Medal Round Preview at 18th IRF World Championships

The elimination round draws are out for the 18th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Cali, Colombia, and the first matches will be played in Men’s and Women’s Singles on Tuesday with Men’s and Women’s Doubles to begin on Wednesday.

Four time defending Men’s Singles champion Rocky Carson of the USA will have a tough road in defense of his title, as he’ll likely play Mexican Javier Mar in the quarterfinals and then in the semi-finals probably either Fernando Rios of Ecuador or Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia in the semi-finals, and Mexican Daniel De La Rosa will likely face Carson in the final.

Two defending Women’s Singles champion Paola Longoria of Mexico could face Bolivian Jenny Daza in her first elimination round match, and Daza played Longoria tough earlier this year at the Pan American Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. If Longoria gets past that, she’ll likely see Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals and one of Rhonda Rajisch (USA), Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) or team-mate Samantha Salas.

There will be live streaming of some elimination 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

Men's Singles - Preliminary Round

Djoko Boentaran (Indonesia) v. Sriram Ravindran (India)
Timothy Baghurst (England) v. Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
John Maisonet (Puerto Rico) v. Rajiv Varadhrajan (India)

Round of 32

1) Rocky Carson (USA) v. TBD
16) Casar Castillo (Venezuela) v. 17) Alejandro Herrera (Colombia)

9) Yuki Nakano (Japan) v. 24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea)
8) Javier Mar (Mexico) v. 25) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico)

5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 28) Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
12) Hirotake Usami (Japan) v. 21) Franco Capandegui (Argentina)

13) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 20) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
4) Fernando Rios (Ecuador) v. 29) Raul Banegas (Honduras)

3) Chris Crowther (USA) v. TBD
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 19) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica)

11) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) v. 22) Im Ji Soo (South Korea)
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 27) Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala)

7) Roland Keller (Bolivia) v. 26) Pedro Castro (Canada)
10) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 23) Alejandro Santos (Venezuela)

15) Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. 18) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic)
2) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) v. TBD

Women's Singles - Round of 32

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
16) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) v. 17) Mariana Paredes (Venezuela)

9) Christine Richardson (Canada) v. 24) Merynaanyelly Delgado Araujo (Dominican Republic)
8) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) v. 25) Majella Haventry (Ireland)

5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 28) Carolina Gomez (Columbia)
12) Jin Seok (South Korea) v. 21) Pia Dati (Argentina)

13) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 20) Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
4) Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) v. 29) Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica)

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Michelle Key (USA) v. 19) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)

11) Michèle Morissette (Canada) v. 22) Jung Eun Ane (Korea)
6) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 27) Donna Ryder (Ireland)

7) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 26) Harumi Kajino (Japan)
10) Maiko Sato (Japan) v. 23) Ivonne Carpio (Ecuador)

15) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 18) Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Men's Doubles - Round of 16

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz (USA) v. 16) Daeyong Kwon & Park Ju Yong (South Korea)
8) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)

5) Mike Green & Tim Landeryou (Canada) v. 12) Franco Capandegui & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
4) Carlos Keller & Kadim Carrasco (Bolivia) v. 13) Raul Banegas & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)

3) Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) v. 14) Aaron Booker & John Maisonet (Puerto Rico)
6) Hiroshi Shimizu & Michimune Kono (Japan) v. 11) Juan Salvatierra & Hanzel Martinez (Guatemala)

7) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 10) Luis Reveron & Alejandro Santos (Venezuela)
2) Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thiyagarajan (India)

Women's Doubles - Round of 16

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 9) Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia)

5) Jenny Daza & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) v. 12) Jin Seok & Jung Eun Ane (South Korea)
4) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 13) Majella Haventry & Donna Ryder (Ireland)

3) Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - BYE
6) Harumi Kajino & Toshiko Sakamoto (Japan) v. 11) Pia Dati & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)

7) Mariana Tobon & Lilian Zea (Venezuela) v. 10) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado Araujo (Dominican Republic)
2) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) - BYE

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