The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) is in Ohio for the first time several years this weekend for the Raising Some Racquet for Kids tournament in Huber Heights, Ohio. The draw is small for this weekend, as there are only 22 players in Huber Heights, so two players will qualify for the Round of 16 without playing a match.
Nevertheless, the top players will be in Ohio, including IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk, who is undefeated this season, and seemed to be playing even better in recent events. In the last IRT tournament in Lombard, Illinois earlier this month, Waselenchuk only had 19 points scored against him in four matches.
Some interesting early matches to look for include a rematch of last week’s Pan American Championship final between Daniel De La Rosa and Jake Bredenbeck, which De La Rosa won easily. But that was in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which is over 6,000 feet and with a one serve rule. The situation will be different in Huber Heights, which is less than 1,000 feet above sea level and with the IRT’s two serve rule Bredenbeck will try to use his powerful drive serve that helped him upset IRT #2 Rocky Carson in the last IRT event.
To set up the rematch in Friday’s Round of 16, Bredenbeck will have to win his qualifying match against Kamyron Meeks on Thursday.
Also of note in the draw is former top 10 IRT player Andy Hawthorne, who is an Ohio resident. He’s up against Matthew Majxner in the qualifying round with the winner to face Jose Rojas in the 16s.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 11 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and Noon Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:00 PM. All times Eastern.
2016 Raising Some Racquet for Kids, March 31-April 3
Huber Heights, Ohio
Qualifying Round
Q8) Felip Vesely v. Jeremy Best
Q1) Sebastian Franco - BYE
Q4) Matthew Majxner v. Andy Hawthorne
Q5) Scott McClellan v. Joel Ernst
Q6) Jake Bredenbeck v. Kamyron Meeks
Q3) Mauricio Zelada v. John Craig Chisholm
Q2) Mario Mercado - BYE
Q7) Troy Warigon v. Destry Everhart
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Q8
8) Robert Collins v. Sebastian Franco
5) Jose Rojas v. Q4
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Q5
3) Daniel De La Rosa v. Q6
6) Jansen Allen v. Q3
7) Felipe Camacho v. Mario Mercado
2) Rocky Carson v. Q7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Review
The 2016 Pan American Championships ended Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico with a Mexican sweep of the gold medals, which was the first time Mexico had done that. Mexico joins the USA as the only two countries to sweep gold at the Pan American Championships (previously known as Tournament of the Americas).
The last time the USA sweep Men’s and Women's Singles and Doubles was 2003, when the winner’s were Jack Huczek (MS), Laura Fenton (WS), Ruben Gonzalez and Mike Guidry (MD) and Jackie Paraiso and Kim Russell (now Kim Waselenchuk). The USA also swept gold in seven other years: 2001, 1997, 1993, 1991, 1989, 1988 and 1987.
Paola Longoria won gold in both Women’s Singles and Doubles with partner Samantha Salas, and those two gold give her 11 gold medals in her career at the Pan American Championships (7 in Women’s Singles & 4 in Women’s Doubles), and that moves her into 1st place for career gold medals at the Pan American Championships ahead of American Jackie Paraiso, who’s won 10 gold (1 Women’s Singles & 9 Women’s Doubles).
Salas has six gold in Women's Doubles, which have come over the last seven years. Six gold ties her for 3rd overall with Michelle Gould of the USA, who won four in Women’s Singles and two in Women’s Doubles. Salas’s won four of her titles with Longoria, and two with Susana Acosta.
Javier Moreno’s Pan Am Championship gold in Men’s Doubles was his fifth, and puts him into a tie for most gold medals for a men’s player at the championships with American Bill Sell, who won one gold in Men’s Singles and four Men’s Doubles titles. Sell’s gold came between 1988 and 1998, and he won both singles and doubles in 1988.
Moreno’s gold have all come in Men’s Doubles. He won this year with Alejandro Landa, and did so previously with four different partners: Gilberto Meija (2008), Polo Gutierrez (2011 & 2013) and Alvaro Beltran (2015).
Also of note, a second generation of Baileys has now won medals at the Pan American Championships, as American Kelani Bailey got a silver medal this year in Women's Doubles with Michelle Key. Bailey's mother, Malia Kamahoahoa Bailey won gold twice: in Women's Singles in 1989 and in Women's Doubles with Toni Bevelock in 1990. Kelani Bailey was making her first appearance on Team USA, so there may be several more medal opportunities for the USA in her future.
Team Standings
With the gold medal sweeps, Mexico finished first in the team standings in Men’s and Women’s and Overall categories. The USA were the runners up in the Men’s standings with Ecuador 3rd and Canada 4th. Canada was 2nd in the Women’s standings with the USA 3rd and Bolivia 4th. Overall, it was Mexico #1, USA #2, Canada #3, Ecuador #4, Guatemala #5 and Bolivia #6.
The next main international event will be the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships July 15-23, in Cali, Colombia.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles
Gold - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Silver - Frédérique Lambert (Canada)
Bronze - Jenny Daza (Bolivia), Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles
Gold - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
Silver - Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA)
Bronze - Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Men's Singles
Gold - Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
Silver - Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
Bronze - Fernando Rios (Ecuador), Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles
Gold - Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico)
Silver - Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Bronze - Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA)
Team Standings
Women’s (points)
1. Mexico - 404
2. Canada - 304
3. USA - 236
4. Bolivia - 200
5. Guatemala - 180
6. Ecuador - 176
7. Argentina - 140
8. Costa Rica - 78
9. Honduras - 48
10. Chile - 28
Men’s (points)
1. Mexico - 472
2. USA - 312
3. Ecuador - 268
4. Canada - 196
5. Costa Rica - 156
6. Colombia - 140
7. Guatemala & Argentina - 94
9. Chile - 74
10. Honduras & Puerto Rico - 40
12. Bolivia - 36
Overall (points)
1. Mexico - 876
2. USA - 548
3. Canada - 500
4. Ecuador - 444
5. Guatemala - 274
6. Bolivia - 236
7. Argentina & Costa Rica - 234
9. Colombia - 140
10. Chile - 102
11. Honduras - 88
12. Puerto Rico - 40
Follow the bouncing ball....
The last time the USA sweep Men’s and Women's Singles and Doubles was 2003, when the winner’s were Jack Huczek (MS), Laura Fenton (WS), Ruben Gonzalez and Mike Guidry (MD) and Jackie Paraiso and Kim Russell (now Kim Waselenchuk). The USA also swept gold in seven other years: 2001, 1997, 1993, 1991, 1989, 1988 and 1987.
Paola Longoria won gold in both Women’s Singles and Doubles with partner Samantha Salas, and those two gold give her 11 gold medals in her career at the Pan American Championships (7 in Women’s Singles & 4 in Women’s Doubles), and that moves her into 1st place for career gold medals at the Pan American Championships ahead of American Jackie Paraiso, who’s won 10 gold (1 Women’s Singles & 9 Women’s Doubles).
Salas has six gold in Women's Doubles, which have come over the last seven years. Six gold ties her for 3rd overall with Michelle Gould of the USA, who won four in Women’s Singles and two in Women’s Doubles. Salas’s won four of her titles with Longoria, and two with Susana Acosta.
Javier Moreno’s Pan Am Championship gold in Men’s Doubles was his fifth, and puts him into a tie for most gold medals for a men’s player at the championships with American Bill Sell, who won one gold in Men’s Singles and four Men’s Doubles titles. Sell’s gold came between 1988 and 1998, and he won both singles and doubles in 1988.
Moreno’s gold have all come in Men’s Doubles. He won this year with Alejandro Landa, and did so previously with four different partners: Gilberto Meija (2008), Polo Gutierrez (2011 & 2013) and Alvaro Beltran (2015).
Also of note, a second generation of Baileys has now won medals at the Pan American Championships, as American Kelani Bailey got a silver medal this year in Women's Doubles with Michelle Key. Bailey's mother, Malia Kamahoahoa Bailey won gold twice: in Women's Singles in 1989 and in Women's Doubles with Toni Bevelock in 1990. Kelani Bailey was making her first appearance on Team USA, so there may be several more medal opportunities for the USA in her future.
Team Standings
With the gold medal sweeps, Mexico finished first in the team standings in Men’s and Women’s and Overall categories. The USA were the runners up in the Men’s standings with Ecuador 3rd and Canada 4th. Canada was 2nd in the Women’s standings with the USA 3rd and Bolivia 4th. Overall, it was Mexico #1, USA #2, Canada #3, Ecuador #4, Guatemala #5 and Bolivia #6.
The next main international event will be the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships July 15-23, in Cali, Colombia.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles
Gold - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Silver - Frédérique Lambert (Canada)
Bronze - Jenny Daza (Bolivia), Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles
Gold - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
Silver - Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA)
Bronze - Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Men's Singles
Gold - Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
Silver - Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
Bronze - Fernando Rios (Ecuador), Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles
Gold - Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico)
Silver - Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Bronze - Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA)
Team Standings
Women’s (points)
1. Mexico - 404
2. Canada - 304
3. USA - 236
4. Bolivia - 200
5. Guatemala - 180
6. Ecuador - 176
7. Argentina - 140
8. Costa Rica - 78
9. Honduras - 48
10. Chile - 28
Men’s (points)
1. Mexico - 472
2. USA - 312
3. Ecuador - 268
4. Canada - 196
5. Costa Rica - 156
6. Colombia - 140
7. Guatemala & Argentina - 94
9. Chile - 74
10. Honduras & Puerto Rico - 40
12. Bolivia - 36
Overall (points)
1. Mexico - 876
2. USA - 548
3. Canada - 500
4. Ecuador - 444
5. Guatemala - 274
6. Bolivia - 236
7. Argentina & Costa Rica - 234
9. Colombia - 140
10. Chile - 102
11. Honduras - 88
12. Puerto Rico - 40
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Mexico sweeps gold at 2016 Pan American Championships
Saturday saw a Mexican sweep at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as players from the host country won all four finals in Men's and Women's Singles and Doubles. Paola Longoria won gold in both Women's Singles and Doubles with partner Samantha Salas, while Daniel De La Rosa won Men's Singles and the team of Alejandro Landa and Javier Moreno won Men's Doubles. This is the first year Mexico has captured gold in all four divisions.
And only Landa was a rookie Pan Am Champion, as the others have won gold previously. De La Rosa won Men's Singles in 2011 and Men's Doubles in 2014 (with Edson Martinez). Javier Moreno won his fifth Pan Am Championship with his fourth different partner. His previous wins were with Gilberto Meija (2008), Polo Gutierrez (2011 & 2013) and Alvaro Beltran (2015).
Longoria won Women's Singles for the seventh time Saturday, and she and Salas have now won Women's Doubles four of the last six years together. Salas has two other Women's Doubles titles at these championships with Susana Acosta has her partner, so she's won Women's Doubles at Pan Ams six of the last seven years.
You know it's not going to be a good day when you get called for an avoidable hinder on the first rally. That's how American Jake Bredenbeck's match against De La Rosa began, and unfortunately for Bredenbeck, it didn't get better, as De La Rosa was in control throughout the match, winning 15-2, 15-1.
It was a clinic on playing well at altitude, as De La Rosa didn't drive serve at all, and put the ball away when he had the opportunity. By our count, De La Rosa hit 37 winners against 6 errors in the match, with only one error in game two. Bredenbeck had 11 winners and 11 errors, and 8 of those errors were in game two, as the match took less than 30 min from start to finish.
Longoria's Women's Singles final against Canadian Frédérique Lambert didn't take much longer, as she also won in two straight games, 15-3, 15-6. Longoria got a good start in game one, going up 5-0, and only made one error in the game, which was when she was called for an avoidable hinder.
Game two was close early, as they were tied at 3-3. But Longoria took a lead from there at 5-3. From there she was never behind, as Longoria increased the lead to 11-5, and won 15-6.
In the match, Longoria made 30 winners and only 9 errors, while Lambert hit 14 winners against 15 errors.
Doubles
The most competitive match of the day was the Men's Doubles final between Landa and Moreno and Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador, which went Mexico's way 15-11, 15-10, although Ecuador led in both games.
In game one Ecuador led 6-1, only to see Mexico come back and tie it at 7-7, and then go up 13-7, as the Mexicans scored eight unanswered points.
Ecuador's eighth point came when Landa skipped a shot, and in frustration he hit the ball aggressively after the rally, which garnered him a technical from the referee, and made the score 12-8. Ecuador then scored two points from a Moreno skip and a Rios pinch shot, and it seemed like the Mexicans had lost focus and let the momentum shift to Ecuador.
But Moreno then hits a cross court shot to get Mexico the serve back, and they score two points to make it 14-10. Ugalde hits a great backhand pinch shot to get Ecuador back the serve, but they can only score one point, as Landa hits two winners to side out Ecuador, and then comes up with the game winning shot - a forehand pinch to the left front corner from deep.
Landa was the man of the match, as he had a solid game after not playing well in the semi-final against Canada, when Mexico needed a tie-breaker to advance to the final. On the other hand, Rios was off his game after being stellar in the semi-final against the USA. Rios didn't skip any balls in games two and three of that semi, but in the final he had 9 errors and only 8 winners, while the other three players each had approximately twice as many winners as errors.
In the Women's Doubles final, Longoria and Salas defeated Americans Kelani Bailey and Michelle Key, 15-5, 15-10. It's only the third time Longoria and Salas have played Americans in the Pan Am Championship final, and they are now 2-1. Previously, they had defeated Krystal Csuk and Rhonda Rajsich in 2011, and lost to Rajsich and Sharon Jackson in 2013.
The woman of the match might have been Salas, who made no errors in game one, and only three in game two against a total of 14 winners in the match. Longoria was also effective with 18 winners against 8 errors. The Americans were about 50-50 with winners and errors, as Bailey was 16 and 16 and Key 12 and 11 over the two games.
