The top four seeds are all through to the semi-finals at the 2017 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Florida Pro-Am in Sarasota, Florida, including top seed and IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk, who defeated Felipe Camacho, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2, in the quarterfinals on Friday. Second seed and IRT #2 Rocky Carson also won in three straight games, beating Samuel Murray, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8.
In the semi-finals, Waselenchuk will face 4th seed Jose Rojas, who was a winner over Jansen Allen in four games, 11-2, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, and Carson plays 3rd seed Alvaro Beltran, who beat Marco Rojas, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8.
The IRT semi-finals will be 11 AM and Noon Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:00 PM. All times Eastern. You can watch the semis and final via the IRT Network.
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am, April 27-30
Sarasota, Florida
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 8) Felipe Camacho, 11-1, 11-1, 11-2
4) Jose Rojas d. 5) Jansen Allen, 11-2, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4
3) Alvaro Beltran d. 6) Marco Rojas, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
2) Rocky Carson d. Samuel Murray, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 4) Jose Rojas
2) Rocky Carson v. 3) Alvaro Beltran
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, April 28, 2017
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am - Round of 16
There was one upset in the Round of 16 at the 2017 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Florida Pro-Am in Sarasota, Florida, as Samuel Murray defeated 7th seed Mario Mercado, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9. Murray faces IRT #2 Rocky Carson in the quarterfinals, as Carson beat Andrés Gómez, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 in the 16s.
Top seed and IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk beat Gerardo Franco in the Round of 16, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3, and he'll play Felipe Camacho, who was a winner over Andres Ramirez, 11-9, 11-1, 11-7, in the quarters.
The IRT quarterfinals will be streamed live Friday evening from 4 PM on via the IRT Network. The semi-finals will be 11 AM and Noon Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:00 PM. All times Eastern.
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am, April 27-30
Sarasota, Florida
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Gerardo Franco, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3
8) Felipe Camacho d. Andres Ramirez, 11-9, 11-1, 11-7
5) Jansen Allen d. Wayne Antone, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7
4) Jose Rojas d. Set Cubillos, 11-4, 11-3, 11-0
3) Alvaro Beltran d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 12-10
6) Marco Rojas d. Juan Salvatierra, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5
Samuel Murray d. 7) Mario Mercado, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9
2) Rocky Carson d. Andrés Gómez, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Felipe Camacho
4) Jose Rojas v. 5) Jansen Allen
3) Alvaro Beltran v. 6) Marco Rojas
2) Rocky Carson d. Samuel Murray, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
Top seed and IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk beat Gerardo Franco in the Round of 16, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3, and he'll play Felipe Camacho, who was a winner over Andres Ramirez, 11-9, 11-1, 11-7, in the quarters.
The IRT quarterfinals will be streamed live Friday evening from 4 PM on via the IRT Network. The semi-finals will be 11 AM and Noon Saturday with the final Saturday night at 7:00 PM. All times Eastern.
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am, April 27-30
Sarasota, Florida
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk d. Gerardo Franco, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3
8) Felipe Camacho d. Andres Ramirez, 11-9, 11-1, 11-7
5) Jansen Allen d. Wayne Antone, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7
4) Jose Rojas d. Set Cubillos, 11-4, 11-3, 11-0
3) Alvaro Beltran d. Alejandro Herrera, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 12-10
6) Marco Rojas d. Juan Salvatierra, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5
Samuel Murray d. 7) Mario Mercado, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9
2) Rocky Carson d. Andrés Gómez, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Felipe Camacho
4) Jose Rojas v. 5) Jansen Allen
3) Alvaro Beltran v. 6) Marco Rojas
2) Rocky Carson d. Samuel Murray, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, April 27, 2017
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am - Preliminary Round
The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) comes to a close this weekend with the 2017 Florida Pro-Am in Sarasota, Florida. IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk could finish the season undefeated if he wins this weekend. Daniel De La Rosa, the 3rd ranked IRT player, is absent after his daughter was born earlier this month.
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 11 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 4 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.
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am, April 27-30
Sarasota, Florida
Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday
Andres Ramirez d. Kevin Vazquez, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9
Qualifying Round 2 - Thursday
Q8) Gerardo Franco d. Edwin Galicia, 11-3, 11-9, 13-11
Q1) Andres Ramirez d. Robert Collins, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
Q4) Wayne Antone d. Justus Benson, 0-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8
Q5) Set Cubillos d. Destry Everhart, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6
Q6) Alejandro Herrera d. Christian Wer, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6
Q3) Juan Salvatierra d. Scott McClellan, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Q2) Samuel Murray d. Hanzel Martinez, 11-9, 11-0, 11-3
Q7) Andrés Gómez d. Robert Hemphill, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Gerardo Franco - 11 AM
8) Felipe Camacho v. Andres Ramirez - 11 AM
5) Jansen Allen v. Alejandro Herrera - 1 PM
4) Jose Rojas v. Set Cubillos - 1 PM
3) Alvaro Beltran v. Q3 - Noon
6) Marco Rojas v. Juan Salvatierra - Noon
7) Mario Mercado v. Samuel Murray - 10 AM
2) Rocky Carson v. Andrés Gómez - 10 AM
Follow the bouncing ball….
The IRT Round of 16 will be streamed live Friday from 11 AM via the IRT Network with the quarterfinals Friday afternoon from 4 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.
2017 IRT Florida Pro-Am, April 27-30
Sarasota, Florida
Qualifying Round 1 - Thursday
Andres Ramirez d. Kevin Vazquez, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9
Qualifying Round 2 - Thursday
Q8) Gerardo Franco d. Edwin Galicia, 11-3, 11-9, 13-11
Q1) Andres Ramirez d. Robert Collins, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
Q4) Wayne Antone d. Justus Benson, 0-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8
Q5) Set Cubillos d. Destry Everhart, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6
Q6) Alejandro Herrera d. Christian Wer, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6
Q3) Juan Salvatierra d. Scott McClellan, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Q2) Samuel Murray d. Hanzel Martinez, 11-9, 11-0, 11-3
Q7) Andrés Gómez d. Robert Hemphill, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
Round of 16 - Friday
1) Kane Waselenchuk v. Gerardo Franco - 11 AM
8) Felipe Camacho v. Andres Ramirez - 11 AM
5) Jansen Allen v. Alejandro Herrera - 1 PM
4) Jose Rojas v. Set Cubillos - 1 PM
3) Alvaro Beltran v. Q3 - Noon
6) Marco Rojas v. Juan Salvatierra - Noon
7) Mario Mercado v. Samuel Murray - 10 AM
2) Rocky Carson v. Andrés Gómez - 10 AM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, April 24, 2017
Parrilla wins twice, Muñoz once at 2017 Battle at the Alamo
Andree Parrilla was a double winner on the weekend at the 2017 Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, as he won both the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) division, as well as the Men’s Open division. In the IRT final he defeated Bradly Rogers in four games, 11-1, 6-11, 11-4, 11-4, while he got the better of Edson Martinez over three games, 13-15, 15-3, 11-6.
In the IRT semi-finals, Parrilla defeated Javier Mar, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5, and Rogers beat Martinez, 11-6, 12-10, 11-4. Curiously, Martinez beat Rogers in the quarterfinals of Men’s Open, 15-7, 15-3. In the Men’s Open semis, Parrilla beat Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-6, and Martinez defeated Alejandro Almada, 15-7, 9-15, 11-3.
Also in San Antonio, Carla Muñoz won Women’s Open with a walkover win against Lucia Gonzalez in the final. In the semi-finals, Carla Muñoz beat Hollie Scott, 15-6, 15-9, and Gonzalez defeated Adrienne Haynes, 15-11, 9-15, 11-7.
IRT Season Ending
This week the 2016-17 IRT season comes to a close with the Florida IRT Pro-Am in Sarasota, April 27-30. The season was going to close in Portland with the Tournament of Champions, but that event has been postponed.
2017 Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Men’s IRT Final
Andree Parrilla d. Bradly Rogers, 11-1, 6-11, 11-4, 11-4
Semi-finals
Andree Parrilla d. Javier Mar, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5
Bradly Rogers d. Edson Martinez, 11-6, 12-10, 11-4
Men’s Open - Final
Andree Parrilla d. Edson Martinez, 13-15, 15-3, 11-6
Semi-finals
Andree Parrilla d. Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-6
Edson Martinez d. Alejandro Almada, 15-7, 9-15, 11-3
Women’s Open - Final
Carla Muñoz d. Lucia Gonzalez, forfeit
Semi-finals
Lucia Gonzalez d. Adrienne Haynes, 15-11, 9-15, 11-7
Carla Muñoz d. Hollie Scott, 15-6, 15-9
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the IRT semi-finals, Parrilla defeated Javier Mar, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5, and Rogers beat Martinez, 11-6, 12-10, 11-4. Curiously, Martinez beat Rogers in the quarterfinals of Men’s Open, 15-7, 15-3. In the Men’s Open semis, Parrilla beat Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-6, and Martinez defeated Alejandro Almada, 15-7, 9-15, 11-3.
