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-9
7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador) d. 2) Erin Rivera (Mexico), 15-8, 3-15, 11-8
Girl's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 4) Jordan Cooperrider (USA)
6) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) v. 7) Maria Jose Munoz (Ecuador)
Boy's U18 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) d. 8) Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-4
4) Wayne Antone (USA) d. 5) Kevin Vazquez (USA), 15-12, 3-15, 11-9
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) d. 11) Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-6, 15-1
10) Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. 15) Noe Rivera (Bolivia), 15-10, 12-15, 11-3
Boy's U18 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Cristian Longoria (Mexico) v. 4) Wayne Antone (USA)
3) Cristhian Miña (Bolivia) v. 10) Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Girl's U16 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) d. 8) Briana Jacquet (USA), 6-15, 15-9, 11-8
4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 12) Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-5
3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico) d. 6) Ingrid Robledo (USA), 15-4, 15-14
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Brenda Laime (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-4
Girl's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Alexis Iwaasa (Canada) v. 4) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
2) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 3) Andrea Ramirez (Mexico)
Boy's U16 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 9) Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-2
5) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras) d. 4) Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia), 15-11, 15-10
3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico) d. 6) Andres Montero (Costa Rica), 12-15, 15-9, 11-0
2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 10) Dane Elkins (USA), 15-9, 15-2
Boy's U16 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 5) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
2) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. 3) Sebastian Fernandez (Mexico)
Girl's U14 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 8) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-14, 14-15, 11-9
4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico) d. 12) Elena Dent (USA), 11-15, 15-2, 11-1
3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia) d. 11) Sofia Freer (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-2
2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) d. 7) Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-7, 15-1
Girl's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 4) Delia Aguilar (Mexico)
2) Guadalupe Griffin (Mexico) v. 3) Romina Rivero (Bolivia)
Boy's U14 Singles - Quarterfinals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) d. 9) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-0
4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. 5) Antonio Rojas (USA), 5-15, 15-12, 11-6
14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia) v. 11) Jose Cardona (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-13
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 7) Sahil Thakur (USA), 7-15, 15-5, 11-1
Boy's U14 Singles - Semi-finals
1) Diego Garcia (Bolivia) v. 4) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico)
2) Jose Ramos (Mexico) v. 14) Felipe Cardona (Colombia)
Follow the bouncing ball....
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