In game two, Bailey, who was playing in her first international event for Team USA at the senior level after several appearances on the US Junior Team, hit jam serves to the left, so the ball would travel around to Salas on the right side. The strategy was effective, as Salas had some trouble with those serves. However, Longoria adjusted to it by playing hitting the return herself, so the ball didn't get to Salas, which negated that serve's effectiveness.
Game two was close, and the USA actually led 5-4. But after being tied 6-6, Mexico got four unanswered points on two Longoria winners and two Bailey skips to lead 10-6. USA drew close again at 13-10, but couldn't get closer as Mexico closed it out when Salas hit a forehand winner for their second match point opportunity.
The next main international event will be the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in July in Cali, Colombia.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Final
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-3, 15-6
Women's Doubles - Final
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA), 15-5, 15-10
Men's Singles - Final
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Jake Bredenbeck (USA), 15-2, 15-1
Men's Doubles - Final
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-11, 15-10
Follow the bouncing ball….
And only Landa was a rookie Pan Am Champion, as the others have won gold previously. De La Rosa won Men's Singles in 2011 and Men's Doubles in 2014 (with Edson Martinez). Javier Moreno won his fifth Pan Am Championship with his fourth different partner. His previous wins were with Gilberto Meija (2008), Polo Gutierrez (2011 & 2013) and Alvaro Beltran (2015).
Longoria won Women's Singles for the seventh time Saturday, and she and Salas have now won Women's Doubles four of the last six years together. Salas has two other Women's Doubles titles at these championships with Susana Acosta has her partner, so she's won Women's Doubles at Pan Ams six of the last seven years.
You know it's not going to be a good day when you get called for an avoidable hinder on the first rally. That's how American Jake Bredenbeck's match against De La Rosa began, and unfortunately for Bredenbeck, it didn't get better, as De La Rosa was in control throughout the match, winning 15-2, 15-1.
It was a clinic on playing well at altitude, as De La Rosa didn't drive serve at all, and put the ball away when he had the opportunity. By our count, De La Rosa hit 37 winners against 6 errors in the match, with only one error in game two. Bredenbeck had 11 winners and 11 errors, and 8 of those errors were in game two, as the match took less than 30 min from start to finish.
Longoria's Women's Singles final against Canadian Frédérique Lambert didn't take much longer, as she also won in two straight games, 15-3, 15-6. Longoria got a good start in game one, going up 5-0, and only made one error in the game, which was when she was called for an avoidable hinder.
Game two was close early, as they were tied at 3-3. But Longoria took a lead from there at 5-3. From there she was never behind, as Longoria increased the lead to 11-5, and won 15-6.
In the match, Longoria made 30 winners and only 9 errors, while Lambert hit 14 winners against 15 errors.
Doubles
The most competitive match of the day was the Men's Doubles final between Landa and Moreno and Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador, which went Mexico's way 15-11, 15-10, although Ecuador led in both games.
In game one Ecuador led 6-1, only to see Mexico come back and tie it at 7-7, and then go up 13-7, as the Mexicans scored eight unanswered points.
Ecuador's eighth point came when Landa skipped a shot, and in frustration he hit the ball aggressively after the rally, which garnered him a technical from the referee, and made the score 12-8. Ecuador then scored two points from a Moreno skip and a Rios pinch shot, and it seemed like the Mexicans had lost focus and let the momentum shift to Ecuador.
But Moreno then hits a cross court shot to get Mexico the serve back, and they score two points to make it 14-10. Ugalde hits a great backhand pinch shot to get Ecuador back the serve, but they can only score one point, as Landa hits two winners to side out Ecuador, and then comes up with the game winning shot - a forehand pinch to the left front corner from deep.
Landa was the man of the match, as he had a solid game after not playing well in the semi-final against Canada, when Mexico needed a tie-breaker to advance to the final. On the other hand, Rios was off his game after being stellar in the semi-final against the USA. Rios didn't skip any balls in games two and three of that semi, but in the final he had 9 errors and only 8 winners, while the other three players each had approximately twice as many winners as errors.
In the Women's Doubles final, Longoria and Salas defeated Americans Kelani Bailey and Michelle Key, 15-5, 15-10. It's only the third time Longoria and Salas have played Americans in the Pan Am Championship final, and they are now 2-1. Previously, they had defeated Krystal Csuk and Rhonda Rajsich in 2011, and lost to Rajsich and Sharon Jackson in 2013.
The woman of the match might have been Salas, who made no errors in game one, and only three in game two against a total of 14 winners in the match. Longoria was also effective with 18 winners against 8 errors. The Americans were about 50-50 with winners and errors, as Bailey was 16 and 16 and Key 12 and 11 over the two games.
In game two, Bailey, who was playing in her first international event for Team USA at the senior level after several appearances on the US Junior Team, hit jam serves to the left, so the ball would travel around to Salas on the right side. The strategy was effective, as Salas had some trouble with those serves. However, Longoria adjusted to it by playing hitting the return herself, so the ball didn't get to Salas, which negated that serve's effectiveness.
Game two was close, and the USA actually led 5-4. But after being tied 6-6, Mexico got four unanswered points on two Longoria winners and two Bailey skips to lead 10-6. USA drew close again at 13-10, but couldn't get closer as Mexico closed it out when Salas hit a forehand winner for their second match point opportunity.
The next main international event will be the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in July in Cali, Colombia.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Final
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-3, 15-6
Women's Doubles - Final
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA), 15-5, 15-10
Men's Singles - Final
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Jake Bredenbeck (USA), 15-2, 15-1
Men's Doubles - Final
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-11, 15-10
Follow the bouncing ball….
2016 Pan Am Championships - Semi-finals
Mexico, the host country for the 2016 Pan American Championships, which are being played in San Luis Potosi, has a chance to sweep the gold medals Saturday, as they have players in the finals of Men's and Women's Singles and Doubles. Hometown hero and top seed Paola Longoria has a chance to win two gold Saturday, as she is in the Women's Singles final and the Women's Doubles final with Samantha Salas.
Longoria reached the singles final by defeating Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-13, 15-5. They were close through game on. In fact, Daza was up 12-11, and seemed to have momentum, when she hit a fault serve. With the one serve rule in effect at these championships, Daza lost serve, and allowed Longoria to regain momentum, which the reigning two time World Champion did. After Longoria pulled out game one, she was never threatened, going up 10-1 in game two on route to a straight game victory.
Frédérique Lambert, the tournament's 2nd seed, will face Longoria in the Women's Singles final Saturday, and she didn't have nearly as easy a time in her semi-final match, as she needed three games to see off Guatemalan teenager Gabriela Martinez, 15-9, 14-15, 11-5.
In game one, Martinez was up 6-2, but Lambert then scored nine straight points to lead 11-6, and went on to win 15-9. But the roles were reversed in game two, as Lambert led 10-5, only to see Martinez come back to trail by two at 12-10, and then one at 13-12, then tie it at 14-14.
Martinez got the game winning point when Lambert skipped a shot that she was trying to touch back to the front wall.
In the tie-breaker, Lambert served first, and got the first point. Several rallies later, Martinez tied it at 1-1, but that would be the last tie of the match, as Lambert went out to a 4-1 lead. Martinez drew close at 7-5, but she didn't score another point from there, as Lambert took the breaker 11-5.
Lambert's been using a kiss lob serve to the left side primarily in San Luis Potosi, and did so throughout the semi-final. Martinez used a variety of serves in the match to try to keep Lambert off balance, and it was nearly a winning strategy.
Men's Singles
The Men's Singles will also be a battle between the top two seeds, as 1st seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico plays 2nd seed Jake Bredenbeck, and just as on the women's side, the top seed won his semi-final in straight games, while the second seed needed three games to advance.
De La Rosa beat Fernando Rios of Ecuador, 15-12, 15-7, in one semi with Bredenbeck defeating Javier Mar, 15-8, 14-15, 11-6, in the other. Bredenbeck looked like he was going to win in two straight games, when he lead 14-9 in game two. But Mar battled hard, fought off three match points, and hit some nice backhand pinch shots to come back and force the tie-breaker.
In the breaker, Mar led early at 4-1, and looked like he was going to complete the comeback. But Bredenbeck scored eight unanswered points to lead 9-4, and that put the writing on the wall. Mar did score two more points before Bredenbeck closed it out 11-4 to advance to the final.
Doubles
In doubles, the top seeded Mexican teams are in the final, but neither is playing the second seeded teams, as the USA and Ecuador split matches with the third seeds defeating the second seeds in each case.
On the women's side, Longoria and Salas beat Canadians Lambert and Jennifer Saunders, 15-5, 15-8, while Americans Kelani Bailey and Michelle Key came back to defeat the Ecuador team of Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor, 11-15, 15-14, 11-5.
Those wins set up the first Mexico-USA Women's Doubles final at the Pan American Championships since 2013, when Americans Sharon Jackson and Rhonda Rajsich defeated Longoria and Salas in the final. We believe that's the last time Longoria and Salas have lost a doubles match.
On the men's side, two exciting tie-breakers were needed to determine the semi-final winners. In one, Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa defeated Canadians Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou, 15-11, 14-15, 11-4, while in the other Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador came back from a game down to see off Americans Bredenbeck and David Horn, 10-15, 15-1, 11-4.
After dropping the first game to Mexico, Castro and Landeryou took a 9-0 lead in game two, and looked to be lock to force a tie-breaker. But Moreno and Landa came all the way back, and then some, as they led 14-13. But Moreno skipped match point, which gave the Canadians back the serve, and they won the game on another Moreno skip.
In the breaker, Canada went up 3-1, but Mexico came right back, helped by three winners from the left-handed veteran Moreno, to lead 5-3. The Mexicans extended that lead to 10-3, as the Canadians couldn't score any points in four times with the serve. One more point for each side, and Mexico won 11-4.
The USA was in control in game one of the other semi-final, as Bredenbeck and Horn took a 14-4 lead on Ecuador. Ugalde especially seemed off, as he skipped six shots in that period of play. But he and Rios didn't quit, and scored six points before the Americans closed out the first game, 15-10.
Those half dozen points seemed to give the Ecuador players the lift they needed, as they went up 9-0 in game two, holding the USA off the scoreboard on four occasions (though one of those was the start of the game, when the Americans only had one server).
Bredenbeck and Horn had two more chances to serve, but only scored one point from those chances, so Ecuador won game two 15-1.
The tie-breaker was close early, as they teams were tied at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. But perhaps a telling play of the match happened at 3-3, when a ball came around the left side into the middle, and the Americans got their signals crossed as to who was going to play it. Thus, neither did, and Ecuador took the lead 4-3.
Ecuador scored five more points without giving up serve, including three winner by Uglade, who played well after his slow start in game one. But he did skip a shot that gave the USA the serve back trailing 9-4.
But again, the Americans could only score one point before Ecuador got the serve back with a winner by - you guessed it - Ugalde, who also hit the match winning shot: a forehand reverse pinch to the front right corner.
After the match, Bredenbeck was upset at the outcome, and didn't shake hands with the Ecuador players, as he apparently he felt there were calls that went Ecuador's way that the Ecuadorian players could have overturned. It did seem that more appeals were won by Ecuador than the USA, but not all of them. Moreover, from the point in game one when the USA led 14-4, the Ecuador team outscored the USA 32-6, and while a few calls might have gone against Americans, they wouldn't have made up for that 26 point difference.
The win puts Ecuador in the Men's Doubles final for the first time, according to our records, which are admittedly incomplete. Nevertheless it is a great accomplishment for Ecuador, and especially Ugalde and Rios, who'll be a double medalist this year.
The final matches are being streamed live from San Luis Potosi via the International Racquetball Federation's (IRF's) partnership with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT). Go to the WRT website for the link to the live streaming.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-5
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 15-9, 14-15, 11-5
Women's Singles - Final
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - Noon Saturday
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-5, 15-8
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 11-15, 15-14, 11-5
Women's Doubles - Final
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - 2 PM Saturday
Men's Singles - Semi-finals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Fernando Rios (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-7
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Javier Mar (Mexico), 15-8, 14-15, 11-6
Men's Singles - Final
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 11 AM Saturday
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), 15-11, 14-15, 11-4
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA), 9-15, 15-1, 11-4
Men's Doubles - Final
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - 1 PM Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball….
Longoria reached the singles final by defeating Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-13, 15-5. They were close through game on. In fact, Daza was up 12-11, and seemed to have momentum, when she hit a fault serve. With the one serve rule in effect at these championships, Daza lost serve, and allowed Longoria to regain momentum, which the reigning two time World Champion did. After Longoria pulled out game one, she was never threatened, going up 10-1 in game two on route to a straight game victory.
Frédérique Lambert, the tournament's 2nd seed, will face Longoria in the Women's Singles final Saturday, and she didn't have nearly as easy a time in her semi-final match, as she needed three games to see off Guatemalan teenager Gabriela Martinez, 15-9, 14-15, 11-5.
In game one, Martinez was up 6-2, but Lambert then scored nine straight points to lead 11-6, and went on to win 15-9. But the roles were reversed in game two, as Lambert led 10-5, only to see Martinez come back to trail by two at 12-10, and then one at 13-12, then tie it at 14-14.
Martinez got the game winning point when Lambert skipped a shot that she was trying to touch back to the front wall.
In the tie-breaker, Lambert served first, and got the first point. Several rallies later, Martinez tied it at 1-1, but that would be the last tie of the match, as Lambert went out to a 4-1 lead. Martinez drew close at 7-5, but she didn't score another point from there, as Lambert took the breaker 11-5.
Lambert's been using a kiss lob serve to the left side primarily in San Luis Potosi, and did so throughout the semi-final. Martinez used a variety of serves in the match to try to keep Lambert off balance, and it was nearly a winning strategy.