Also in San Antonio, Carla Muñoz won Women’s Open with a walkover win against Lucia Gonzalez in the final. In the semi-finals, Carla Muñoz beat Hollie Scott, 15-6, 15-9, and Gonzalez defeated Adrienne Haynes, 15-11, 9-15, 11-7.
IRT Season Ending
This week the 2016-17 IRT season comes to a close with the Florida IRT Pro-Am in Sarasota, April 27-30. The season was going to close in Portland with the Tournament of Champions, but that event has been postponed.
2017 Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Men’s IRT Final
Andree Parrilla d. Bradly Rogers, 11-1, 6-11, 11-4, 11-4
Semi-finals
Andree Parrilla d. Javier Mar, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5
Bradly Rogers d. Edson Martinez, 11-6, 12-10, 11-4
Men’s Open - Final
Andree Parrilla d. Edson Martinez, 13-15, 15-3, 11-6
Semi-finals
Andree Parrilla d. Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 15-6
Edson Martinez d. Alejandro Almada, 15-7, 9-15, 11-3
Women’s Open - Final
Carla Muñoz d. Lucia Gonzalez, forfeit
Semi-finals
Lucia Gonzalez d. Adrienne Haynes, 15-11, 9-15, 11-7
Carla Muñoz d. Hollie Scott, 15-6, 15-9
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Longoria wins twice at 2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo
Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), won twice Sunday as she took home both the singles and doubles titles at the LPRT 2017 Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. The wins continue Longoria’s undefeated season. In the singles final, Longoria defeated Samantha Salas, 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, and those two teamed up to win doubles by beating Carla Muñoz and Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-8.
The LPRT will be in action next at the Paola Longoria Open in Guadalajara, Mexico May 6-8. If you missed any of this weekend’s action, you can watch archived videos from San Antonio via the LPRT LiveStream channel or the finals live via the LPRT YouTube channel.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Final
1) Paola Longoria d. 6) Samantha Salas, 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
The LPRT will be in action next at the Paola Longoria Open in Guadalajara, Mexico May 6-8. If you missed any of this weekend’s action, you can watch archived videos from San Antonio via the LPRT LiveStream channel or the finals live via the LPRT YouTube channel.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Final
1) Paola Longoria d. 6) Samantha Salas, 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-8
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Longoria & Salas double finalists at 2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo
What a difference a week makes. Last Saturday, Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), lost to Rhonda Rajsich in the final of the Pan American Championships. But this Saturday, Longoria defeated Rajsich in three straight games, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5, in the semi-finals of the LPRT 2017 Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. The win gives Longoria a chance to continue her undefeated streak this season, as she’s won nine of the ten LPRT events of the season after missing the first one.
Samantha Salas, Longoria’s long time doubles partner, will be Longoria’s opponent in the final Sunday, as Salas defeated Carla Muñoz, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7, in the other semi-final. Salas and Longoria also met in the final of US Open back in October, when Longoria won in three straight games.
Salas and Longoria are in doubles final Sunday playing together against Muñoz and Jessica Parrilla. In the semis, Longoria and Salas beat Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-9, while Parrilla and Muñoz won two close games against Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-14.
You can watch the finals live via the LPRT LiveStream channel, as the singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to follow. If you miss it live, you can watch on the LiveStream channel immediately afterwards.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Adrienne Haynes, 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 11-2, 11-9, 11-1
6) Samantha Salas d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 13-11, 11-3, 11-9
7) Carla Muñoz d. 2) Jessica Parrilla, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Rhonda Rajsich, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5
6) Samantha Salas d. 7) Carla Muñoz, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7
Final
1) Paola Longoria v. 6) Samantha Salas
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-9
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz d. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-14
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz
Follow the bouncing ball….
Samantha Salas, Longoria’s long time doubles partner, will be Longoria’s opponent in the final Sunday, as Salas defeated Carla Muñoz, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7, in the other semi-final. Salas and Longoria also met in the final of US Open back in October, when Longoria won in three straight games.
Salas and Longoria are in doubles final Sunday playing together against Muñoz and Jessica Parrilla. In the semis, Longoria and Salas beat Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-9, while Parrilla and Muñoz won two close games against Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-14.
You can watch the finals live via the LPRT LiveStream channel, as the singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to follow. If you miss it live, you can watch on the LiveStream channel immediately afterwards.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Adrienne Haynes, 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 4) Cristina Amaya, 11-2, 11-9, 11-1
6) Samantha Salas d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 13-11, 11-3, 11-9
7) Carla Muñoz d. 2) Jessica Parrilla, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Rhonda Rajsich, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5
6) Samantha Salas d. 7) Carla Muñoz, 11-3, 12-10, 11-7
Final
1) Paola Longoria v. 6) Samantha Salas
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-9
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz d. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-14
Doubles - Final
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, April 21, 2017
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo - Round of 32 & 16
There were some long matches Friday in the Rounds of 32 and 16 at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT’s) 2017 Battle at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, but in the end the top eight seeds all advanced to the quarterfinals on Saturday, including LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who defeated Hollie Scott, 11-0, 11-2, 11-1, in the Round of 16. Longoria will play Adrienne Haynes, who came back from 2-1 down to defeat Adriana Riveros, 3-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-0, in the 16s.
Second seed Jessica Parrilla also needed a tie-breaker to advance in the Round of 16, where she came back from 2-1 down to beat Da'Monique Davis, 2-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9. Parrilla will face Carla Muñoz in the quarters, as Muñoz defeated Monserrat Mejia, 11-2, 3-11, 13-11, 11-7, in the Round of 16. Muñoz's had to win a tie-breaker in the Round of 32, as she faced a former World Champion silver medalist in Nancy Enriquez, who got a 2-0 lead on Muñoz. But Muñoz came back to win three straight games, and take the match 9-11, 0-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The quarterfinals are Saturday morning at 10 and 11:05 AM and the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:35 PM. The singles final will be noon AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Hollie Scott d. 17) Ana Laura Flores, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5
9) Adriana Riveros d. 24) Hannah Shnurman, 11-0, 11-7, 11-1
8) Adrienne Haynes d. 25) Briana Jacquet, 11-9, 11-4, 11-2
5) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 21) Lucia Gonzalez, 11-5, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8
20) Danisse Maldonado d. 13) Cecilia Pratt, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
19) Erin Rivera d. 14) Carolina Rivera, 8-11, 11-0, 7-11, 11-4, 11-1
11) Natalia Mendez d. 22) Jennifer Dering, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0
6) Samantha Salas - BYE
7) Carla Muñoz d. 26) Nancy Enriquez, 9-11, 0-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4
10) Monserrat Mejia d. 23) Veronique Guillemette, 12-10, 11-3, 11-6
18) Da’Monique Davis d. 15) Laura Brandt, 11-0, 11-0, 11-6
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Hollie Scott, 11-0, 11-2, 11-1
8) Adrienne Haynes d. 9) Adriana Riveros, 3-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-0
5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 12) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-2, 11-5, 11-0
4) Cristina Amaya d. 20) Danisse Maldonado, 11-4, 11-3, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 19) Erin Rivera, 11-5, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7
6) Samantha Salas d. 11) Natalia Mendez, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
7) Carla Muñoz d. 10) Monserrat Mejia, 11-2, 3-11, 13-11, 11-7
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 18) Da’Monique Davis, 2-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Adrienne Haynes - 11:05 AM
4) Cristina Amaya v. 5) Rhonda Rajsich - 11:05 AM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Samantha Salas - 10 AM
2) Jessica Parrilla v. 7) Carla Muñoz - 10 AM
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros d. 5) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-9, 15-3
3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 6) Veronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez, 11-15, 15-11, 11-4
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz - BYE
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 7:45 PM
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 6:40 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Second seed Jessica Parrilla also needed a tie-breaker to advance in the Round of 16, where she came back from 2-1 down to beat Da'Monique Davis, 2-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9. Parrilla will face Carla Muñoz in the quarters, as Muñoz defeated Monserrat Mejia, 11-2, 3-11, 13-11, 11-7, in the Round of 16. Muñoz's had to win a tie-breaker in the Round of 32, as she faced a former World Champion silver medalist in Nancy Enriquez, who got a 2-0 lead on Muñoz. But Muñoz came back to win three straight games, and take the match 9-11, 0-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The quarterfinals are Saturday morning at 10 and 11:05 AM and the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:35 PM. The singles final will be noon AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Hollie Scott d. 17) Ana Laura Flores, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5
9) Adriana Riveros d. 24) Hannah Shnurman, 11-0, 11-7, 11-1
8) Adrienne Haynes d. 25) Briana Jacquet, 11-9, 11-4, 11-2
5) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 21) Lucia Gonzalez, 11-5, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8
20) Danisse Maldonado d. 13) Cecilia Pratt, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
19) Erin Rivera d. 14) Carolina Rivera, 8-11, 11-0, 7-11, 11-4, 11-1
11) Natalia Mendez d. 22) Jennifer Dering, 11-2, 11-0, 11-0
6) Samantha Salas - BYE
7) Carla Muñoz d. 26) Nancy Enriquez, 9-11, 0-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4
10) Monserrat Mejia d. 23) Veronique Guillemette, 12-10, 11-3, 11-6
18) Da’Monique Davis d. 15) Laura Brandt, 11-0, 11-0, 11-6
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Hollie Scott, 11-0, 11-2, 11-1
8) Adrienne Haynes d. 9) Adriana Riveros, 3-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-0
5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 12) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-2, 11-5, 11-0
4) Cristina Amaya d. 20) Danisse Maldonado, 11-4, 11-3, 11-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 19) Erin Rivera, 11-5, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7
6) Samantha Salas d. 11) Natalia Mendez, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
7) Carla Muñoz d. 10) Monserrat Mejia, 11-2, 3-11, 13-11, 11-7
2) Jessica Parrilla d. 18) Da’Monique Davis, 2-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9
Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Adrienne Haynes - 11:05 AM
4) Cristina Amaya v. 5) Rhonda Rajsich - 11:05 AM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Samantha Salas - 10 AM
2) Jessica Parrilla v. 7) Carla Muñoz - 10 AM
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros d. 5) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-9, 15-3
3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 6) Veronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez, 11-15, 15-11, 11-4
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz - BYE
Doubles - Semi-finals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 7:45 PM
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz v. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 6:40 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, April 20, 2017
2017 LPRT Battle of the Alamo - Preview
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT’s) returns to San Antonio for the 2017 Battle at the Alamo. Ten of the top twelve LPRT players will be in action, including LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, and the new Pan American Champion Rhonda Rajsich, who defeated Longoria last weekend in the final of the Pan American Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica. Rajsich is now the #5 LPRT player, so she and Longoria could meet in the semi-finals in San Antonio.
