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….