Men's Singles
The Men's Singles will also be a battle between the top two seeds, as 1st seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico plays 2nd seed Jake Bredenbeck, and just as on the women's side, the top seed won his semi-final in straight games, while the second seed needed three games to advance.
De La Rosa beat Fernando Rios of Ecuador, 15-12, 15-7, in one semi with Bredenbeck defeating Javier Mar, 15-8, 14-15, 11-6, in the other. Bredenbeck looked like he was going to win in two straight games, when he lead 14-9 in game two. But Mar battled hard, fought off three match points, and hit some nice backhand pinch shots to come back and force the tie-breaker.
In the breaker, Mar led early at 4-1, and looked like he was going to complete the comeback. But Bredenbeck scored eight unanswered points to lead 9-4, and that put the writing on the wall. Mar did score two more points before Bredenbeck closed it out 11-4 to advance to the final.
Doubles
In doubles, the top seeded Mexican teams are in the final, but neither is playing the second seeded teams, as the USA and Ecuador split matches with the third seeds defeating the second seeds in each case.
On the women's side, Longoria and Salas beat Canadians Lambert and Jennifer Saunders, 15-5, 15-8, while Americans Kelani Bailey and Michelle Key came back to defeat the Ecuador team of Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor, 11-15, 15-14, 11-5.
Those wins set up the first Mexico-USA Women's Doubles final at the Pan American Championships since 2013, when Americans Sharon Jackson and Rhonda Rajsich defeated Longoria and Salas in the final. We believe that's the last time Longoria and Salas have lost a doubles match.
On the men's side, two exciting tie-breakers were needed to determine the semi-final winners. In one, Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa defeated Canadians Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou, 15-11, 14-15, 11-4, while in the other Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador came back from a game down to see off Americans Bredenbeck and David Horn, 10-15, 15-1, 11-4.
After dropping the first game to Mexico, Castro and Landeryou took a 9-0 lead in game two, and looked to be lock to force a tie-breaker. But Moreno and Landa came all the way back, and then some, as they led 14-13. But Moreno skipped match point, which gave the Canadians back the serve, and they won the game on another Moreno skip.
In the breaker, Canada went up 3-1, but Mexico came right back, helped by three winners from the left-handed veteran Moreno, to lead 5-3. The Mexicans extended that lead to 10-3, as the Canadians couldn't score any points in four times with the serve. One more point for each side, and Mexico won 11-4.
The USA was in control in game one of the other semi-final, as Bredenbeck and Horn took a 14-4 lead on Ecuador. Ugalde especially seemed off, as he skipped six shots in that period of play. But he and Rios didn't quit, and scored six points before the Americans closed out the first game, 15-10.
Those half dozen points seemed to give the Ecuador players the lift they needed, as they went up 9-0 in game two, holding the USA off the scoreboard on four occasions (though one of those was the start of the game, when the Americans only had one server).
Bredenbeck and Horn had two more chances to serve, but only scored one point from those chances, so Ecuador won game two 15-1.
The tie-breaker was close early, as they teams were tied at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. But perhaps a telling play of the match happened at 3-3, when a ball came around the left side into the middle, and the Americans got their signals crossed as to who was going to play it. Thus, neither did, and Ecuador took the lead 4-3.
Ecuador scored five more points without giving up serve, including three winner by Uglade, who played well after his slow start in game one. But he did skip a shot that gave the USA the serve back trailing 9-4.
But again, the Americans could only score one point before Ecuador got the serve back with a winner by - you guessed it - Ugalde, who also hit the match winning shot: a forehand reverse pinch to the front right corner.
After the match, Bredenbeck was upset at the outcome, and didn't shake hands with the Ecuador players, as he apparently he felt there were calls that went Ecuador's way that the Ecuadorian players could have overturned. It did seem that more appeals were won by Ecuador than the USA, but not all of them. Moreover, from the point in game one when the USA led 14-4, the Ecuador team outscored the USA 32-6, and while a few calls might have gone against Americans, they wouldn't have made up for that 26 point difference.
The win puts Ecuador in the Men's Doubles final for the first time, according to our records, which are admittedly incomplete. Nevertheless it is a great accomplishment for Ecuador, and especially Ugalde and Rios, who'll be a double medalist this year.
The final matches are being streamed live from San Luis Potosi via the International Racquetball Federation's (IRF's) partnership with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT). Go to the WRT website for the link to the live streaming.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-13, 15-5
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 15-9, 14-15, 11-5
Women's Singles - Final
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - Noon Saturday
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-5, 15-8
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 11-15, 15-14, 11-5
Women's Doubles - Final
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - 2 PM Saturday
Men's Singles - Semi-finals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Fernando Rios (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-7
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Javier Mar (Mexico), 15-8, 14-15, 11-6
Men's Singles - Final
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 11 AM Saturday
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), 15-11, 14-15, 11-4
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA), 9-15, 15-1, 11-4
Men's Doubles - Final
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - 1 PM Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, March 24, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Quarterfinal Thursday
The quarterfinals are happening in all divisions Thursday at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. In Women's Singles, four countries will share the medals, as players from Bolivia and Canada - the only two countries with two players in the quarters - split their matches.
In a Jenny v. Jen match, Jenny Daza of Bolivia defeated Jen Saunders of Canada, 15-3, 15-8. Count one for Bolivia. But Frédérique Lambert defeated Carola Loma, 15-7, 15-11, also. Count one for Canada.
In the other quarterfinals, top seed and hometown woman Paola Longoria (Mexico) defeated Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-3, 15-8, and will play Daza in the semi-finals on Friday. Finally, Guatemala teenager Gabriela Martinez needed three games to get by American Michelle Key, 15-7, 10-15, 11-7, and will play Lambert in the semis.
In Men's Singles, both the top seeds won their matches. First seed Daniel De La Rosa, who like Longoria is also playing in his hometown, beat Colombian Sebastian Franco, 15-5, 15-5, but 2nd seed Jake Bredenbeck needed three games to defeat Canadian Samuel Murray, 15-1, 13-15, 11-8.
In the other Men's Singles quarterfinals Fernando Rios of Ecuador defeated David Horn of the USA, 15-11, 15-12, and Mexican Javier Mar beat Costa Rican Andres Acuña, 15-11, 15-11. Those wins put Rios against De La Rosa and Mar against Bredenbeck in the semi-finals on Friday.
In doubles action, the higher seeded teams won with two exceptions, as both Canadian teams won their matches. In Women's Doubles, Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders - seeded 5th - defeated 4th seeded Bolivians Jenny Daza and Carola Loma, 15-8, 15-7, and will play the top seeded Mexicans Longoria and Samantha Salas in the semi-finals Friday, as the Mexicans comfortably beat sisters Gabriela and Andrea Martinez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-2.
The Canadian men - Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou - needed a tie-breaker to get by Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero, 12-15, 15-8, 11-6. As on the women's side, Canada will also play Mexico in the Men's Doubles semi-finals, as Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa beat Colombians Felipe Arenas and Sebastian Franco, 15-11, 15-9.
Matches are being streamed live from San Luis Potosi via the International Racquetball Federation's (IRF's) partnership with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT). Go to the WRT website for the link to the live streaming.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. María José Vargas (Argentina), 15-3, 15-8
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-3, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Michelle Key (USA), 15-7, 10-15, 11-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-11
Women's Singles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-7
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. María José Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-10, 15-11
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-1
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA)
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-5, 15-5
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. David Horn (USA), 15-11, 15-12
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-11, 15-11
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-1, 13-15, 11-8
Men's Singles - Semi-finals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-11, 15-9
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 12-15, 15-8, 11-6
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-2, 15-3
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-1
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Follow the bouncing ball….
In a Jenny v. Jen match, Jenny Daza of Bolivia defeated Jen Saunders of Canada, 15-3, 15-8. Count one for Bolivia. But Frédérique Lambert defeated Carola Loma, 15-7, 15-11, also. Count one for Canada.
In the other quarterfinals, top seed and hometown woman Paola Longoria (Mexico) defeated Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-3, 15-8, and will play Daza in the semi-finals on Friday. Finally, Guatemala teenager Gabriela Martinez needed three games to get by American Michelle Key, 15-7, 10-15, 11-7, and will play Lambert in the semis.
In Men's Singles, both the top seeds won their matches. First seed Daniel De La Rosa, who like Longoria is also playing in his hometown, beat Colombian Sebastian Franco, 15-5, 15-5, but 2nd seed Jake Bredenbeck needed three games to defeat Canadian Samuel Murray, 15-1, 13-15, 11-8.
In the other Men's Singles quarterfinals Fernando Rios of Ecuador defeated David Horn of the USA, 15-11, 15-12, and Mexican Javier Mar beat Costa Rican Andres Acuña, 15-11, 15-11. Those wins put Rios against De La Rosa and Mar against Bredenbeck in the semi-finals on Friday.
In doubles action, the higher seeded teams won with two exceptions, as both Canadian teams won their matches. In Women's Doubles, Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders - seeded 5th - defeated 4th seeded Bolivians Jenny Daza and Carola Loma, 15-8, 15-7, and will play the top seeded Mexicans Longoria and Samantha Salas in the semi-finals Friday, as the Mexicans comfortably beat sisters Gabriela and Andrea Martinez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-2.
The Canadian men - Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou - needed a tie-breaker to get by Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero, 12-15, 15-8, 11-6. As on the women's side, Canada will also play Mexico in the Men's Doubles semi-finals, as Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa beat Colombians Felipe Arenas and Sebastian Franco, 15-11, 15-9.
Matches are being streamed live from San Luis Potosi via the International Racquetball Federation's (IRF's) partnership with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT). Go to the WRT website for the link to the live streaming.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. María José Vargas (Argentina), 15-3, 15-8
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-3, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Michelle Key (USA), 15-7, 10-15, 11-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-7, 15-11
Women's Singles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Gabriela Martinez & Andrea Martinez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-7
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. María José Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-10, 15-11
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-1
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA)
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-5, 15-5
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. David Horn (USA), 15-11, 15-12
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-11, 15-11
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-1, 13-15, 11-8
Men's Singles - Semi-finals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-11, 15-9
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 12-15, 15-8, 11-6
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-2, 15-3
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-1
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Follow the bouncing ball….
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Win or go home
The biggest surprises on day one of the elimination round at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico both involved Ecuador players, but unfortunately for Ecuador both weren't wins. In what was a rematch of the 2012 Pan American Championships, Ecuador's Fernando Rios faced Mike Green of Canada in the Men's Singles Round of 16, and reversed the outcome of four years ago by defeating Green, 15-9, 15-4.
But in Women's Singles, 5th seed Veronica Sotomayor lost to 12th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-8, in the Round of 16. Daza will play 4th seed Jennifer Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals Thursday, as Saunders defeated Sotomayor's team-mate Ivonne Carpio, 15-12, 15-8.
The top seeds - Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria - in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, both won their Round of 16 matches Wednesday. De La Rosa defeated Francisco Troncoso of Chile, 15-8, 15-5, while Longoria beat Sofia Soley of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7.
Of the final eight players in Women's Singles, two are Bolivian and two Canadian with one each from Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina and the USA. The other Bolivian and Canadian are Carola Loma and Frédérique Lambert, respectively. Loma defeated American Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-7, and Lambert beat Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-10, in the Round of 16, and they will play each other in the quarters.
Two different countries are doubly represented in the Men's Singles quarterfinals, as two Mexicans and two USA players are in the last eight with a Canadian, a Costa Rican, a Colombian, and an Ecuadoran.
De La Rosa's Mexican team-mate Javier Mar got through to the quarters with a win over Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, 15-8, 15-6, while the two Americans - Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn - also won in two straight games. Bredenbeck defeated Edwin Galicia of Guatemala, 15-9, 15-5, and Horn beat Juan Francisco Cueva of Ecuador, 15-5, 15-2.
There were three Men's Doubles matches Wednesday, and one of them went tie-breaker. The Guatemalan team of Hanzel Martinez and Juan Jose Salvatierra needed three games to defeat Puerto Ricans Aaron Booker and Abraham Mercado, 15-8, 9-15, 11-2. The win puts Guatemala against Americans Bredenbeck and Horn on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
One of the other Men's Doubles matches almost went breaker, but Colombians Sebastian Franco and Felipe Arenas came back from 12-5 down in game two to defeat Rodrigo Salgado and Francisco Troncoso of Chile in two straight games, 15-13, 15-14. Thus, there will be multiple Men's Doubles World Champion versus current Men's Doubles World Champion in the quarters as Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa will face Colombians Franco and Arenas. Moreno has won three World Championships in Men's Doubles (twice with Alvaro Beltran & once with Luis Bustilos), while Franco is the current World Champion in Men's Doubles, as he and Alejandro Herrera won the title in 2014.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-6, 15-8
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-8, 15-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 5-15, 15-9, 11-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-8
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-2, 15-6
Michelle Key (USA) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-14, 15-8
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-7, 15-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-10
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. María José Vargas (Argentina)
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Michelle Key (USA)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-2, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) v. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) v. Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina)
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica)
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-13
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-2
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-0, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-3
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-6
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-5
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-7
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Mike Green (Canada), 15-9, 15-4
David Horn (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-2
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-8, 15-6
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-10, 15-0
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-8
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-5
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Samuel Murray (Canada)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-13, 15-14
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-4, 15-4
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-8, 9-15, 11-2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada)
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala)
Follow the bouncing ball….
But in Women's Singles, 5th seed Veronica Sotomayor lost to 12th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-8, in the Round of 16. Daza will play 4th seed Jennifer Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals Thursday, as Saunders defeated Sotomayor's team-mate Ivonne Carpio, 15-12, 15-8.