But to get there Rajsich will likely need to get by Cristina Amaya, who’s seeded 4th this week, and was a finalist at the last LPRT event: the New Jersey Open in March.
The bottom of the draw has #2 seed Jessica Parrilla, #3 Alexandra Herrera and #6 Samantha Salas, so there will likely have a Mexican standoff in the semis between two of those three players.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3:25 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday at 10 and 11:05 AM and the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:35 PM. The singles final will be noon AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Hollie Scott v. 17) Ana Laura Flores
9) Adriana Riveros v. 24) Hannah Shnurman
8) Adrienne Haynes v. 25) Briana Jacquet
5) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 21) Lucia Gonzalez
13) Cecilia Pratt v. 20) Danisse Maldonado
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
14) Carolina Rivera v. 19) Erin Rivera
11) Natalia Mendez v. 22) Jennifer Dering
6) Samantha Salas - BYE
7) Carla Muñoz v. 26) Nancy Enriquez
10) Monserrat Mejia v. 23) Veronique Guillemette
15) Laura Brandt v. 18) Da’Monique Davis
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 5) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez
3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Veronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
But to get there Rajsich will likely need to get by Cristina Amaya, who’s seeded 4th this week, and was a finalist at the last LPRT event: the New Jersey Open in March.
The bottom of the draw has #2 seed Jessica Parrilla, #3 Alexandra Herrera and #6 Samantha Salas, so there will likely have a Mexican standoff in the semis between two of those three players.
You can watch this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3:25 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday at 10 and 11:05 AM and the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:35 PM. The singles final will be noon AM Sunday with the doubles final to follow.
2017 LPRT Battle at the Alamo, April 21-23, 2017
San Antonio, Texas
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Hollie Scott v. 17) Ana Laura Flores
9) Adriana Riveros v. 24) Hannah Shnurman
8) Adrienne Haynes v. 25) Briana Jacquet
5) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 21) Lucia Gonzalez
13) Cecilia Pratt v. 20) Danisse Maldonado
4) Cristina Amaya - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
14) Carolina Rivera v. 19) Erin Rivera
11) Natalia Mendez v. 22) Jennifer Dering
6) Samantha Salas - BYE
7) Carla Muñoz v. 26) Nancy Enriquez
10) Monserrat Mejia v. 23) Veronique Guillemette
15) Laura Brandt v. 18) Da’Monique Davis
2) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 5) Cecilia Pratt & Maria Renee Rodriguez
3) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Veronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez
2) Jessica Parrilla & Carla Muñoz - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Monday, April 17, 2017
Team Standings & Summary - XXX Pan American Championships
The XXX Pan American Championships concluded Saturday in San Jose, Costa Rica, where Mexico won three of the four gold medals. If you’d known ahead of time that Mexico would win 3 of 4 events, the event you’d thought Mexico would win for sure was the even that they lost: Women’s Singles. Paola Longoria of Mexico had won 10 international events dating back to 2011 at the Pan American Championships, when the USA’s Rhonda Rajsich defeated her in the semi-finals.
Six years later Rajsich did it again, and her defeat of Longoria prevented the Mexican gold medal sweep.
Longoria did win gold in Women’s Doubles with Samantha Salas, and they are two of three winningest players at the Pan American Championships. Longoria has won gold Women’s Singles seven times and five times in Women’s Doubles, while Salas has won seven gold in Women’s Doubles. (note: Jackie Paraiso has the second most Pan American Champoinship gold medals winning one in Women’s Singles & nine in Women’s Doubles).
Rajsich’s gold was her fifth at the Pan American Championships, and she’s tied for fifth most all time with fellow American Cheryl Gudinas.
Mexican Polo Gutierrez won Men’s Doubles with Alejandro Landa, and that put his career gold medal count at four from the Pan American Championships, which ties him with countryman Alvaro Beltran, and is one behind the men’s leaders Javier Moreno of Mexico and American Bill Sell, who both have five. Gutierrez previously won gold at the Pan American Championships in 2011 and 2013 playing Men’s Doubles with Moreno, and he also won Men’s Singles in 2103.
Six men other men have won both singles and doubles at the Pan American Championships: Beltran, Sell, Mike Green (Canada), Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), Ricardo Monroy (Bolivia) and Landa, who now has three Pan American Championships, which puts him into a tie with five other players on the all time list.
Team Standings
Mexico finished first in the team standings in Men’s and Women’s and Overall categories, and the USA were the runners up in all three categories. In the Men’s standings Bolivia was 3rd with Canada 4th, while in the Women’s standings Ecuador was 3rd and Guatemala 4th. Overall, Bolivia was 3rd with Ecuador and Guatemala tying for 4th.
Future Events
Announced during the event broadcasts was that the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Junior World Championships will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA in November. Also, the XXXI Pan American Championships will be March 24-31, 2018, and although the location hasn’t been finalized Temuco, Chile was mentioned as the most likely site.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles
Gold - Rhonda Rajsich (USA)
Silver - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Bronze - Samantha Salas (Mexico), Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles
Gold - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
Silver - Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Bronze - Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), Andrea Martinez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Men's Singles
Gold - Alejandro Landa (Mexico)
Silver - Charlie Pratt (USA)
Bronze - Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles
Gold - Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico)
Silver - Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA)
Bronze - Ramon De Leon & Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
Team Standings
Women’s (points)
1. Mexico - 432
2. USA - 316
3. Guatemala - 228
4. Ecuador - 218
5. Bolivia - 128
6. Chile - 122
7. Argentina - 118
8. Colombia - 102
9. Venezuela - 94
10. Dominican Republic - 90
11. Cuba - 84
12. Canada & Costa Rica - 74
14. Honduras - 18
Men’s (points)
1. Mexico - 472
2. USA - 352
3. Bolivia - 196
4. Canada - 192
5. Costa Rica - 186
6. Dominican Republic - 150
7. Argentina - 110
8. Colombia - 100
9. Ecuador - 92
10. Guatemala - 82
11. Chile & Venezuela - 64
13. Cuba - 56
14. Honduras - 40
15. Nicaragua - 10
Overall (points)
1. Mexico - 904
2. USA - 668
3. Bolivia - 324
4. Guatemala & Ecuador - 310
6. Canada - 266
7. Costa Rica - 260
8. Dominican Republic - 240
9. Argentina - 228
10. Colombia - 202
11. Chile - 186
12. Venezuela - 158
13. Cuba - 140
14. Honduras - 58
15. Nicaragua - 10
Follow the bouncing ball....
Six years later Rajsich did it again, and her defeat of Longoria prevented the Mexican gold medal sweep.
