18th IRF World Championships - Singles Round of 16

Young Guatemalan Ana Gabriela Martinez, the current World Junior Girl’s U16 Champion knocked off two time World Champion American Rhonda Rajsich, 15-14, 14-15, 11-7, in the Round of 16 Wednesday at the 18th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Cali, Colombia. Rajsich, the 2nd seed, played two tie-breakers in the group stage of the competition, and won them, but her luck ran out against Martinez.

With Michelle Key’s loss yesterday, we’re confident in saying this is the first time an American woman has not reached the quarterfinals at the Worlds.

Martinez’s win will also benefit Mexican Paola Longoria, the two time current, the #1 seed, who won her first medal round match by defeating Bolivian Jenny Daza, 15-5, 15-2. Longoria will next play 9th seed Canadian Christine Richardson, who narrowly defeated 8th seed Maria Cespedes of the Dominican Republic, 10-15, 15-9, 11-10.

Another upset winner was Carla Muñoz of Chile, who defeated 4th seed Adriana Riveros of Bolivia, 15-10, 15-11,. Muñoz will play 5th seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina in the quarterfinals on Thursday, as Vargas outlasted 12th seed Jin Seok of South Korea, 9-15, 15-7, 11-4, in the 16s.

In Men’s Singles, the 2nd seed was also defeated, as Dominican Luis Perez beat 2nd Andres Acuña of Costa Rica, 15-10, 10-15, 11-7. However, Perez’s task won’t get easier in the quarterfinals, as he’ll play current Pan American Champion Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico who was a winner over Roland Keller of Bolivia, 15-10, 15-0, in the 16s.

Rocky Carson of the USA, the 4 time defending Men’s Singles Champion, had a good start to the medal round, as he beat Alejandro Herrera of Colombia, 15-12, 15-2, Wednesday. Carson will next play Mexican Javier Mar, the 8th seed, who defeated 9th seed Yuki Nakano of Japan, 15-5, 15-6.

There will be live streaming of medal round matches beginning on Thursday via the IRF website. Also, the IRF is posting videos of some of the matches, and interviews with the players on the iRF YouTube channel.

18th IRF World Championships
July 15-23, 2016
Cali, Colombia

Women's Singles - Round of 16

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 16) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-2
9) Christine Richardson (Canada) d. 8) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 10-15, 15-9, 11-10

5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 12) Jin Seok (South Korea), 9-15, 15-7, 11-4
13) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 4) Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-11

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 19) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-0
6) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 11) Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-1, 15-0

7) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 10) Maiko Sato (Japan), 15-6, 15-3
15) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-14, 14-15, 11-7

Women's Singles - Quarterfinals

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Christine Richardson (Canada)
5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 13) Carla Muñoz (Chile)

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
7) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 15) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)

Men’s Singles - Round of 16

1) Rocky Carson (USA) d. 17) Alejandro Herrera (Colombia), 15-12, 15-2
8) Javier Mar (Mexico) d. 9) Yuki Nakano (Japan), 15-5, 15-6

5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 12) Hirotake Usami (Japan), 15-5, 15-9
4) Fernando Rios (Ecuador) d. 13) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-11, 15-5

3) Chris Crowther (USA) d. 14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-8, 15-8
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 11) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-11, 13-15, 11-1

10) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 7) Roland Keller (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-0
18) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. 2) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-10, 10-15, 11-7

Men’s Singles - Quarterfinals

1) Rocky Carson (USA) v. 8) Javier Mar (Mexico)
4) Fernando Rios (Ecuador) v. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)

3) Chris Crowther (USA) v. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada)
10) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 18) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic)

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