The top seeds - Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria - in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, both won their Round of 16 matches Wednesday. De La Rosa defeated Francisco Troncoso of Chile, 15-8, 15-5, while Longoria beat Sofia Soley of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7.
Of the final eight players in Women's Singles, two are Bolivian and two Canadian with one each from Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina and the USA. The other Bolivian and Canadian are Carola Loma and Frédérique Lambert, respectively. Loma defeated American Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-7, and Lambert beat Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-10, in the Round of 16, and they will play each other in the quarters.
Two different countries are doubly represented in the Men's Singles quarterfinals, as two Mexicans and two USA players are in the last eight with a Canadian, a Costa Rican, a Colombian, and an Ecuadoran.
De La Rosa's Mexican team-mate Javier Mar got through to the quarters with a win over Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, 15-8, 15-6, while the two Americans - Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn - also won in two straight games. Bredenbeck defeated Edwin Galicia of Guatemala, 15-9, 15-5, and Horn beat Juan Francisco Cueva of Ecuador, 15-5, 15-2.
There were three Men's Doubles matches Wednesday, and one of them went tie-breaker. The Guatemalan team of Hanzel Martinez and Juan Jose Salvatierra needed three games to defeat Puerto Ricans Aaron Booker and Abraham Mercado, 15-8, 9-15, 11-2. The win puts Guatemala against Americans Bredenbeck and Horn on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
One of the other Men's Doubles matches almost went breaker, but Colombians Sebastian Franco and Felipe Arenas came back from 12-5 down in game two to defeat Rodrigo Salgado and Francisco Troncoso of Chile in two straight games, 15-13, 15-14. Thus, there will be multiple Men's Doubles World Champion versus current Men's Doubles World Champion in the quarters as Mexicans Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa will face Colombians Franco and Arenas. Moreno has won three World Championships in Men's Doubles (twice with Alvaro Beltran & once with Luis Bustilos), while Franco is the current World Champion in Men's Doubles, as he and Alejandro Herrera won the title in 2014.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-6, 15-8
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-8, 15-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 5-15, 15-9, 11-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-8
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-2, 15-6
Michelle Key (USA) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-14, 15-8
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-7, 15-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-10
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. María José Vargas (Argentina)
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Michelle Key (USA)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-2, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) v. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) v. Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina)
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica)
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-13
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-2
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-0, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-3
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-6
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-5
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-7
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Mike Green (Canada), 15-9, 15-4
David Horn (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-2
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-8, 15-6
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-10, 15-0
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-8
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-5
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Samuel Murray (Canada)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-13, 15-14
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-4, 15-4
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-8, 9-15, 11-2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals
Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada)
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala)
Follow the bouncing ball….
2016 Pan American Championships - Win or go home
The biggest surprises on day one of the elimination round at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico both involved Ecuador players, but unfortunately for Ecuador both weren't wins. In what was a rematch of the 2012 Pan American Championships, Ecuador's Fernando Rios faced Mike Green of Canada in the Men's Singles Round of 16, and reversed the outcome of four years ago by defeating Green, 15-9, 15-4.
But in Women's Singles, 5th seed Veronica Sotomayor lost to 12th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-8, in the Round of 16. Daza will play 4th seed Jennifer Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals Thursday, as Saunders defeated Sotomayor's team-mate Ivonne Carpio, 15-12, 15-8.
The top seeds - Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria - in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, both won their Round of 16 matches Wednesday. De La Rosa defeated Francisco Troncoso of Chile, 15-8, 15-5, while Longoria beat Sofia Soley of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7.
Of the final eight players in Women's Singles, two are Bolivian and two Canadian with one each from Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina and the USA. The other Bolivian and Canadian are Carola Loma and Frédérique Lambert, respectively. Loma defeated American Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-7, and Lambert beat Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-10, in the Round of 16, and they will play each other in the quarters.
Not all the results are final in Men's Singles.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-6, 15-8
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-8, 15-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 5-15, 15-9, 11-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-8
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-2, 15-6
Michelle Key (USA) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-14, 15-8
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-7, 15-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-10
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. María José Vargas (Argentina)
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Michelle Key (USA)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras)
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-13
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-2
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-0, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-3
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-6
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-5
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-7
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Mike Green (Canada), 15-9, 15-4
David Horn (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) v. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) v. Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala)
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) or Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) or Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Samuel Murray (Canada)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) v. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) v. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
But in Women's Singles, 5th seed Veronica Sotomayor lost to 12th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-8, in the Round of 16. Daza will play 4th seed Jennifer Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals Thursday, as Saunders defeated Sotomayor's team-mate Ivonne Carpio, 15-12, 15-8.
The top seeds - Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria - in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, both won their Round of 16 matches Wednesday. De La Rosa defeated Francisco Troncoso of Chile, 15-8, 15-5, while Longoria beat Sofia Soley of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7.
Of the final eight players in Women's Singles, two are Bolivian and two Canadian with one each from Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina and the USA. The other Bolivian and Canadian are Carola Loma and Frédérique Lambert, respectively. Loma defeated American Cheryl Gudinas, 15-7, 15-7, and Lambert beat Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-10, in the Round of 16, and they will play each other in the quarters.
Not all the results are final in Men's Singles.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-6, 15-8
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-8, 15-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 5-15, 15-9, 11-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-8
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-8
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-2, 15-6
Michelle Key (USA) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-14, 15-8
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-7, 15-7
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-10
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. María José Vargas (Argentina)
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Michelle Key (USA)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Carola Loma (Bolivia)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras)
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-13
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-2
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-0, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-3
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-6
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-5
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-7
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Mike Green (Canada), 15-9, 15-4
David Horn (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) v. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) v. Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala)
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
David Horn (USA) v. Fernando Rios (Ecuador)
Javier Mar (Mexico) or Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) or Set Cubillos (Colombia)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Samuel Murray (Canada)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) v. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) v. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Elimination Round Preview
The draws are out for the elimination round of the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which will start on Wednesday. Tuesday is an off day in San Luis Potosi.
Mexicans are seeded #1 in all divisions. Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria are the top seeds in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, and Longoria and Samantha Salas are top seeds in Women's Doubles with Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa the top seeds in Men's Doubles.
In Women's Singles, Longoria will likely play the winner of Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas and Mexico's Jessica Parrilla in the quarterfinals with a likely semi-final match against Jennifer Saunders of Canada or Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador. Awaiting Longoria in the final could be Canada's Frédérique Lambert, who's the 2nd seed.
De La Rosa's path to the final starts with a Chilean, as team-mates Rodrigo Salgado and Francisco Troncoso square off in the first round. A win there will put De La Rosa up against either Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia or Sebastian Franco of Colombia in the quarterfinals.
If De La Rosa gets to the semis, he'll face 4th seed David Horn of the USA, 5th seed Mike Green of Canada or possibly Fernando Rios of Ecuador, who will likely play Green in the Round of 16.
The Men's Singles final could be between De La Rosa as #1 seed and American Jake Bredenbeck, who's the #2 seed.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) v. Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) v. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-2
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras)
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) v. Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) v. Carlos Medrano (Honduras)
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) v. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico)
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Franco Capandegui (Argentina)
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) v. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) v. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Mexicans are seeded #1 in all divisions. Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria are the top seeds in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, and Longoria and Samantha Salas are top seeds in Women's Doubles with Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa the top seeds in Men's Doubles.
In Women's Singles, Longoria will likely play the winner of Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas and Mexico's Jessica Parrilla in the quarterfinals with a likely semi-final match against Jennifer Saunders of Canada or Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador. Awaiting Longoria in the final could be Canada's Frédérique Lambert, who's the 2nd seed.
De La Rosa's path to the final starts with a Chilean, as team-mates Rodrigo Salgado and Francisco Troncoso square off in the first round. A win there will put De La Rosa up against either Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia or Sebastian Franco of Colombia in the quarterfinals.
If De La Rosa gets to the semis, he'll face 4th seed David Horn of the USA, 5th seed Mike Green of Canada or possibly Fernando Rios of Ecuador, who will likely play Green in the Round of 16.
The Men's Singles final could be between De La Rosa as #1 seed and American Jake Bredenbeck, who's the #2 seed.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Women's Singles - Round of 32
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) v. Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
María José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) - BYE
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) v. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-2
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) - BYE
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras)
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) v. Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Mike Green (Canada) - BYE
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) v. Carlos Medrano (Honduras)
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) v. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico)
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Franco Capandegui (Argentina)
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala)
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) v. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) v. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - BYE
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) v. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico)
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, March 21, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Monday Results
The top seeds in Men's and Women's Singles - Mexicans Daniel De La Rosa and Paola Longoria, respectively - both won on Monday at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and thus won their respective groups, and will be seeded #1 in the elimination round of competition that begins Wednesday. De La Rosa and Longoria both won in two straight games with De La Rosa beating Juan Francisco Cueva of Ecuador, 15-1, 15-1, and Longoria defeating Carola Loma of Bolivia, 15-3, 15-9.
American Jake Bredenbeck secured the 2nd seed in Men's Singles with a win over Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina Monday, 15-12, 15-6. But the 2nd in Women's Singles will go to Canada's Frédérique Lambert, who defeated Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas, 15-5, 15-5, in a match that both players approached differently than they would if they met on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), as this competition has a one serve rule, not a two serve rule as on the LPRT.
In an LPRT match, Lambert and Vargas would both be drive serving with abandon, as any faults on first serve would simply lead to a second serve opportunity. However, a service fault this week in San Luis Potosi means a side out. Thus, Lambert hit mostly kiss lob serves to the left side - Vargas's backhand side - with a few other serves thrown in for variety, while Vargas hit mostly drive Z serves, and then later in the match tried drive serving, but not successfully enough to make a comeback.
In a showdown for Group C and the the 3rd seed in the elimination round, Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez defeated Mexican Jessica Parrilla, 15-7, 15-12. Canadian Jennifer Saunders will be the 4th seed in Women's Singles, as she won Group D by defeating Cecilia Cerquetti of Argentina, 15-7, 15-11.
In Men's Singles, Mexican Javier Mar will be the 3rd seed after he defeated Christian Wer of Guatemala, 15-5, 15-7, and American David Horn will be the 4th seed, as he beat Franco Capandegui of Argentina, 15-4, 15-3.
Doubles
The top seeds in Men's and Women's Doubles both won their groups, and will be seeded first when the elimination round begins Wednesday. Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa of Mexico will be 1st seed in Men's Doubles after they closed out the group stage with a win over Guatemalans Hanzel Martinez and Juan Jose Salvatierra, 15-5, 15-1, and their team-mates Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas will be the top seed in Women's Doubles. Longoria and Salas ended the group stage by defeating Costa Ricans Melania Sauma and Sofia Soley, 15-4, 15-1.
The closest doubles match of the day came in Men's Doubles, as the Ecuador team of Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde defeated Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero, 15-10, 15-11, and in doing so created a three way tie in Group C with Costa Rica and Colombians Sebastian Franco and Felipe Arenas. But as Ecuador won today in two straight games, and lost to Colombia in a tie-breaker (and Costa Rica defeated Colombia two straight), Ecuador won Group C and will be 3rd seed in the elimination round.
Ecuador and Costa Rica's match was very competitive. In the first game, Ugalde was the main shooter for Ecuador, as he hit 14 winners against 4 skips, while Rios was 6 and 6. That was three more winners and two fewer errors than Camacho had for Costa Rica (11 & 6), while finished the fewest rallies, hitting only 4 winners and 3 skips.
In game two, Rios rose to the occasion, making 11 winners against only 2 skips, while Ugalde had 6 winners and 4 skips. Camacho also had 6 winners and 4 skips in game two, and Fumero raised his game with 6 winners and only 2 errors, but that wasn't enough to get Costa Rica to a tie-breaker.
Ugalde was man of the match, playing the right side for Ecuador, as he hit more winners the other players (Camacho & Rios both had 17). Also, Ugalde hit the shots that ended both game one and two. In the first, he hit a forehand pinch shot that was flat into the front right corner, and he ended the match with a shot to the left corner that Fumero appealed as a skip, but both line judges agreed with the referee's call of a winning shot.
Group play concludes Monday. Tuesday will be an off day. The elimination round begins Wednesday. Results of previous years were used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Monday
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-3, 15-9
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Group B
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. María José Vargas (Argentina), 15-5, 15-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-2
Group C
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 15-7, 15-12
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Group D
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-7, 15-11
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-5, 15-7
Group E
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-3
Michelle Key (USA) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-6
Women's Doubles
Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-1
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Group B
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-7
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Group C
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-5, 15-1
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group A
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-1
Set Cubillos (Colombia) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-12, 15-6
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-0
Group C
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-7
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-1, 15-4
Group D
David Horn (USA) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-4, 15-3
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
Group E
Mike Green (Canada) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-2
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-5
Group F
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-11, 15-3
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-1
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-1
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-3, 15-1
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-7, 15-3
Group C
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-11
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
American Jake Bredenbeck secured the 2nd seed in Men's Singles with a win over Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina Monday, 15-12, 15-6. But the 2nd in Women's Singles will go to Canada's Frédérique Lambert, who defeated Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas, 15-5, 15-5, in a match that both players approached differently than they would if they met on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), as this competition has a one serve rule, not a two serve rule as on the LPRT.
In an LPRT match, Lambert and Vargas would both be drive serving with abandon, as any faults on first serve would simply lead to a second serve opportunity. However, a service fault this week in San Luis Potosi means a side out. Thus, Lambert hit mostly kiss lob serves to the left side - Vargas's backhand side - with a few other serves thrown in for variety, while Vargas hit mostly drive Z serves, and then later in the match tried drive serving, but not successfully enough to make a comeback.