Longoria did win gold in Women’s Doubles with Samantha Salas, and they are two of three winningest players at the Pan American Championships. Longoria has won gold Women’s Singles seven times and five times in Women’s Doubles, while Salas has won seven gold in Women’s Doubles. (note: Jackie Paraiso has the second most Pan American Champoinship gold medals winning one in Women’s Singles & nine in Women’s Doubles).
Rajsich’s gold was her fifth at the Pan American Championships, and she’s tied for fifth most all time with fellow American Cheryl Gudinas.
Mexican Polo Gutierrez won Men’s Doubles with Alejandro Landa, and that put his career gold medal count at four from the Pan American Championships, which ties him with countryman Alvaro Beltran, and is one behind the men’s leaders Javier Moreno of Mexico and American Bill Sell, who both have five. Gutierrez previously won gold at the Pan American Championships in 2011 and 2013 playing Men’s Doubles with Moreno, and he also won Men’s Singles in 2103.
Six men other men have won both singles and doubles at the Pan American Championships: Beltran, Sell, Mike Green (Canada), Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), Ricardo Monroy (Bolivia) and Landa, who now has three Pan American Championships, which puts him into a tie with five other players on the all time list.
Team Standings
Mexico finished first in the team standings in Men’s and Women’s and Overall categories, and the USA were the runners up in all three categories. In the Men’s standings Bolivia was 3rd with Canada 4th, while in the Women’s standings Ecuador was 3rd and Guatemala 4th. Overall, Bolivia was 3rd with Ecuador and Guatemala tying for 4th.
Future Events
Announced during the event broadcasts was that the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Junior World Championships will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA in November. Also, the XXXI Pan American Championships will be March 24-31, 2018, and although the location hasn’t been finalized Temuco, Chile was mentioned as the most likely site.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles
Gold - Rhonda Rajsich (USA)
Silver - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Bronze - Samantha Salas (Mexico), Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Women's Doubles
Gold - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
Silver - Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Bronze - Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), Andrea Martinez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Men's Singles
Gold - Alejandro Landa (Mexico)
Silver - Charlie Pratt (USA)
Bronze - Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), Javier Mar (Mexico)
Men's Doubles
Gold - Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico)
Silver - Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA)
Bronze - Ramon De Leon & Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
Team Standings
Women’s (points)
1. Mexico - 432
2. USA - 316
3. Guatemala - 228
4. Ecuador - 218
5. Bolivia - 128
6. Chile - 122
7. Argentina - 118
8. Colombia - 102
9. Venezuela - 94
10. Dominican Republic - 90
11. Cuba - 84
12. Canada & Costa Rica - 74
14. Honduras - 18
Men’s (points)
1. Mexico - 472
2. USA - 352
3. Bolivia - 196
4. Canada - 192
5. Costa Rica - 186
6. Dominican Republic - 150
7. Argentina - 110
8. Colombia - 100
9. Ecuador - 92
10. Guatemala - 82
11. Chile & Venezuela - 64
13. Cuba - 56
14. Honduras - 40
15. Nicaragua - 10
Overall (points)
1. Mexico - 904
2. USA - 668
3. Bolivia - 324
4. Guatemala & Ecuador - 310
6. Canada - 266
7. Costa Rica - 260
8. Dominican Republic - 240
9. Argentina - 228
10. Colombia - 202
11. Chile - 186
12. Venezuela - 158
13. Cuba - 140
14. Honduras - 58
15. Nicaragua - 10
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Mexican sweep doubles for 4th straight year at XXX Pan American Championships
Mexico swept Men’s and Women’s Doubles at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, which is the fourth year in a row that Mexican teams have won both doubles divisions at the event. Paola Longoria and Samatha Salas won the Women’s Doubles title for the third straight year, beating Ecuador’s Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor, 15-12, 15-5, in the final. Then Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa came from a game down to defeat Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA, 10-15, 15-8, 11-4, which gave Landa his second straight Pan American Championship Men’s Doubles title and his second Pan American Championship this year, as he won Men’s Singles earlier in the day.
In fact, all these Mexicans are multiple champions at this event. Longoria and Salas have won five of the last seven Women’s Doubles title at the Pan American Championships, and Salas is six of seven, as she won with Susana Acosta in 2014, when Longoria missed the event. Polo Gutierrez won his third Men’s Doubles title with the others coming in 2013 and 2011 both playing with Javier Moreno, who was Landa’s partner last year.
In the women’s final, Mexico took a the lead early at 6-0. Ecuador scored a couple of points to make it 6-2, but Mexico extended their lead to 10-2, and then 14-4. Ecuador dug in there, and with the serve back they scored two points to make it 14-6. Their sixth point was from an avoidable call on Longoria, which seemed harsh. Mexico appealed it, but the call was upheld, and in disputing the call, Mexico was assessed a technical, which made the score 13-6.
Ecuador scored three straight points to make it 13-9. Mexico called a timeout, and got the serve back but couldn’t score as Muñoz hit a winner and Salas skipped a shot. Ecuador drew within of Mexico when Muñoz hit a drive serve to the left side - she was playing on the right - that cracked out for an ace.
But on the next rally, Longoria hit a pinch shot winner to regain the serve. Sotomayor made an error on her backhand that put Mexico on game point at 14-12, but she put Mexico half out with a backhand cross court winner. Longoria then serve a lob down the middle, which Sotomayor took on her forehand and skipped, giving game one to Mexico, 15-12.
In game two, Mexico again got the early lead at 5-1. Ecuador made it close at 7-5, but then they didn’t score against, as Mexico scored eight unanswered points to take the game, 15-5, and the match in two straight games.
The USA was in control of game one in the Men’s Doubles final, as they never trailed Mexico after taking a 3-0 early. Mexico made it close late when they were within three at 13-10, but two winners from Bredenbeck - a forehand reverse pinch, and a forehand pinch from deep in the court - closed out the game.
Game two was the reverse, as Mexico took the early lead at 7-0, and never trailed from there. Gutierrez made several winners early in the game, as Mexico seemed to take over the match. They won game two as Gutierrez hit a half lob Z to Horn on the right side, and Horn returned it cross court, where Landa hit a shoulder high backhand reverse pinch that rolled out of the right front corner.
The tie-breaker went slowly early on, as after 25 rallies the score was only 4-3 in Mexico’s favour. But Mexico scored four unanswered points from there to go up 8-3. The game stalled a bit there, as nine rallies only produced one point, making the score 8-4 for Mexico.
But Mexico scored on three straight rallies to end it. Horn tried climbing the wall in the back right corner to retrieve a ceiling ball, which was an unsuccessful attempt, then Gutierrez hit a forehand winner, and finally Horn was forced into an error as he tried to hit a backhand ceiling ball to keep the rally going.
“I’m very happy,” Gutierrez said afterwards. “I wasn’t even [planning on] playing Nationals,” but Landa “convinced me” to play. They won that event, which is how they were selected as the Mexican team for this event.
“I feel OK thanks to Polo,” said Landa, when asked about playing the doubles final after he played the singles final earlier.
“I just wanted to win,” Gutierrez said in reference to how they turned the match around after losing the first game, and he did seem to turn it up, especially early in game two.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-5
Men's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA), 10-15, 15-8, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball....
In fact, all these Mexicans are multiple champions at this event. Longoria and Salas have won five of the last seven Women’s Doubles title at the Pan American Championships, and Salas is six of seven, as she won with Susana Acosta in 2014, when Longoria missed the event. Polo Gutierrez won his third Men’s Doubles title with the others coming in 2013 and 2011 both playing with Javier Moreno, who was Landa’s partner last year.
In the women’s final, Mexico took a the lead early at 6-0. Ecuador scored a couple of points to make it 6-2, but Mexico extended their lead to 10-2, and then 14-4. Ecuador dug in there, and with the serve back they scored two points to make it 14-6. Their sixth point was from an avoidable call on Longoria, which seemed harsh. Mexico appealed it, but the call was upheld, and in disputing the call, Mexico was assessed a technical, which made the score 13-6.
Ecuador scored three straight points to make it 13-9. Mexico called a timeout, and got the serve back but couldn’t score as Muñoz hit a winner and Salas skipped a shot. Ecuador drew within of Mexico when Muñoz hit a drive serve to the left side - she was playing on the right - that cracked out for an ace.
But on the next rally, Longoria hit a pinch shot winner to regain the serve. Sotomayor made an error on her backhand that put Mexico on game point at 14-12, but she put Mexico half out with a backhand cross court winner. Longoria then serve a lob down the middle, which Sotomayor took on her forehand and skipped, giving game one to Mexico, 15-12.
In game two, Mexico again got the early lead at 5-1. Ecuador made it close at 7-5, but then they didn’t score against, as Mexico scored eight unanswered points to take the game, 15-5, and the match in two straight games.
The USA was in control of game one in the Men’s Doubles final, as they never trailed Mexico after taking a 3-0 early. Mexico made it close late when they were within three at 13-10, but two winners from Bredenbeck - a forehand reverse pinch, and a forehand pinch from deep in the court - closed out the game.