In a showdown for Group C and the the 3rd seed in the elimination round, Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez defeated Mexican Jessica Parrilla, 15-7, 15-12. Canadian Jennifer Saunders will be the 4th seed in Women's Singles, as she won Group D by defeating Cecilia Cerquetti of Argentina, 15-7, 15-11.
In Men's Singles, Mexican Javier Mar will be the 3rd seed after he defeated Christian Wer of Guatemala, 15-5, 15-7, and American David Horn will be the 4th seed, as he beat Franco Capandegui of Argentina, 15-4, 15-3.
Doubles
The top seeds in Men's and Women's Doubles both won their groups, and will be seeded first when the elimination round begins Wednesday. Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa of Mexico will be 1st seed in Men's Doubles after they closed out the group stage with a win over Guatemalans Hanzel Martinez and Juan Jose Salvatierra, 15-5, 15-1, and their team-mates Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas will be the top seed in Women's Doubles. Longoria and Salas ended the group stage by defeating Costa Ricans Melania Sauma and Sofia Soley, 15-4, 15-1.
The closest doubles match of the day came in Men's Doubles, as the Ecuador team of Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde defeated Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero, 15-10, 15-11, and in doing so created a three way tie in Group C with Costa Rica and Colombians Sebastian Franco and Felipe Arenas. But as Ecuador won today in two straight games, and lost to Colombia in a tie-breaker (and Costa Rica defeated Colombia two straight), Ecuador won Group C and will be 3rd seed in the elimination round.
Ecuador and Costa Rica's match was very competitive. In the first game, Ugalde was the main shooter for Ecuador, as he hit 14 winners against 4 skips, while Rios was 6 and 6. That was three more winners and two fewer errors than Camacho had for Costa Rica (11 & 6), while finished the fewest rallies, hitting only 4 winners and 3 skips.
In game two, Rios rose to the occasion, making 11 winners against only 2 skips, while Ugalde had 6 winners and 4 skips. Camacho also had 6 winners and 4 skips in game two, and Fumero raised his game with 6 winners and only 2 errors, but that wasn't enough to get Costa Rica to a tie-breaker.
Ugalde was man of the match, playing the right side for Ecuador, as he hit more winners the other players (Camacho & Rios both had 17). Also, Ugalde hit the shots that ended both game one and two. In the first, he hit a forehand pinch shot that was flat into the front right corner, and he ended the match with a shot to the left corner that Fumero appealed as a skip, but both line judges agreed with the referee's call of a winning shot.
Group play concludes Monday. Tuesday will be an off day. The elimination round begins Wednesday. Results of previous years were used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Monday
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-3, 15-9
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE
Group B
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. María José Vargas (Argentina), 15-5, 15-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-2
Group C
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 15-7, 15-12
Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Group D
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-7, 15-11
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-5, 15-7
Group E
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-3
Michelle Key (USA) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-6
Women's Doubles
Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-1
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
Group B
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-7
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Group C
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-5, 15-1
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group A
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-1
Set Cubillos (Colombia) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-12, 15-6
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-2, 15-0
Group C
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-7
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-1, 15-4
Group D
David Horn (USA) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-4, 15-3
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
Group E
Mike Green (Canada) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-2
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-5
Group F
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-11, 15-3
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-1
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-1
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-3, 15-1
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-7, 15-3
Group C
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-11
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, March 20, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Day 2 Results
There were few surprises Sunday at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as the group round continued. But the shot of the match may already have been made. It came in Men's Doubles at match point between Colombians Sebastian Franco and Felipe Arenas and Ecuadorans Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde.
Ecuador won the first game comfortably at 15-3. But it's close in game two. However, Rios serving for the match half down at 14-13. Franco has his racquet up, and has it up for several seconds when he turns over to tell something to his partner. Rios must be thinking "it's been well over 10 seconds, so I'm just going to serve," and hits an off speed drive to Franco's side (the left side).
Franco recognizes the ball's been put into play, and hustles over to return it, and hits a backhand reverse pinch that rolls flat as a tortilla out of the front right corner. Amazing!
That got Colombia the serve back, and they scored two points to win game two, 15-14, and force a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, it was close early, but then Ecuador went up 6-3. However, Colombia came back to lead 9-7, when Ecuador calls a timeout. That doesn't stop Colombia from scoring one more point to make it 10-7.
But on match point, half down, Franco serves a lob short to give the serve back to Ecuador. Could Franco have made the shot of the tournament, and also the error of the tournament in the same match?
That could have happened, but Colombia held Ecuador at 7, and got the serve back, which led to Franco making a winning shot into the front left corner to make the final score, 3-15, 15-14, 11-7.
In other action, it seemed like 2002 all over again in Women's Singles, when Canadian Jennifer Saunders took on American Cheryl Gudinas, as those two met in the final of the 2002 IRF World Championship, which Gudinas won 15-13, 15-13.
However, fourteen years later it was Saunders turn, as she defeated Gudinas, 15-8, 8-15, 11-5, in a match where the right side glass wall played a significant factor, as both players hit straight lobs serves on that side, which they each had some difficulty returning.
Canadian veteran Mike Green continues to turn back time, as he won again Sunday, although needed three games to defeat Edwin Galicia of Guatemala, 15-9, 11-15, 11-3.
In Women's Doubles, Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador defeated Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Andrea Martinez, 15-5, 15-11, so they will win the group and get 2nd seed for the elimination round.
The biggest match on Monday could be between Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas and Canada's Frédérique Lambert, as they will play with the winner getting the 2nd seed, as both won their other matches in their group. On Saturday, Vargas beat Paula Padilla of Honduras, 15-0, 15-1, and Lambert defeated Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-3, 12-15, 11-3.
Similarly, Mexican Jessica Parrilla and Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez will play to win Group C on Monday, and the 3rd seed in the elimination round.
The competition continues Monday with the final day of group play, which will be followed by an off day on Tuesday. The elimination draw begins Wednesday. Results of previous years were used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Sunday
Group A
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-2, 15-7
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-0, 15-1
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-3, 12-15, 11-3
Group C
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-4
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-8
Group D
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-8, 8-15, 11-5
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-7, 7-15, 11-4
Group E
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-11
Michelle Key (USA) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Women's Doubles
Group A
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-14
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-11
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Group C
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-0
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group A
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-7, 9-15, 11-5
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-6, 15-1
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-4
Group C
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-1, 15-6
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-10
Group D
David Horn (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-5
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-10, 11-15, 11-2
Group E
Mike Green (Canada) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-10, 11-5, 11-2
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-0, 15-4
Group F
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-7
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-14, 15-9
Men's Doubles
Group A
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-0
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-3, 15-5
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-10, 2-15, 11-8
Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-4
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 3-15, 15-14, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Ecuador won the first game comfortably at 15-3. But it's close in game two. However, Rios serving for the match half down at 14-13. Franco has his racquet up, and has it up for several seconds when he turns over to tell something to his partner. Rios must be thinking "it's been well over 10 seconds, so I'm just going to serve," and hits an off speed drive to Franco's side (the left side).
Franco recognizes the ball's been put into play, and hustles over to return it, and hits a backhand reverse pinch that rolls flat as a tortilla out of the front right corner. Amazing!
That got Colombia the serve back, and they scored two points to win game two, 15-14, and force a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, it was close early, but then Ecuador went up 6-3. However, Colombia came back to lead 9-7, when Ecuador calls a timeout. That doesn't stop Colombia from scoring one more point to make it 10-7.
But on match point, half down, Franco serves a lob short to give the serve back to Ecuador. Could Franco have made the shot of the tournament, and also the error of the tournament in the same match?
That could have happened, but Colombia held Ecuador at 7, and got the serve back, which led to Franco making a winning shot into the front left corner to make the final score, 3-15, 15-14, 11-7.
In other action, it seemed like 2002 all over again in Women's Singles, when Canadian Jennifer Saunders took on American Cheryl Gudinas, as those two met in the final of the 2002 IRF World Championship, which Gudinas won 15-13, 15-13.
However, fourteen years later it was Saunders turn, as she defeated Gudinas, 15-8, 8-15, 11-5, in a match where the right side glass wall played a significant factor, as both players hit straight lobs serves on that side, which they each had some difficulty returning.
Canadian veteran Mike Green continues to turn back time, as he won again Sunday, although needed three games to defeat Edwin Galicia of Guatemala, 15-9, 11-15, 11-3.
In Women's Doubles, Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador defeated Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Andrea Martinez, 15-5, 15-11, so they will win the group and get 2nd seed for the elimination round.
The biggest match on Monday could be between Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas and Canada's Frédérique Lambert, as they will play with the winner getting the 2nd seed, as both won their other matches in their group. On Saturday, Vargas beat Paula Padilla of Honduras, 15-0, 15-1, and Lambert defeated Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-3, 12-15, 11-3.
Similarly, Mexican Jessica Parrilla and Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez will play to win Group C on Monday, and the 3rd seed in the elimination round.
The competition continues Monday with the final day of group play, which will be followed by an off day on Tuesday. The elimination draw begins Wednesday. Results of previous years were used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Sunday
Group A
Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-2, 15-7
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-0, 15-1
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-3, 12-15, 11-3
Group C
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-4
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-8
Group D
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Cheryl Gudinas (USA), 15-8, 8-15, 11-5
Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-7, 7-15, 11-4
Group E
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-11
Michelle Key (USA) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Women's Doubles
Group A
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-14
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-11
Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina) - BYE
Group C
Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia) d. Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras), 15-3, 15-0
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group A
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-7, 9-15, 11-5
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-6, 15-1
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-4
Group C
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-1, 15-6
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-10
Group D
David Horn (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-5
Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-10, 11-15, 11-2
Group E
Mike Green (Canada) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-10, 11-5, 11-2
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-0, 15-4
Group F
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-7
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-14, 15-9
Men's Doubles
Group A
Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada) d. Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-0
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-3, 15-5
Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-10, 2-15, 11-8
Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-4
Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 3-15, 15-14, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, March 19, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Day 1 results
Play began Saturday at the 2016 Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, but there were no big surprises. Defending Women's Singles champion Paola Longoria of Mexico won her first match comfortably, defeating Chilean Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-2. Longoria and Samantha Salas, the defending champions in Women's Doubles, also won their first match, which was against Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders, 15-2, 15-7.
Mexico also got the better of Canada in Men's Doubles, as Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa defeated Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou, 15-9, 15-13.
In Men's Singles, American Jake Bredenbeck, the silver medalist last year, needed a tie-breaker to win his match against Fernando Rios of Ecuador, 15-10, 13-15, 11-8.
In an upset by nation seedings, Canadian veteran Mike Green defeated Conrrado Moscoso, 15-10, 15-6. Moscoso's about half Green's age, but Green served exceptionally well, and followed those shots up with great kill shots to win in two straight games.
But a match that was about as close as it gets Javier Mar of Mexico won what we believe is his first match playing for his country against Colombia Sebastian Franco, 14-15, 15-14, 11-8.
Finally, in Women's Doubles the Ecuadoran team of Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor narrowly defeated Maria Jose Vargas and Cecilia Cerquetti of Argentina, 15-13, 8-15, 11-9. That was an upset, and if Muñoz and Sotomayor defeat Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Andrea Martinez on Sunday, they will win the group and claim the 2nd seed position for the elimination round.
The competition continues Sunday with the second day of group play, which will conclude on Monday. Tuesday is an off day ahead of an elimination draw beginning on Wednesday. Results of previous years are used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Saturday
Group 1
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-5, 15-2
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Group 2
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-3
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-10, 15-6
Group 3
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-0
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-2
Group 4
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-3, 15-10
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-4, 15-13
Group 5
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Michelle Key (USA), 15-10, 15-14
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-3, 15-7
Women's Doubles
Group 1
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-2, 15-7
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Group 2
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-13, 8-15, 11-9
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group 3
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-6
Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group 1
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-5, 15-9
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) - BYE
Group 2
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Fernando Rios (Ecuador), 15-10, 13-15, 11-8
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-7, 15-4
Group 3
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 14-15, 15-14, 11-8
Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-8, 15-10
Group 4
David Horn (USA) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-8
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-4, 15-7
Group 5
Mike Green (Canada) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-6
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-4
Group 6
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-8, 13-15, 11-6
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-3
Men's Doubles
Group 1
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), 15-9, 15-13
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE
Group 2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-4, 15-8
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-3, 15-4
Group 3
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-10, 15-10
Fernado Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-1, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Mexico also got the better of Canada in Men's Doubles, as Javier Moreno and Alejandro Landa defeated Pedro Castro and Tim Landeryou, 15-9, 15-13.
In Men's Singles, American Jake Bredenbeck, the silver medalist last year, needed a tie-breaker to win his match against Fernando Rios of Ecuador, 15-10, 13-15, 11-8.
In an upset by nation seedings, Canadian veteran Mike Green defeated Conrrado Moscoso, 15-10, 15-6. Moscoso's about half Green's age, but Green served exceptionally well, and followed those shots up with great kill shots to win in two straight games.
But a match that was about as close as it gets Javier Mar of Mexico won what we believe is his first match playing for his country against Colombia Sebastian Franco, 14-15, 15-14, 11-8.
Finally, in Women's Doubles the Ecuadoran team of Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor narrowly defeated Maria Jose Vargas and Cecilia Cerquetti of Argentina, 15-13, 8-15, 11-9. That was an upset, and if Muñoz and Sotomayor defeat Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Andrea Martinez on Sunday, they will win the group and claim the 2nd seed position for the elimination round.
The competition continues Sunday with the second day of group play, which will conclude on Monday. Tuesday is an off day ahead of an elimination draw beginning on Wednesday. Results of previous years are used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016
Results Summary
Women's Singles - Saturday
Group 1
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-5, 15-2
Carola Loma (Bolivia) - BYE
Group 2
María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-3
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Paula Padilla (Honduras), 15-10, 15-6
Group 3
Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) d. Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-0
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-2
Group 4
Cheryl Gudinas (USA) d. Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-3, 15-10
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-4, 15-13
Group 5
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Michelle Key (USA), 15-10, 15-14
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Sofia Soley (Costa Rica), 15-3, 15-7
Women's Doubles
Group 1
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-2, 15-7
Melania Sauma & Sofia Soley (Costa Rica) - BYE
Group 2
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Jose Vargas & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina), 15-13, 8-15, 11-9
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group 3
Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA) d. Jenny Daza & Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-6
Pamela Sierra & Lissel Padilla (Honduras) - BYE
Men's Singles
Group 1
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-5, 15-9
Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) - BYE
Group 2
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Fernando Rios (Ecuador), 15-10, 13-15, 11-8
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-7, 15-4
Group 3
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 14-15, 15-14, 11-8
Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-8, 15-10
Group 4
David Horn (USA) d. Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-8, 15-8
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Franco Capandegui (Argentina), 15-4, 15-7
Group 5
Mike Green (Canada) d. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-6
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-2, 15-4
Group 6
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-8, 13-15, 11-6
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-3
Men's Doubles
Group 1
Alejandro Lanada & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), 15-9, 15-13
Hanzel Martinez & Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE
Group 2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-4, 15-8
Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-3, 15-4
Group 3
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Felipe Arenas & Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-10, 15-10
Fernado Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Aaron Booker & Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-1, 15-6
Follow the bouncing ball….
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
2016 Pan American Championships - Preview
The 2016 Pan American Championships will begin this Saturday, March 19 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Last year Mexico won three of the four events with Paola Longoria taking gold in both Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles with Samantha Salas in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. San Luis Potosi is Longoria’s hometown, so she’ll be extra motivated to win at home. A complete review of last year's results is below.
Mexico didn’t win any medals in Men’s Singles last year, as the final was an all-American affair with Jose Diaz defeating Jake Bredenbeck for the gold, and the bronze medals went to Bolivians
Carlos Keller and Conrrado Moscoso. Mexican veterans Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno won gold in Men’s Doubles, but Mexico will not want to be shut out of medals in any event at home this year.
Bredenbeck is again on the USA Team, and is playing both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles. David Horn is Bredenbeck’s doubles partner, and he’ll also play Men’s Singles too. Rounding out Team USA are veteran Cheryl Gudinas in Women’s Singles with Michelle Key as the other Women’s Singles player and Kelani Bailey, making her USA team debut, will be Key’s doubles partner.
Canada is sending six athletes. Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders will both play Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles. On the men’s side, Samuel Murray and Mike Green are the Men’s Singles players with Pedro Casto and Tim Landeryou as the Men’s Doubles team.
The competition begins with three days of group play (Saturday to Monday) followed by a rest day (Tuesday) before an elimination draw begins (Wednesday). Results of previous years are used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXVIII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - March 28-April 4, 2015
Results Summary
Women's Singles
GOLD - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER - Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
BRONZE - María José Vargas (Argentina) and Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
Women's Doubles
GOLD - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
SILVER - Maria Jose Vargas & Véronique Guillemette (Argentina)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia) and Carola Loma & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia)
Men's Singles
GOLD - Jose Diaz (USA)
SILVER - Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
BRONZE - Carlos Keller (Bolivia) and Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
Men's Doubles
GOLD - Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico)
SILVER - Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica)
BRONZE - Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Rep.) and Cesar Castro & Cesar Castillo (Venezuela)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Mexico didn’t win any medals in Men’s Singles last year, as the final was an all-American affair with Jose Diaz defeating Jake Bredenbeck for the gold, and the bronze medals went to Bolivians
Carlos Keller and Conrrado Moscoso. Mexican veterans Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno won gold in Men’s Doubles, but Mexico will not want to be shut out of medals in any event at home this year.
Bredenbeck is again on the USA Team, and is playing both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles. David Horn is Bredenbeck’s doubles partner, and he’ll also play Men’s Singles too. Rounding out Team USA are veteran Cheryl Gudinas in Women’s Singles with Michelle Key as the other Women’s Singles player and Kelani Bailey, making her USA team debut, will be Key’s doubles partner.
Canada is sending six athletes. Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders will both play Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles. On the men’s side, Samuel Murray and Mike Green are the Men’s Singles players with Pedro Casto and Tim Landeryou as the Men’s Doubles team.
The competition begins with three days of group play (Saturday to Monday) followed by a rest day (Tuesday) before an elimination draw begins (Wednesday). Results of previous years are used to create the groups, and the group results are used to seed players for the elimination rounds.
The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has partnered with the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) for streaming of this event, so look for matches to be streamed via the WRT website starting on Thursday March 24.
XXVIII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - March 28-April 4, 2015
Results Summary
Women's Singles
GOLD - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER - Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
BRONZE - María José Vargas (Argentina) and Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
Women's Doubles
GOLD - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
SILVER - Maria Jose Vargas & Véronique Guillemette (Argentina)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia) and Carola Loma & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia)
Men's Singles
GOLD - Jose Diaz (USA)
SILVER - Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
BRONZE - Carlos Keller (Bolivia) and Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
Men's Doubles
GOLD - Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico)
SILVER - Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica)
BRONZE - Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Rep.) and Cesar Castro & Cesar Castillo (Venezuela)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Monday, March 14, 2016
Weekend Round Up - Wins for Camacho, Gudinas & Birnel
Felipe Camacho won the Men’s Open division of the 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, although his semi-final and final matches were won by forfeit, as he got a default win over Mario Mercado in the final, and over Sebastian Franco in the semi-final. In the other semi, Mercado defeated Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 9-15, 11-9.
In Women’s Open, Cheryl Gudinas was the top seed in a full draw of 16 players, and she played up to her seeding, as Gudinas defeated 2nd seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8, in the final. In the semi-finals, Gudinas beat 4th seed Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1, and Lotts needed three games to get by 3rd seed Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7.
Also on the weekend, Jake Birnel won what might be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere, as he defeated Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8, in the Men's Open final of the 45th Annual Northwest Open in Bellingham, Washington.
There are some other long running events, including Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which had its 38th edition in January, last weekend’s 31st Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as well as the Keystone Classic in Winnipeg, Canada that had its 42nd edition this year, but with 45 years the Northwest Open could be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere.
In the semi-finals, Birnel beat Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0, and Mattson defeated Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12.
The big event this week is the beginning of the 2016 Pan American Championships on Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. We’ll have a preview of that for you later in the week.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Men’s Singles Final
Felipe Camacho d. Mario Mercado, forfeit
Semi-finals
Felipe Camacho d. Sebastian Franco, forfeit
Mario Mercado d. Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 9-15, 11-9
Women’s Singles Final
Cheryl Gudinas d. Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8
Semi-finals
Cheryl Gudinas d. Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1
Sheryl Lotts d. Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7
45th Annual Northwest Open, Bellingham, Washington
Men’s Open Final
Jake Birnel d. Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8
Semi-finals
Tanner Mattson d. Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12
Jake Birnel d. Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0
Follow the bouncing ball….
In Women’s Open, Cheryl Gudinas was the top seed in a full draw of 16 players, and she played up to her seeding, as Gudinas defeated 2nd seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8, in the final. In the semi-finals, Gudinas beat 4th seed Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1, and Lotts needed three games to get by 3rd seed Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7.
Also on the weekend, Jake Birnel won what might be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere, as he defeated Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8, in the Men's Open final of the 45th Annual Northwest Open in Bellingham, Washington.
There are some other long running events, including Lewis Drug Pro-Am in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which had its 38th edition in January, last weekend’s 31st Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as well as the Keystone Classic in Winnipeg, Canada that had its 42nd edition this year, but with 45 years the Northwest Open could be the longest running racquetball tournament anywhere.
In the semi-finals, Birnel beat Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0, and Mattson defeated Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12.
The big event this week is the beginning of the 2016 Pan American Championships on Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. We’ll have a preview of that for you later in the week.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Men’s Singles Final
Felipe Camacho d. Mario Mercado, forfeit
Semi-finals
Felipe Camacho d. Sebastian Franco, forfeit
Mario Mercado d. Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 9-15, 11-9
Women’s Singles Final
Cheryl Gudinas d. Sheryl Lotts, 15-8, 15-8
Semi-finals
Cheryl Gudinas d. Janet Eminger, 15-3, 15-1
Sheryl Lotts d. Masiel Rivera, 15-9, 6-15, 11-7
45th Annual Northwest Open, Bellingham, Washington
Men’s Open Final
Jake Birnel d. Tanner Mattson, 15-8, 10-15, 11-8
Semi-finals
Tanner Mattson d. Jimmy Lowe, 15-10, 15-12
Jake Birnel d. Bill Napier, 15-4, 15-0
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Waselenchuk dominates 2016 IRT Shamrock Shootout
Kane Waselenchuk won his 8th event of the 2015-16 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) season on Saturday, when he defeated Daniel De La Rosa, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2, to capture the 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois. It was a dominating performance by the IRT’s #1 player that capped a great tournament by him, as he only surrendered 19 points over four matches for an average of 1.58 points against per game.
De La Rosa and Waselenchuk were tied in game one at 2-2, but then Waselenchuk ran the table winning the game with a backhand pinch shot that he pushed into the front right corner after a weak serve return from De La Rosa.
In game two, Waselenchuk jumped out to a 4-0 lead, and although De La Rosa cut the lead to 8-4, that was as close as he could get. The most remarkable shot in game two resulted in Waselenchuk’s 10th point, when he hit a flat roll out between his legs as the ball came right at him in the center of the court. Waselenchuk actually jumped a little bit as he hit the ball to the front wall. He then won game two with a lob nick serve to De La Rosa’s backhand that the young Mexican was lucky to even get his racquet on.
In game three, De La Rosa got the first two points, and then no more, as Waselenchuk again ran the table, finishing it off with a forehand splat shot to seal the match win.
Waselenchuk’s had other great performances, but the quality of his play this weekend has to be some of his best ever. Evidence of that came earlier on Saturday, as he defeated Alvaro Beltran, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0, in the semi-finals. To blank the 4th ranked IRT professional is impressive; to do it twice in a match is astounding.
The next IRT event is the 2016 Raising Some Racquet for Kids in Huber Heights, Ohio March 31 to April 3.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Final
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 6) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2
Semi-finals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 4) Alvaro Beltran, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0
6) Daniel De La Rosa d. Jake Bredenbeck, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
De La Rosa and Waselenchuk were tied in game one at 2-2, but then Waselenchuk ran the table winning the game with a backhand pinch shot that he pushed into the front right corner after a weak serve return from De La Rosa.
In game two, Waselenchuk jumped out to a 4-0 lead, and although De La Rosa cut the lead to 8-4, that was as close as he could get. The most remarkable shot in game two resulted in Waselenchuk’s 10th point, when he hit a flat roll out between his legs as the ball came right at him in the center of the court. Waselenchuk actually jumped a little bit as he hit the ball to the front wall. He then won game two with a lob nick serve to De La Rosa’s backhand that the young Mexican was lucky to even get his racquet on.
In game three, De La Rosa got the first two points, and then no more, as Waselenchuk again ran the table, finishing it off with a forehand splat shot to seal the match win.
Waselenchuk’s had other great performances, but the quality of his play this weekend has to be some of his best ever. Evidence of that came earlier on Saturday, as he defeated Alvaro Beltran, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0, in the semi-finals. To blank the 4th ranked IRT professional is impressive; to do it twice in a match is astounding.
The next IRT event is the 2016 Raising Some Racquet for Kids in Huber Heights, Ohio March 31 to April 3.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Final
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 6) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2
Semi-finals
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 4) Alvaro Beltran, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0
6) Daniel De La Rosa d. Jake Bredenbeck, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, March 11, 2016
Bredenbeck into semi-finals at 2016 IRT 31st Shamrock Shootout
Jake Bredenbeck continues to roll at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois with a win in the quarterfinals over Jansen Allen, 12-10, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8. That was Bredenbeck’s first quarterfinal, so he’s now in his first semi-final, which will be against Daniel De La Rosa, who was also an upset winner against 3rd seed Jose Rojas, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9.
Bredenbeck’s win in his first quarterfinal puts him in good company that includes Sudsy Monchik, Jason Mannino, Ruben Gonzalez, Jose Rojas, John Ellis and Cliff Swain. Swain went on a one that tournament, which was in Tulsa back in 1985. John Ellis also won his first quarter and semi-final, but then lost the final to Swain.
But several great players did not win their respective first quarterfinal appearances, including Jack Huczek, Marty Hogan, Daniel De La Rosa, Ben Croft, Rocky Carson, Alvaro Beltran, and Kane Waselenchuk.
Waselenchuk’s first two quarterfinal appearances were both losses. The first to Swain, and the second to Alvaro Beltran. But those matches were back in 2000, and both went five games before Waselenchuk came up short.
On Friday, Waselenchuk won his quarterfinal against Marco Rojas, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3. He’ll face Alvaro Beltran in the semi-finals after Beltran defeated Sebastian Franco in the quarters, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9.
The first IRT semi-final will be streamed live from 11 AM CST Saturday via the IRT Network with the second to follow at 1 PM. The final will be 7:30 PM Saturday.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 8) Marco Rojas, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3
4) Alvaro Beltran d. Sebastian Franco, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9
3) Jose Rojas v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9
Jake Bredenbeck d. 7) Jansen Allen, 12-10, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 4) Alvaro Beltran - 11 AM Saturday
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Jake Bredenbeck - 1 PM Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball….
Bredenbeck’s win in his first quarterfinal puts him in good company that includes Sudsy Monchik, Jason Mannino, Ruben Gonzalez, Jose Rojas, John Ellis and Cliff Swain. Swain went on a one that tournament, which was in Tulsa back in 1985. John Ellis also won his first quarter and semi-final, but then lost the final to Swain.