Game two was the reverse, as Mexico took the early lead at 7-0, and never trailed from there. Gutierrez made several winners early in the game, as Mexico seemed to take over the match. They won game two as Gutierrez hit a half lob Z to Horn on the right side, and Horn returned it cross court, where Landa hit a shoulder high backhand reverse pinch that rolled out of the right front corner.
The tie-breaker went slowly early on, as after 25 rallies the score was only 4-3 in Mexico’s favour. But Mexico scored four unanswered points from there to go up 8-3. The game stalled a bit there, as nine rallies only produced one point, making the score 8-4 for Mexico.
But Mexico scored on three straight rallies to end it. Horn tried climbing the wall in the back right corner to retrieve a ceiling ball, which was an unsuccessful attempt, then Gutierrez hit a forehand winner, and finally Horn was forced into an error as he tried to hit a backhand ceiling ball to keep the rally going.
“I’m very happy,” Gutierrez said afterwards. “I wasn’t even [planning on] playing Nationals,” but Landa “convinced me” to play. They won that event, which is how they were selected as the Mexican team for this event.
“I feel OK thanks to Polo,” said Landa, when asked about playing the doubles final after he played the singles final earlier.
“I just wanted to win,” Gutierrez said in reference to how they turned the match around after losing the first game, and he did seem to turn it up, especially early in game two.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-5
Men's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA), 10-15, 15-8, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball....
Rajsich & Landa win singles at XXX Pan American Championships
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) upset Paola Longoria (Mexico), 7-15, 15-13, 11-9, to win Women’s Singles at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, in a match that took approximately two hours to complete. In the Men’s Singles final, Alejandro Landa of Mexico defeated Charlie Pratt of the USA, 15-10, 15-11.
Longoria looked like she would successfully defend her Pan American Championship title, as she took game one comfortably, 15-7, including hitting six drive ace serves to the left. But Rajsich was undeterred, as she jumped out to a big lead in game two at 9-0.
That lead looked like it would ensure a tie-breaker, but few leads are safe against Longoria, who cam back to 9-7 before Rajsich got her 10th point. Rajsich followed that up with four more points off two backhand skips by Longoria and two forehand winners to make it 14-7. Game over, yes?
No, as Longoria fought off eleven (11!) game points, and creeped back into the game, closing the gap to 14-13. But Rajsich got the serve back with a backhand return, and then - finally! - won it when Longoria skipped a forehand shot.
In the tie-breaker, they were back and forth early. Rajsich took a 3-1 lead helped by two ace serves: a drive right, and a Z to the right. But Longoria responded by taking the next four points to lead 5-3. A backhand winner got Rajsich back in the service box, and she scored three points of her own to take the lead, 6-5.
Rajsich never trailed after that, although Longoria did tie her at 7-7 and 9-9. Rajsich got the serve back with a forehand cross court serve return that Longoria appealed was a skip, but the line judges upheld the referee’s call of a good shot. Rajsich called a timeout to plan how to close it out.
When play resumed, Rajsich hit a drive serve short, and on her second serve she hit a backhand half lob to the left side that Longoria plowed into the floor. It was an uncharacteristic error by Longoria that gave Rajsich match point at 10-9. On the first match point rally, Rajsich was hindered by Longoria as she was moving to play the ball off the back wall. Rajsich appealed for an avoidable, but the line judges upheld the referee’s hinder call.
On the second match point, Rajsich got an opportunity to hit a forehand winner, and she made no mistake to take her first Pan American Championship in Women’s Singles since 2011, and her third overall.
That 2011 Pan American Championship was the last time Longoria failed to win an international tournament, as she lost to Rajsich in the semi-finals, which was a match that also went three games. Since then Longoria had won 10 straight Women’s Singles titles at international events (in that period Longoria only missed the 2014 Pan American Championships, which was won by Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina).
After the match, Rajsich said she was “drunk with emotion,” and thanked her team for their support. Also, Rajsich dedicated the win to her late father, Dennis, who died in October, as well as her best friend’s mother, who passed away recently.
In the men’s final, they were close early in game one, and tied at 5-5 and 6-6. But then Landa edged ahead, going up 10-6 including two drive serve aces, one to the right and one to the left. He maintained the lead, and Pratt couldn’t get any closer than three, as Landa took game one, 15-10, with a forehand kill shot after Pratt’s return of a lob on the right side went into the middle.
In game two, Pratt took the lead early, as he went up 8-2, and looked like he would force a tie-breaker. But Landa dug in and scored seven of the next eight points to tie the game 9-9. Landa’s point streak continued, as he went up 11-9, but a forehand skip gave Pratt back the serve. Pratt tied the score 11-11 with a great forehand that he took as the ball bounced around and out of the back left corner.
At that point, Landa called a timeout. On the next rally, Pratt had to dive to try to keep the rally going, and in doing so skipped a backhand shot. They exchanged sideouts, and then Landa scored four straight points, with the match winner a backhand cross court shot that was just out of Pratt’s reach.
“I knew it was going to be a tough battle,” Landa said afterwards, as “Charlie played well this tournament.” Asked about his feelings during the match, Landa said “I like to get mad. Sometimes it helps me. Sometimes it doesn’t.” Today Landa generally played within his comfort zone, and he earned a gold medal as a result.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Final Saturday
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 1) Paola Longoria (Mexico), 7-15, 15-13, 11-9
Men's Singles - Final Saturday
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA), 15-10, 15-11
Follow the bouncing ball....
Longoria looked like she would successfully defend her Pan American Championship title, as she took game one comfortably, 15-7, including hitting six drive ace serves to the left. But Rajsich was undeterred, as she jumped out to a big lead in game two at 9-0.
That lead looked like it would ensure a tie-breaker, but few leads are safe against Longoria, who cam back to 9-7 before Rajsich got her 10th point. Rajsich followed that up with four more points off two backhand skips by Longoria and two forehand winners to make it 14-7. Game over, yes?
No, as Longoria fought off eleven (11!) game points, and creeped back into the game, closing the gap to 14-13. But Rajsich got the serve back with a backhand return, and then - finally! - won it when Longoria skipped a forehand shot.
In the tie-breaker, they were back and forth early. Rajsich took a 3-1 lead helped by two ace serves: a drive right, and a Z to the right. But Longoria responded by taking the next four points to lead 5-3. A backhand winner got Rajsich back in the service box, and she scored three points of her own to take the lead, 6-5.
Rajsich never trailed after that, although Longoria did tie her at 7-7 and 9-9. Rajsich got the serve back with a forehand cross court serve return that Longoria appealed was a skip, but the line judges upheld the referee’s call of a good shot. Rajsich called a timeout to plan how to close it out.
When play resumed, Rajsich hit a drive serve short, and on her second serve she hit a backhand half lob to the left side that Longoria plowed into the floor. It was an uncharacteristic error by Longoria that gave Rajsich match point at 10-9. On the first match point rally, Rajsich was hindered by Longoria as she was moving to play the ball off the back wall. Rajsich appealed for an avoidable, but the line judges upheld the referee’s hinder call.
On the second match point, Rajsich got an opportunity to hit a forehand winner, and she made no mistake to take her first Pan American Championship in Women’s Singles since 2011, and her third overall.
That 2011 Pan American Championship was the last time Longoria failed to win an international tournament, as she lost to Rajsich in the semi-finals, which was a match that also went three games. Since then Longoria had won 10 straight Women’s Singles titles at international events (in that period Longoria only missed the 2014 Pan American Championships, which was won by Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina).
After the match, Rajsich said she was “drunk with emotion,” and thanked her team for their support. Also, Rajsich dedicated the win to her late father, Dennis, who died in October, as well as her best friend’s mother, who passed away recently.
In the men’s final, they were close early in game one, and tied at 5-5 and 6-6. But then Landa edged ahead, going up 10-6 including two drive serve aces, one to the right and one to the left. He maintained the lead, and Pratt couldn’t get any closer than three, as Landa took game one, 15-10, with a forehand kill shot after Pratt’s return of a lob on the right side went into the middle.
In game two, Pratt took the lead early, as he went up 8-2, and looked like he would force a tie-breaker. But Landa dug in and scored seven of the next eight points to tie the game 9-9. Landa’s point streak continued, as he went up 11-9, but a forehand skip gave Pratt back the serve. Pratt tied the score 11-11 with a great forehand that he took as the ball bounced around and out of the back left corner.
At that point, Landa called a timeout. On the next rally, Pratt had to dive to try to keep the rally going, and in doing so skipped a backhand shot. They exchanged sideouts, and then Landa scored four straight points, with the match winner a backhand cross court shot that was just out of Pratt’s reach.