But several great players did not win their respective first quarterfinal appearances, including Jack Huczek, Marty Hogan, Daniel De La Rosa, Ben Croft, Rocky Carson, Alvaro Beltran, and Kane Waselenchuk.
Waselenchuk’s first two quarterfinal appearances were both losses. The first to Swain, and the second to Alvaro Beltran. But those matches were back in 2000, and both went five games before Waselenchuk came up short.
On Friday, Waselenchuk won his quarterfinal against Marco Rojas, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3. He’ll face Alvaro Beltran in the semi-finals after Beltran defeated Sebastian Franco in the quarters, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9.
The first IRT semi-final will be streamed live from 11 AM CST Saturday via the IRT Network with the second to follow at 1 PM. The final will be 7:30 PM Saturday.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 8) Marco Rojas, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3
4) Alvaro Beltran d. Sebastian Franco, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9
3) Jose Rojas v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9
Jake Bredenbeck d. 7) Jansen Allen, 12-10, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 4) Alvaro Beltran - 11 AM Saturday
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Jake Bredenbeck - 1 PM Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball….
Bredenbeck upsets Carson, reaches quarterfinals for 1st time at 2016 IRT 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout
Seismic upset in the Round of 16 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as Jake Bredenbeck knocks off IRT #2 Rocky Carson, 11-1, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7. The win puts Bredenbeck in the quarterfinals of a Tier 1 IRT event for the first time. He’ll face Jansen Allen in the quarters, as Allen defeated Mario Mercado, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8, in the 16s.
Carson has been a model of consistency in IRT events, which highlights exactly how big Bredenbeck’s upset was. Carson had only 3 losses in the 16s in 13 years. Carson hadn’t lost a Round of 16 match since the 2010 US Open, when he lost to Alvaro Beltran in the 16s (Beltran was coming back after missing most of the 2009-10 season due to injury). Prior to that, Carson lost in the 16s to Kane Waselenchuk in 2008, as Waselenchuk was returning to the IRT. You have to go all the way back to 2003 for Carson’s third loss in the 16s, when Sudsy Monchik beat him at the 2003 US Open.
The last season Carson lost more than once in the Round of 16 was 2002-03, when Mike Green beat him three times and Mike Guidry beat him once.
Sebastian Franco was also an upset winner in the Round of 16, as he defeated 5th seed Felipe Camacho, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8. Franco will face 4th seed Alvaro Beltran in the quarters, as Beltran beat Matthew Majxner, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7.
In other action Friday, Waselenchuk, the IRT’s #1 player, defeated Alejandro Herrera, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2, and will take on Marco Rojas in the quarterfinals, as Rojas beat Robert Collins, 14-12, 11-5, 11-3.
The IRT Round of 16 is being streamed live Friday from 10 AM CST via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2
8) Marco Rojas d. Robert Collins, 14-12, 11-5, 11-3
Sebastian Franco d. 5) Felipe Camacho, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8
4) Alvaro Beltran d. Matthew Majxner, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
3) Jose Rojas d. Scott McClellan, 11-1, 16-14, 11-1
6) Daniel De La Rosa d. Mauricio Zelada, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7
7) Jansen Allen d. Mario Mercado, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
Jake Bredenbeck d. 2) Rocky Carson, 11-1, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Marco Rojas
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Sebastian Franco
3) Jose Rojas v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa
7) Jansen Allen v. Jake Bredenbeck
Follow the bouncing ball….
Carson has been a model of consistency in IRT events, which highlights exactly how big Bredenbeck’s upset was. Carson had only 3 losses in the 16s in 13 years. Carson hadn’t lost a Round of 16 match since the 2010 US Open, when he lost to Alvaro Beltran in the 16s (Beltran was coming back after missing most of the 2009-10 season due to injury). Prior to that, Carson lost in the 16s to Kane Waselenchuk in 2008, as Waselenchuk was returning to the IRT. You have to go all the way back to 2003 for Carson’s third loss in the 16s, when Sudsy Monchik beat him at the 2003 US Open.
The last season Carson lost more than once in the Round of 16 was 2002-03, when Mike Green beat him three times and Mike Guidry beat him once.
Sebastian Franco was also an upset winner in the Round of 16, as he defeated 5th seed Felipe Camacho, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8. Franco will face 4th seed Alvaro Beltran in the quarters, as Beltran beat Matthew Majxner, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7.
In other action Friday, Waselenchuk, the IRT’s #1 player, defeated Alejandro Herrera, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2, and will take on Marco Rojas in the quarterfinals, as Rojas beat Robert Collins, 14-12, 11-5, 11-3.
The IRT Round of 16 is being streamed live Friday from 10 AM CST via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2
8) Marco Rojas d. Robert Collins, 14-12, 11-5, 11-3
Sebastian Franco d. 5) Felipe Camacho, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8
4) Alvaro Beltran d. Matthew Majxner, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
3) Jose Rojas d. Scott McClellan, 11-1, 16-14, 11-1
6) Daniel De La Rosa d. Mauricio Zelada, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7
7) Jansen Allen d. Mario Mercado, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
Jake Bredenbeck d. 2) Rocky Carson, 11-1, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Marco Rojas
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Sebastian Franco
3) Jose Rojas v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa
7) Jansen Allen v. Jake Bredenbeck
Follow the bouncing ball….
2016 IRT 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout - Preliminary Results
One tie-breaker in Thursday’s preliminary rounds at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as Alejandro Herrera came back from 2-1 down to defeat Andree Parrilla, 11-9, 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4. Herrera will face IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk in the Round of 16 on Friday morning.
The most interesting match ups in the 16s could be Felipe Camacho versus Sebastian Franco, Jansen Allen against Mario Mercado and IRT #2 Rocky Carson facing Jake Bredenbeck.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM CST via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Qualifying Round 1
Geoff Goldblatt d. Jorge Ortiz, 13-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5
Qualifying Round 2
Q8) Alejandro Herrera d. Andree Parrilla, 11-9, 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4
Q1) Robert Collins d. Geoff Goldblatt, 6-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-3
Q4) Sebastian Franco d. Juan Martinez III, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-2
Q5) Matthew Majxner d. Keith Minor, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5
Q6) Scott McClellan d. Jonathan Justice, forfeit
Q3) Mauricio Zelada d. Juan Herrera, 11-5, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9
Q2) Mario Mercado d. Kyle Ulliman, 11-3, 11-3, 11-5
Q7) Jake Bredenbeck d. Thomas Carter, 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Alejandro Herrera
8) Marco Rojas v. Robert Collins
5) Felipe Camacho v. Sebastian Franco
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Matthew Majxner
3) Jose Rojas v. Scott McClellan
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Mauricio Zelada
7) Jansen Allen v. Mario Mercado
2) Rocky Carson v. Jake Bredenbeck
Follow the bouncing ball….
The most interesting match ups in the 16s could be Felipe Camacho versus Sebastian Franco, Jansen Allen against Mario Mercado and IRT #2 Rocky Carson facing Jake Bredenbeck.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM CST via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Qualifying Round 1
Geoff Goldblatt d. Jorge Ortiz, 13-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5
Qualifying Round 2
Q8) Alejandro Herrera d. Andree Parrilla, 11-9, 2-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4
Q1) Robert Collins d. Geoff Goldblatt, 6-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-3
Q4) Sebastian Franco d. Juan Martinez III, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-2
Q5) Matthew Majxner d. Keith Minor, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5
Q6) Scott McClellan d. Jonathan Justice, forfeit
Q3) Mauricio Zelada d. Juan Herrera, 11-5, 11-13, 12-10, 11-9
Q2) Mario Mercado d. Kyle Ulliman, 11-3, 11-3, 11-5
Q7) Jake Bredenbeck d. Thomas Carter, 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Alejandro Herrera
8) Marco Rojas v. Robert Collins
5) Felipe Camacho v. Sebastian Franco
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Matthew Majxner
3) Jose Rojas v. Scott McClellan
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Mauricio Zelada
7) Jansen Allen v. Mario Mercado
2) Rocky Carson v. Jake Bredenbeck
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, March 10, 2016
2016 IRT 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout - Preview
Lombard, Illinois is the site of this weekend’s The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Tier 1 event, as that’s where the 31st Shamrock Shootout takes place. Kane Waselenchuk, the #1 IRT player and undefeated this season, will be there looking to win again.
The play of Jose Rojas is another point of interest for this weekend. Rojas has played well lately, as in Jaunary, he was the runner up at the Lewis Drug Pro-Am and was a semi-finalist at the Cactus Salon Pro-Am, which are the two most recent IRT events. Those results have moved Rojas up to 3rd in the IRT rankings, although with the flip draw, he’ll likely face a common foe in the quarterfinals, as Daniel De La Rosa is seeded 6th in Lombard.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Qualifying Round 1
Jorge Ortiz v. Geoff Goldblatt
Qualifying Round 2
Q8) Alejandro Herrera v. Andree Parrilla
Q1) Robert Collins v. Jorge Ortiz or Geoff Goldblatt
Q4) Sebastian Franco v. Juan Martinez III
Q5) Matthew Majxner v. Keith Minor
Q6) Scott McClellan v. Jonathan Justice
Q3) Mauricio Zelada v. Juan Herrera
Q2) Mario Mercado v. Kyle Ulliman
Q7) Jake Bredenbeck v. Thomas Carter
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Q8
8) Marco Rojas v. Q1
5) Felipe Camacho v. Q4
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Q5
3) Jose Rojas v. Q6
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Q3
7) Jansen Allen v. Q2
2) Rocky Carson v. Q7
Follow the bouncing ball….
The play of Jose Rojas is another point of interest for this weekend. Rojas has played well lately, as in Jaunary, he was the runner up at the Lewis Drug Pro-Am and was a semi-finalist at the Cactus Salon Pro-Am, which are the two most recent IRT events. Those results have moved Rojas up to 3rd in the IRT rankings, although with the flip draw, he’ll likely face a common foe in the quarterfinals, as Daniel De La Rosa is seeded 6th in Lombard.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 10 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 5 PM on. Also, the semi-finals will be 11 AM and 1 PM Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:30 PM.
2016 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout, March 10-13
Lombard, Illinois
Qualifying Round 1
Jorge Ortiz v. Geoff Goldblatt
Qualifying Round 2
Q8) Alejandro Herrera v. Andree Parrilla
Q1) Robert Collins v. Jorge Ortiz or Geoff Goldblatt
Q4) Sebastian Franco v. Juan Martinez III
Q5) Matthew Majxner v. Keith Minor
Q6) Scott McClellan v. Jonathan Justice
Q3) Mauricio Zelada v. Juan Herrera
Q2) Mario Mercado v. Kyle Ulliman
Q7) Jake Bredenbeck v. Thomas Carter
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Q8
8) Marco Rojas v. Q1
5) Felipe Camacho v. Q4
4) Alvaro Beltran v. Q5
3) Jose Rojas v. Q6
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. Q3
7) Jansen Allen v. Q2
2) Rocky Carson v. Q7
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, March 7, 2016
Weekend Round Up - Wins for Acosta, Bredenbeck & Mercado
Susana Acosta won the Women’s Open division at the New Jersey Open in Warren, N.J. on the weekend by defeating Carla Muñoz in the final, 15-3, 15-6. In the semi-finals, Acosta beat Michèle Morissette, 15-2, 15-7, and Muñoz defeated Da’monique Davis, 15-10, 15-6.
The Men’s Open title went to Jake Bredenbeck over Sean Klingaman in the final. Both Bredenbeck and Klingaman needed three games in their respective semi-finals to reach the final. Bredenbeck went three with Maurice Miller, winning 15-3, 13-15, 11-0, while Klingaman defeated John Behm, 11-15, 15-3, 11-6.
Mario Mercado won the 10th Annual Carl Myers Memorial tournament in Garden City, Kansas, a Tier 4 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) with a win over Mauricio Zelada in the final. Mercado beat Erik Garcia in the semis, while Zelada defeated Brad Schopieray.
This week’s big event is the IRT 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois beginning on Thursday. The Round of 16 will be broadcast live via the IRT Network beginning on Friday morning.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Women’s Open Final
Susana Acosta d. Carla Muñoz, 15-3, 15-6
Semi-finals
Susana Acosta d. Michèle Morissette, 15-2, 15-7
Carla Muñoz d. Da’monique Davis, 15-10, 15-6
Quarterfinals
Susana Acosta d. Gillian Cobb, 15-2, 15-6
Michèle Morissette d. Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-11, 8-15, 11–6
Da’monique Davis d. Roxanne Rehling, 15-9, 15-5
Carla Muñoz d. Jennifer Lynch Murphy, 15-4, 15-9
Women’s Open Final
Jake Bredenbeck d. Sean Klingaman
Semi-finals
Jake Bredenbeck d. Maurice Miller, 15-3, 13-15, 11-0
Sean Klingaman d. John Behm, 11-15, 15-3, 11-6
10th Annual Carl Myers Memorial - IRT Tier 4
Garden City, Kansas
Men’s Final
Mario Mercado d. Mauricio Zelada
Semi-finals
Mario Mercado d. Erik Garcia
Mauricio Zelada d. Brad Schopieray
Follow the bouncing ball....
The Men’s Open title went to Jake Bredenbeck over Sean Klingaman in the final. Both Bredenbeck and Klingaman needed three games in their respective semi-finals to reach the final. Bredenbeck went three with Maurice Miller, winning 15-3, 13-15, 11-0, while Klingaman defeated John Behm, 11-15, 15-3, 11-6.
Mario Mercado won the 10th Annual Carl Myers Memorial tournament in Garden City, Kansas, a Tier 4 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) with a win over Mauricio Zelada in the final. Mercado beat Erik Garcia in the semis, while Zelada defeated Brad Schopieray.