“I knew it was going to be a tough battle,” Landa said afterwards, as “Charlie played well this tournament.” Asked about his feelings during the match, Landa said “I like to get mad. Sometimes it helps me. Sometimes it doesn’t.” Today Landa generally played within his comfort zone, and he earned a gold medal as a result.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Final Saturday
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 1) Paola Longoria (Mexico), 7-15, 15-13, 11-9
Men's Singles - Final Saturday
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA), 15-10, 15-11
Follow the bouncing ball....
Friday, April 14, 2017
Doubles semi-final results at XXX Pan American Championships
Mexico and Ecuador were winners in the Women’s Doubles semi-finals at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, Friday. Mexicans Paola Longoria and Samatha Salas, the defending champions, beat the USA’s Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich in one semi-final, 15-8, 15-4, while Ecuador’s Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor needed a tie-breaker to move past Andrea Martinez and Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala, 10-15, 15-5, 11-4.
In Men’s Doubles semi-finals, 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA won a close first game and then a not so close second to defeat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrado Moscoso, 15-12, 15-7, in the semi-finals. Bredenbeck and Horn will play either top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa of Mexico or Dominicans Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon in the final on Saturday.
The finals are early Saturday afternoon with the women’s final to precede the men’s.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-8, 15-4
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-5, 11-4
Women's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - 1 PM
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-3
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-12, 15-7
Men's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - 2:30 PM
Follow the bouncing ball....
In Men’s Doubles semi-finals, 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA won a close first game and then a not so close second to defeat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrado Moscoso, 15-12, 15-7, in the semi-finals. Bredenbeck and Horn will play either top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa of Mexico or Dominicans Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon in the final on Saturday.
The finals are early Saturday afternoon with the women’s final to precede the men’s.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-8, 15-4
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-5, 11-4
Women's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - 1 PM
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-3
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-12, 15-7
Men's Doubles - Final Saturday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - 2:30 PM
Follow the bouncing ball....
Longoria & Rajsich, Landa & Pratt win singles semi-finals at XXX Pan American Championships
The USA and Mexico will play off in both the Men’s and Women’s Singles finals at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica. In Women’s Singles, defending champion Paola Longoria of Mexico will face Rhonda Rajsich of the USA, and in Men’s Singles Alejandro Landa of Mexico plays Charlie Pratt of the USA.
In the women’s semi-finals, Longoria defeated Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala, 15-6, 15-11, and Rajsich came back from a game down to defeat Samantha Salas of Mexico, 14-15, 15-12, 11-2. On the men’s side, Landa beat Costa Rican Andres Acuña, 15-14, 15-10, and like Rajsich, Pratt came from a game down to overcome a Mexican opponent, as he knocked out Javier Mar, 5-15, 15-13, 11-3.
Longoria and Martinez were close early in game one. Martinez even had the early lead at 3-0, but Longoria caught her at 5-5, and then cruised on to take game one by a comfortable margin, 15-6.
She carried that momentum into game two, taking a 6-1 lead. But Martinez dug in and came back to tie the score at 6-6 and 7-7. Again Longoria went out ahead to lead 12-7, and it looked like she’d again win comfortably. But Martinez didn’t give up, and closed the gap to two points down 13-11. Longoria got the serve back with a backhand cross court serve return, and got her first match point with a drive serve ace to the left that cracked out.
Longoria didn’t convert that match point, as she skipped a forehand for an unforced error. But after another backhand return winner, Longoria didn’t make a mistake on her second match point, as a strong drive serve to the left side forced Martinez to skip her backhand return.
Longoria congratulated Martinez, who’s only 17, for a strong tournament, saying she’s “a warrior” on the court, so Longoria knows it’ll be a battle whenever they play. They had played in the group stage of this event, and that match went tie-breaker. But Longoria felt “I played better than in the [group],” so a third game wasn’t needed today.
Rajsich and Salas were close late in the first game of their match, as they tied at 10-10 and 13-13. But Rajsich got to game point first when Salas skipped a forehand serve return. But Rajsich failed to convert four game point opportunities. Eventually, Salas got a point of her own with a forehand cross court that tied the score at 14-14, and then ended the game on her first opportunity.
Nevertheless in game two, it was Rajsich who had the better start, as she led early, 3-0. However, Salas then got hot, outscoring Rajsich 12-2 to go from 3-0 down to 12-5 up. It looked like Salas would win in two straight games.
But Rajsich changed her service look a bit, taking a couple of steps before drive serving, and serving to both sides. It seemed to put Salas off balance, and three aces along with a service winner certainly help Rajsich’s cause, as she came back to take game two 15-12.
Rajsich maintained the momentum in game three, as she went up 7-1, and won 11-2. Thus, over the second half of the match, Rajsich outscored Salas 21-2.
Rajsich was “exhilerated” after the match, as she has a “ton of respect for Salas and her game.” Asked what she was thinking when she was down in game two, Rajsich said tries not to think, as “thoughts can get in the way.”
Longoria and Rajsich have played several times over the years. They last met in a Pan Am Championship final in 2013, when Longoria won, and last met in an international final at the 2014 International Racquetball Federation World Championship final, which Longoria also won.
Longoria has won more Pan American Championships than any other player: 7 in Women’s Singles and 4 in Women’s Doubles. Rajsich has won Women’s Singles twice at the Pan American Championships, and both times - in 2007 and 2011 - she played Salas in the final.
In the Men’s Singles semi-finals, Landa was generally in control of his match with Acuña, although Acuña did come back in game one from 13-6 to lead 14-13. However, he skipped a backhand that gave the serve back to Landa, who took full advantage by hitting a drive serve to the left for an ace to make it 14-14, and won the game on the next rally when Acuña skipped a backhand shot.
In game two, Acuña was up early, 4-0. Landa tied it, 5-5, and they were back and forth before Landa pulled away to lead 13-6 just as in game one. An Acuña timeout cued his comeback, but he could only get to 13-10 before giving the serve back to Landa. The call at that point was an avoidable, which seemed a bit harsh as Acuña moved away from the left side, where he thought the ball would be, but turned out to the had gone over to the right side, and Landa was there to hit it, though not really set up to do so. Calling an avoidable there wasn’t wrong, but it seemed harsh.
The real controversy, though, came when Landa was on 14-10, as Acuña then appealed the length of Landa’s racquet. Landa was unhappy about that, and probably made unhappier when his racquet was found to be too long. Under International Racquetball Federation rules, playing with a racquet that’s too long results in a technical, and it seems Landa was also given a technical for voicing his unhappiness about the appeal to the referee, as the score when from 14-10 to 12-10. But he was still serving.
Landa made it 13-10 - for the second time - with a forehand pinch shot, but Acuña got the serve back with a backhand shot. But he wasn’t able to take advantage, as Landa got an opportunity in the front court and smashed a backhand cross court to regain the serve.
Landa drove a serve left for another ace, making it 14-10. The match ended as Landa hit a forehand pinch shot that Acuña couldn’t get a racquet on. But after the end, Landa refused to shake Acuña’s hand, and when he came off the court, Landa gestured angrily to the Costa Rican coaches. Presumably, Landa was still upset about the racquet appeal.
Landa will play American Charlie Pratt in the final. Pratt came back from a game down to defeat Mexican Javier Mar, 5-15, 15-13, 11-3, in the other semi-final. Afterwards, Pratt said “it was all him” in game one, and “I was frustrated.” But his team told him to mentally stay in the match, and they were neck and neck in game two.
Mar had the lead at 10-8, but Pratt came back to tie it 10-10, and then went ahead, 11-10, with an ace drive serve to the left side - one of several aces he had in the match.
Mar did come back and tie the game again at 13-13, but down the stretch he made two surprising unforced errors, as Mar hit himself on the serve twice while trying to execute a Z serve to the left side. It happened when Mar was serving 12-13 and again at 13-13.
After Mar hit himself a second time, Pratt hit another drive serve ace to the left, putting himself on game point at 14-13. The next rally was long, with some great gets by both players, and it was Mar who ended it with a smooth backhand shot.
However, Pratt held Mar off the scoreboard with a backhand winner of his own. On his second game point opportunity, Pratt hit a drive jam serve to the left side that Mar couldn’t return.
The breaker was Pratt’s, as he put together two runs of points to go up 4-1 and then 9-2. Mar used his second timeout at that point, but it was just delaying the inevitable, as Pratt closed it out with yet another drive serve ace to the left for his 10th point, and then a forehand pinch shot ended it.
Pratt, who’s playing on Team USA for the first time since being a junior, gave credit to “being in a team atmosphere” for his ability to pull out the victory against Mar, as well as his tie-breaker win in the quarterfinals against Carlos Keller of Bolivia. “There’s no way I’d have gotten through those tie-breakers without them,” Pratt said.
Pratt’s victory extends the streak of USA men being in the Men’s Singles final at the Pan American Championship to four years. Marco Rojas lost the 2014 final. His older brother Jose Rojas won it in 2015, as did Jose Diaz in 2016, which was over fellow American Jake Bredenbeck. Last year Bredenbeck lost the final to Mexican Daniel De La Rosa.
The finals begin Saturday at 11 AM with the Women’s Singles Final followed by the Men’s Singles Final at noon.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-11
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico), 14-15, 15-12, 11-2
Women's Singles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 11 AM
Men's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 1) Javier Mar (Mexico), 5-15, 15-13, 11-3
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-14, 15-10
Men's Singles - Final Saturday
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball....
In the women’s semi-finals, Longoria defeated Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala, 15-6, 15-11, and Rajsich came back from a game down to defeat Samantha Salas of Mexico, 14-15, 15-12, 11-2. On the men’s side, Landa beat Costa Rican Andres Acuña, 15-14, 15-10, and like Rajsich, Pratt came from a game down to overcome a Mexican opponent, as he knocked out Javier Mar, 5-15, 15-13, 11-3.
Longoria and Martinez were close early in game one. Martinez even had the early lead at 3-0, but Longoria caught her at 5-5, and then cruised on to take game one by a comfortable margin, 15-6.
She carried that momentum into game two, taking a 6-1 lead. But Martinez dug in and came back to tie the score at 6-6 and 7-7. Again Longoria went out ahead to lead 12-7, and it looked like she’d again win comfortably. But Martinez didn’t give up, and closed the gap to two points down 13-11. Longoria got the serve back with a backhand cross court serve return, and got her first match point with a drive serve ace to the left that cracked out.
Longoria didn’t convert that match point, as she skipped a forehand for an unforced error. But after another backhand return winner, Longoria didn’t make a mistake on her second match point, as a strong drive serve to the left side forced Martinez to skip her backhand return.
Longoria congratulated Martinez, who’s only 17, for a strong tournament, saying she’s “a warrior” on the court, so Longoria knows it’ll be a battle whenever they play. They had played in the group stage of this event, and that match went tie-breaker. But Longoria felt “I played better than in the [group],” so a third game wasn’t needed today.
Rajsich and Salas were close late in the first game of their match, as they tied at 10-10 and 13-13. But Rajsich got to game point first when Salas skipped a forehand serve return. But Rajsich failed to convert four game point opportunities. Eventually, Salas got a point of her own with a forehand cross court that tied the score at 14-14, and then ended the game on her first opportunity.
Nevertheless in game two, it was Rajsich who had the better start, as she led early, 3-0. However, Salas then got hot, outscoring Rajsich 12-2 to go from 3-0 down to 12-5 up. It looked like Salas would win in two straight games.
But Rajsich changed her service look a bit, taking a couple of steps before drive serving, and serving to both sides. It seemed to put Salas off balance, and three aces along with a service winner certainly help Rajsich’s cause, as she came back to take game two 15-12.
Rajsich maintained the momentum in game three, as she went up 7-1, and won 11-2. Thus, over the second half of the match, Rajsich outscored Salas 21-2.
Rajsich was “exhilerated” after the match, as she has a “ton of respect for Salas and her game.” Asked what she was thinking when she was down in game two, Rajsich said tries not to think, as “thoughts can get in the way.”
Longoria and Rajsich have played several times over the years. They last met in a Pan Am Championship final in 2013, when Longoria won, and last met in an international final at the 2014 International Racquetball Federation World Championship final, which Longoria also won.
Longoria has won more Pan American Championships than any other player: 7 in Women’s Singles and 4 in Women’s Doubles. Rajsich has won Women’s Singles twice at the Pan American Championships, and both times - in 2007 and 2011 - she played Salas in the final.
In the Men’s Singles semi-finals, Landa was generally in control of his match with Acuña, although Acuña did come back in game one from 13-6 to lead 14-13. However, he skipped a backhand that gave the serve back to Landa, who took full advantage by hitting a drive serve to the left for an ace to make it 14-14, and won the game on the next rally when Acuña skipped a backhand shot.
In game two, Acuña was up early, 4-0. Landa tied it, 5-5, and they were back and forth before Landa pulled away to lead 13-6 just as in game one. An Acuña timeout cued his comeback, but he could only get to 13-10 before giving the serve back to Landa. The call at that point was an avoidable, which seemed a bit harsh as Acuña moved away from the left side, where he thought the ball would be, but turned out to the had gone over to the right side, and Landa was there to hit it, though not really set up to do so. Calling an avoidable there wasn’t wrong, but it seemed harsh.
The real controversy, though, came when Landa was on 14-10, as Acuña then appealed the length of Landa’s racquet. Landa was unhappy about that, and probably made unhappier when his racquet was found to be too long. Under International Racquetball Federation rules, playing with a racquet that’s too long results in a technical, and it seems Landa was also given a technical for voicing his unhappiness about the appeal to the referee, as the score when from 14-10 to 12-10. But he was still serving.
Landa made it 13-10 - for the second time - with a forehand pinch shot, but Acuña got the serve back with a backhand shot. But he wasn’t able to take advantage, as Landa got an opportunity in the front court and smashed a backhand cross court to regain the serve.
Landa drove a serve left for another ace, making it 14-10. The match ended as Landa hit a forehand pinch shot that Acuña couldn’t get a racquet on. But after the end, Landa refused to shake Acuña’s hand, and when he came off the court, Landa gestured angrily to the Costa Rican coaches. Presumably, Landa was still upset about the racquet appeal.
Landa will play American Charlie Pratt in the final. Pratt came back from a game down to defeat Mexican Javier Mar, 5-15, 15-13, 11-3, in the other semi-final. Afterwards, Pratt said “it was all him” in game one, and “I was frustrated.” But his team told him to mentally stay in the match, and they were neck and neck in game two.
Mar had the lead at 10-8, but Pratt came back to tie it 10-10, and then went ahead, 11-10, with an ace drive serve to the left side - one of several aces he had in the match.
Mar did come back and tie the game again at 13-13, but down the stretch he made two surprising unforced errors, as Mar hit himself on the serve twice while trying to execute a Z serve to the left side. It happened when Mar was serving 12-13 and again at 13-13.
After Mar hit himself a second time, Pratt hit another drive serve ace to the left, putting himself on game point at 14-13. The next rally was long, with some great gets by both players, and it was Mar who ended it with a smooth backhand shot.
However, Pratt held Mar off the scoreboard with a backhand winner of his own. On his second game point opportunity, Pratt hit a drive jam serve to the left side that Mar couldn’t return.
The breaker was Pratt’s, as he put together two runs of points to go up 4-1 and then 9-2. Mar used his second timeout at that point, but it was just delaying the inevitable, as Pratt closed it out with yet another drive serve ace to the left for his 10th point, and then a forehand pinch shot ended it.
Pratt, who’s playing on Team USA for the first time since being a junior, gave credit to “being in a team atmosphere” for his ability to pull out the victory against Mar, as well as his tie-breaker win in the quarterfinals against Carlos Keller of Bolivia. “There’s no way I’d have gotten through those tie-breakers without them,” Pratt said.
Pratt’s victory extends the streak of USA men being in the Men’s Singles final at the Pan American Championship to four years. Marco Rojas lost the 2014 final. His older brother Jose Rojas won it in 2015, as did Jose Diaz in 2016, which was over fellow American Jake Bredenbeck. Last year Bredenbeck lost the final to Mexican Daniel De La Rosa.
The finals begin Saturday at 11 AM with the Women’s Singles Final followed by the Men’s Singles Final at noon.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-11
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico), 14-15, 15-12, 11-2
Women's Singles - Final Saturday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 11 AM
Men's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 1) Javier Mar (Mexico), 5-15, 15-13, 11-3
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-14, 15-10
Men's Singles - Final Saturday
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball....
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Singles quarterfinals at XXX Pan American Championships
The top three seeds won in Women’s Singles in the quarterfinals at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica. First seed Paola Longoria of Mexico beat Mariana Tobon of Venezuela, 15-0, 15-1. Longoria will play Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala in the semi-finals, as Martinez defeated Chilean Carla Muñoz, 15-4, 15-8, to set up what will be a rematch of last year’s gold medal final at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships, which was won by Longoria.
In the other Women’s Singles semi, 2nd seed Rhonda Rajsich of USA defeated Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-7, and will play 3rd seed Samantha Salas of Mexico, who was a winner over Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 15-8, 15-9. With Salas and Longoria in the semis, there could be an all Mexico final.
In Men’s Singles, #1 seed Javier Mar came back from a game down to defeat Canadian Samuel Murray, 6-15, 15-4, 11-3. Murray played very well in game one, but Mar got a good start in game two. Then with Mar leading 11-4, Murray went down for a ball, and stayed down for awhile, taking an injury timeout after he eventually got up. Murray didn’t play with the same energy after that, and seemed to be especially hampered in moving to the right.