This week’s big event is the IRT 31st Annual Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois beginning on Thursday. The Round of 16 will be broadcast live via the IRT Network beginning on Friday morning.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Women’s Open Final
Susana Acosta d. Carla Muñoz, 15-3, 15-6
Semi-finals
Susana Acosta d. Michèle Morissette, 15-2, 15-7
Carla Muñoz d. Da’monique Davis, 15-10, 15-6
Quarterfinals
Susana Acosta d. Gillian Cobb, 15-2, 15-6
Michèle Morissette d. Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-11, 8-15, 11–6
Da’monique Davis d. Roxanne Rehling, 15-9, 15-5
Carla Muñoz d. Jennifer Lynch Murphy, 15-4, 15-9
Women’s Open Final
Jake Bredenbeck d. Sean Klingaman
Semi-finals
Jake Bredenbeck d. Maurice Miller, 15-3, 13-15, 11-0
Sean Klingaman d. John Behm, 11-15, 15-3, 11-6
10th Annual Carl Myers Memorial - IRT Tier 4
Garden City, Kansas
Men’s Final
Mario Mercado d. Mauricio Zelada
Semi-finals
Mario Mercado d. Erik Garcia
Mauricio Zelada d. Brad Schopieray
Follow the bouncing ball....
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Longoria wins twice at 2016 LPRT New Jersey Open
Paola Longoria continued to show why she is the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), Sunday as she won both singles and doubles divisions at the New Jersey Open in Warren, New Jersey. Longoria has won all nine of the LPRT events this season.
In singles, Longoria defeated LPRT #3 Rhonda Rajsich, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2, and in doubles she teamed up with Frédérique Lambert to beat Maria Jose Vargas and Aimee Ruiz, 15-12, 13-15, 11-4.
The next LPRT event will be the Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas April 22-24. If you missed any of this weekend's action, you can see some of the matches via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Final (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Rhonda Rajsich, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2
Doubles Final (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-12, 13-15, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball....
In singles, Longoria defeated LPRT #3 Rhonda Rajsich, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2, and in doubles she teamed up with Frédérique Lambert to beat Maria Jose Vargas and Aimee Ruiz, 15-12, 13-15, 11-4.
The next LPRT event will be the Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas April 22-24. If you missed any of this weekend's action, you can see some of the matches via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Final (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Rhonda Rajsich, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-2
Doubles Final (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-12, 13-15, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball....
LPRT 2016 New Jersey Open - Saturday results
Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), will have a chance to extend her unbeaten string this season on Sunday, when she faces LPRT #3 Rhonda Rajsich in the final of the New Jersey Open in Warren, New Jersey. Longoria has won all eight of the LPRT events this season.
Longoria reached the final with a four game victory over Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, in the semi-finals. In the other semi-final, Rajsich upset 2nd seed Maria Jose Vargas, 8-11, 11-0, 11-6, 11-2.
But Vargas will have a chance to win on Sunday, as she and Aimee Ruiz are in the LPRT Doubles final after beating Susana Acosta and Da'monique Davis, 15-4, 15-7, in the semis Saturday. However, awaiting Vargas and Ruiz in the final will be Lambert and Longoria, who won the other semi-final against Carla Muñoz and Jessica Parrilla, 15-12, 15-7.
The singles final is Sunday at 11 AM EST with the doubles final to follow at noon EST, and the finals can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-6, 11-1
4) Frédérique Lambert v. 12) Adriana Riveros, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 6) Susana Acosta, 11-2, 13-11, 11-5
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 7) Jessica Parrilla, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6
Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 4) Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 2) Maria Jose Vargas, 8-11, 11-0, 11-6, 11-2
Final (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 3) Rhonda Rajsich - 11 AM EST Sunday
Doubles Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla, 15-12, 15-7
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis, 15-4, 15-7
Doubles Final (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas - Noon EST Sunday
Follow the bouncing ball....
Longoria reached the final with a four game victory over Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, in the semi-finals. In the other semi-final, Rajsich upset 2nd seed Maria Jose Vargas, 8-11, 11-0, 11-6, 11-2.
But Vargas will have a chance to win on Sunday, as she and Aimee Ruiz are in the LPRT Doubles final after beating Susana Acosta and Da'monique Davis, 15-4, 15-7, in the semis Saturday. However, awaiting Vargas and Ruiz in the final will be Lambert and Longoria, who won the other semi-final against Carla Muñoz and Jessica Parrilla, 15-12, 15-7.
The singles final is Sunday at 11 AM EST with the doubles final to follow at noon EST, and the finals can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 11-2, 11-6, 11-1
4) Frédérique Lambert v. 12) Adriana Riveros, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 6) Susana Acosta, 11-2, 13-11, 11-5
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 7) Jessica Parrilla, 11-6, 2-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6
Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 4) Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 2) Maria Jose Vargas, 8-11, 11-0, 11-6, 11-2
Final (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 3) Rhonda Rajsich - 11 AM EST Sunday
Doubles Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla, 15-12, 15-7
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis, 15-4, 15-7
Doubles Final (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas - Noon EST Sunday
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, March 5, 2016
LPRT 2016 New Jersey Open - Round of 16
The top four seeds are through to the quarterfinals at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) New Jersey Open in Warren, New Jersey. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria leads the way, as she defeated Cecilia Pratt, 11-0, 11-3, 11-5.
The other top four winners were #2 Maria Jose Vargas over Michèle Morissette, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, #3 Rhonda Rajsich downing Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3, and #4 Frédérique Lambert's defeat of Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3.
But there were two upsets in the Round of 16, as 12th seed Adriana Riveros defeated 5th seed Sofia Rascon, 11-5, 2-11, 11-4, 11-0, and 9th seed Carla Muñoz narrowly beat 8th seed Da'monique Davis, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.
In doubles, 7th seeds Aimee Ruiz and Maria Jose Vargas were upset winners over 2nd seeds Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich, 12-15, 15-8, 11-7, and will play 3rd seeds Susana Acosta and Da'monique Davis, who beat 6th seeds Masiel Rivera and Adriana Riveros, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2.
The quarterfinals begin Saturday morning and can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Cecilia Pratt, 11-0, 11-3, 11-5
9) Carla Muñoz d. 8) Da'monique Davis, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8
12) Adriana Riveros d. 5) Sofia Rascon, 11-5, 2-11, 11-4, 11-0
4) Frédérique Lambert d. 20) Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3
6) Susana Acosta d. 11) Masiel Rivera, 11-9, 12-10, 11-1
7) Jessica Parrilla d. 10) Sheryl Lotts, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12, 11-9
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 18) Michèle Morissette, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3
Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 9) Carla Muñoz - 11 AM EST Saturday
4) Frédérique Lambert v. 12) Adriana Riveros - 11 AM EST Saturday
3) Rhonda Rajsich v. 6) Susana Acosta - 10 AM EST Saturday
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 7) Jessica Parrilla - 10 AM EST Saturday
Doubles Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-2, 15-1
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla d. 5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon, 15-6, 15-13
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis d. 6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich, 12-15, 15-8, 11-7
Doubles Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM EST Saturday
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas - 6 PM EST Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball....
The other top four winners were #2 Maria Jose Vargas over Michèle Morissette, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, #3 Rhonda Rajsich downing Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3, and #4 Frédérique Lambert's defeat of Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3.
But there were two upsets in the Round of 16, as 12th seed Adriana Riveros defeated 5th seed Sofia Rascon, 11-5, 2-11, 11-4, 11-0, and 9th seed Carla Muñoz narrowly beat 8th seed Da'monique Davis, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.
In doubles, 7th seeds Aimee Ruiz and Maria Jose Vargas were upset winners over 2nd seeds Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich, 12-15, 15-8, 11-7, and will play 3rd seeds Susana Acosta and Da'monique Davis, who beat 6th seeds Masiel Rivera and Adriana Riveros, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2.
The quarterfinals begin Saturday morning and can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Cecilia Pratt, 11-0, 11-3, 11-5
9) Carla Muñoz d. 8) Da'monique Davis, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8
12) Adriana Riveros d. 5) Sofia Rascon, 11-5, 2-11, 11-4, 11-0
4) Frédérique Lambert d. 20) Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
3) Rhonda Rajsich d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3
6) Susana Acosta d. 11) Masiel Rivera, 11-9, 12-10, 11-1
7) Jessica Parrilla d. 10) Sheryl Lotts, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 14-12, 11-9
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 18) Michèle Morissette, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3
Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 9) Carla Muñoz - 11 AM EST Saturday
4) Frédérique Lambert v. 12) Adriana Riveros - 11 AM EST Saturday
3) Rhonda Rajsich v. 6) Susana Acosta - 10 AM EST Saturday
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 7) Jessica Parrilla - 10 AM EST Saturday
Doubles Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria d. 8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-2, 15-1
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla d. 5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon, 15-6, 15-13
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis d. 6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich, 12-15, 15-8, 11-7
Doubles Semi-finals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM EST Saturday
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas - 6 PM EST Saturday
Follow the bouncing ball....
Friday, March 4, 2016
LPRT 2016 New Jersey Open - Round of 32
Three of the four early round matches at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) New Jersey Open in Warren, New Jersey produced upsets with each of those matches going the distance. Only 14th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez won comfortably in three games over 19th seed Roxanne Rehling, 11-0, 11-1, 11-8.
But Jean Halahan, the lowest seed in the tournament at #20, came back from two games to one down to defeat 13th seed Adrienne Haynes, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3. Also, young Canadian Michèle Morissette, the 18th seed, beat 15th seed Carlina Luque, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5, and in the 16/17 match, 17th seed Cecilia Pratt outlasted 16th seed T. J. Baumbaugh, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8.
The first round matches in doubles are also complete, and Aimee Ruiz and Maria Jose Vargas defeated Halahan and Beth Shea, 15-2, 15-5, to set up the anticipated showdown with 2nd seeds Rhonda Rajsich and Sheryl Lotts in the quarterfinals tonight.
The Round of 16 continues Friday afternoon and can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Round of 32 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Cecilia Pratt d. 16) T. J. Baumbaugh, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8
9) Carla Muñoz - BYE
8) Da'monique Davis - BYE
5) Sofia Rascon - BYE
12) Adriana Riveros - BYE
20) Jean Halahan d. 13) Adrienne Haynes, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3
4) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
3) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 19) Roxanne Rehling, 11-0, 11-1, 11-8
11) Masiel Rivera - BYE
6) Susana Acosta - BYE
7) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
10) Sheryl Lotts - BYE
18) Michèle Morissette d. 15) Carlina Luque, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5
2) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 17) Cecilia Pratt
8) Da'monique Davis v. 9) Carla Muñoz
5) Sofia Rascon v. 12) Adriana Riveros
4) Frédérique Lambert d. 20) Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
3) Rhonda Rajsich v. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez
6) Susana Acosta v. 11) Masiel Rivera
7) Jessica Parrilla v. 10) Sheryl Lotts
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 18) Michèle Morissette
Doubles Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 9) T. J. Baumbaugh & Adrienne Haynes, 15-9, 15-10
5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon - BYE
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis - BYE
6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros - BYE
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 10) Jean Halahan & Beth Shea, 15-2, 15-5
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
Doubles Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla v. 5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis v. 6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas
Follow the bouncing ball....
But Jean Halahan, the lowest seed in the tournament at #20, came back from two games to one down to defeat 13th seed Adrienne Haynes, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3. Also, young Canadian Michèle Morissette, the 18th seed, beat 15th seed Carlina Luque, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5, and in the 16/17 match, 17th seed Cecilia Pratt outlasted 16th seed T. J. Baumbaugh, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8.
The first round matches in doubles are also complete, and Aimee Ruiz and Maria Jose Vargas defeated Halahan and Beth Shea, 15-2, 15-5, to set up the anticipated showdown with 2nd seeds Rhonda Rajsich and Sheryl Lotts in the quarterfinals tonight.
The Round of 16 continues Friday afternoon and can be viewed live via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
LPRT New Jersey Open
March 4-6, 2016, Warren, New Jersey
Round of 32 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Cecilia Pratt d. 16) T. J. Baumbaugh, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8
9) Carla Muñoz - BYE
8) Da'monique Davis - BYE
5) Sofia Rascon - BYE
12) Adriana Riveros - BYE
20) Jean Halahan d. 13) Adrienne Haynes, 11-7, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3
4) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
3) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 19) Roxanne Rehling, 11-0, 11-1, 11-8
11) Masiel Rivera - BYE
6) Susana Acosta - BYE
7) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
10) Sheryl Lotts - BYE
18) Michèle Morissette d. 15) Carlina Luque, 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5
2) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Paola Longoria v. 17) Cecilia Pratt
8) Da'monique Davis v. 9) Carla Muñoz
5) Sofia Rascon v. 12) Adriana Riveros
4) Frédérique Lambert d. 20) Jean Halahan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
3) Rhonda Rajsich v. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez
6) Susana Acosta v. 11) Masiel Rivera
7) Jessica Parrilla v. 10) Sheryl Lotts
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 18) Michèle Morissette
Doubles Round of 16 (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria - BYE
8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 9) T. J. Baumbaugh & Adrienne Haynes, 15-9, 15-10
5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon - BYE
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis - BYE
6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros - BYE
7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas d. 10) Jean Halahan & Beth Shea, 15-2, 15-5
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
Doubles Quarterfinals (seedings)
1) Frédérique Lambert & Paola Longoria v. 8) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla v. 5) Carlina Luque & Sofia Rascon
3) Susana Acosta & Da'monique Davis v. 6) Masiel Rivera & Adriana Riveros
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich v. 7) Aimee Ruiz & Maria Jose Vargas
Follow the bouncing ball....
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