They were tied at 2-2 in the tie-breaker, but Mar hit some good Z serves to the left side that led to points and he won the breaker comfortably.
Mar’s opponent in the semi-finals will be Charlie Pratt of the USA, who also needed a tie-breaker to advance. But he won the first game, 15-4, playing almost flawlessly, against Bolivian Carlos Keller. Pratt continued to dominate early in game two, as he led 5-1. But Keller then pulled his game together, and scored seven unanswered points to lead 8-5. From there Keller stayed ahead, winning game two, 15-9, to force a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, they were back and forth early. Then with Pratt serving down 3-2, he was charged with a technical for taking too much time to begin the rally, so the score became 3-1, Pratt serving. He disputed the call, but proceeded to two aces and then two service winners to go up 5-3, which became 7-3 before Keller regained the serve.
Then with Keller serving down 7-4, the referee judged Keller’s serve to have skipped. Keller didn’t think so, but was out of appeals, so it seemed he was going to lose serve. However, Pratt overturned the call, so Keller got a second serve. On the ensuing rally, Pratt made a diving get that he pinch rolled out of the left corner with his backhand. It was a great winner.
From there Pratt went on to win the breaker, hitting an ace serve on a drive that cracked off of the left wall just past the short line.
Afterwards speaking on overturning the skipped serve call, Pratt said “I’m not going to take a call like that.”
Pratt’s playing on Team USA for the first time since he was a junior player. “It’s such a cool experience,” he said, adding “I’m really happy that I performed well.” Pratt “knew I gave everything I had,” and “felt in the zone” during the match.
On the other side of the Men’s Singles draw, the hometown player Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) upset the 2nd seed David Horn of the USA, 15-10, 15-12. In game one, Acuña had a 10-1 lead, only to see Horn come back to within one at 11-10. They were back and forth a couple times at that point before Acuña hit a soft backhand pinch shot to get his 12th point.
Horn took a timeout down 13-10, and he got a side out when play resumed, but he failed to score, as Acuña got a sideout in return. Acuña got game point with a flat forehand pinch shot, and then won it when Horn skipped the serve return on the next rally.
Game two was close all the way, and went back and forth. Acuña led 4-0, then Horn led 5-4. Acuña was up 6-5, and then Horn led 11-8. But Acuña tied it 11-11. Horn went up 12-11 with an avoidable call against Acuña, but the Costa Rican got the serve right back, and hit two drive serves to the left that were aces to go up 13-12.
However, Acuña skipped a forehand pinch shot to give the serve back to Horn. It appeared that Horn tied the game at 13-13 with a backhand shot on the next rally, but Acuña successfully appealed for a hinder, so the score remained 13-12 in his favour. Acuña got the serve back with a soft backhand shot, one of few that he hit in the match.
A forehand reverse winner put Acuña on match point at 14-12, and then Horn skipped a backhand serve return to end the game and match.
Afterwards, Acuña said it was “very special,” and “one of the most special days in my life.” He also felt playing at home was a definite advantage, as “the crowd played a part.”
Acuña will play Mexican Alejandro Landa in the semi-finals on Friday, as Landa beat Canadian veteran, and a two time Pan American Champion, Mike Green, 15-12, 15-5.
The semi-finals are Friday with the women playing at 11 AM and men at noon, and finals will be Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-0, 15-1
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 12) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-4, 15-8
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-8, 15-9
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-4, 15-7
Women's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - 11 AM
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - 11 AM
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) d. 8) Samuel Murray (Canada), 5-15, 15-4, 11-3
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-4, 9-15, 11-5
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 6) Mike Green (Canada), 15-12, 15-5
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 2) David Horn (USA), 15-10, 15-12
Men's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) v. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - Noon
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball....
In the other Women’s Singles semi, 2nd seed Rhonda Rajsich of USA defeated Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-7, and will play 3rd seed Samantha Salas of Mexico, who was a winner over Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 15-8, 15-9. With Salas and Longoria in the semis, there could be an all Mexico final.
In Men’s Singles, #1 seed Javier Mar came back from a game down to defeat Canadian Samuel Murray, 6-15, 15-4, 11-3. Murray played very well in game one, but Mar got a good start in game two. Then with Mar leading 11-4, Murray went down for a ball, and stayed down for awhile, taking an injury timeout after he eventually got up. Murray didn’t play with the same energy after that, and seemed to be especially hampered in moving to the right.
They were tied at 2-2 in the tie-breaker, but Mar hit some good Z serves to the left side that led to points and he won the breaker comfortably.
Mar’s opponent in the semi-finals will be Charlie Pratt of the USA, who also needed a tie-breaker to advance. But he won the first game, 15-4, playing almost flawlessly, against Bolivian Carlos Keller. Pratt continued to dominate early in game two, as he led 5-1. But Keller then pulled his game together, and scored seven unanswered points to lead 8-5. From there Keller stayed ahead, winning game two, 15-9, to force a tie-breaker.
In the breaker, they were back and forth early. Then with Pratt serving down 3-2, he was charged with a technical for taking too much time to begin the rally, so the score became 3-1, Pratt serving. He disputed the call, but proceeded to two aces and then two service winners to go up 5-3, which became 7-3 before Keller regained the serve.
Then with Keller serving down 7-4, the referee judged Keller’s serve to have skipped. Keller didn’t think so, but was out of appeals, so it seemed he was going to lose serve. However, Pratt overturned the call, so Keller got a second serve. On the ensuing rally, Pratt made a diving get that he pinch rolled out of the left corner with his backhand. It was a great winner.
From there Pratt went on to win the breaker, hitting an ace serve on a drive that cracked off of the left wall just past the short line.
Afterwards speaking on overturning the skipped serve call, Pratt said “I’m not going to take a call like that.”
Pratt’s playing on Team USA for the first time since he was a junior player. “It’s such a cool experience,” he said, adding “I’m really happy that I performed well.” Pratt “knew I gave everything I had,” and “felt in the zone” during the match.
On the other side of the Men’s Singles draw, the hometown player Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) upset the 2nd seed David Horn of the USA, 15-10, 15-12. In game one, Acuña had a 10-1 lead, only to see Horn come back to within one at 11-10. They were back and forth a couple times at that point before Acuña hit a soft backhand pinch shot to get his 12th point.
Horn took a timeout down 13-10, and he got a side out when play resumed, but he failed to score, as Acuña got a sideout in return. Acuña got game point with a flat forehand pinch shot, and then won it when Horn skipped the serve return on the next rally.
Game two was close all the way, and went back and forth. Acuña led 4-0, then Horn led 5-4. Acuña was up 6-5, and then Horn led 11-8. But Acuña tied it 11-11. Horn went up 12-11 with an avoidable call against Acuña, but the Costa Rican got the serve right back, and hit two drive serves to the left that were aces to go up 13-12.
However, Acuña skipped a forehand pinch shot to give the serve back to Horn. It appeared that Horn tied the game at 13-13 with a backhand shot on the next rally, but Acuña successfully appealed for a hinder, so the score remained 13-12 in his favour. Acuña got the serve back with a soft backhand shot, one of few that he hit in the match.
A forehand reverse winner put Acuña on match point at 14-12, and then Horn skipped a backhand serve return to end the game and match.
Afterwards, Acuña said it was “very special,” and “one of the most special days in my life.” He also felt playing at home was a definite advantage, as “the crowd played a part.”
Acuña will play Mexican Alejandro Landa in the semi-finals on Friday, as Landa beat Canadian veteran, and a two time Pan American Champion, Mike Green, 15-12, 15-5.
The semi-finals are Friday with the women playing at 11 AM and men at noon, and finals will be Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-0, 15-1
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 12) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-4, 15-8
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-8, 15-9
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-4, 15-7
Women's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - 11 AM
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - 11 AM
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) d. 8) Samuel Murray (Canada), 5-15, 15-4, 11-3
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-4, 9-15, 11-5
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 6) Mike Green (Canada), 15-12, 15-5
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 2) David Horn (USA), 15-10, 15-12
Men's Singles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) v. 4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - Noon
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - Noon
Follow the bouncing ball....
Doubles quarterfinals - XXX Pan American Championships
Mexico and the USA have the potential for two gold medals in doubles at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, as both of their men’s and women’s teams are in the semi-finals. However, Mexico and the USA will playoff in the Women’s Doubles semi-final, so they both have a chance to play for gold.
In that Women’s Doubles semi-final, the defending champions Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico will play the USA team of Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich. In the quarterfinals, Longoria and Salas beat Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada of Chile, 15-2, 15-4, while Lotts and Rajsich came back from a game down to defeat Bolivians Stefanny Barrios and Jenny Daza, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3.
In the other semi, the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez face Ecuador’s Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz. Martinez and Martinez upset 2nd seeds Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-6, 15-9, while Sotomayor and Muñoz defeated Cubans Yurisledis Araujo and Maria Viera, 15-5, 15-3.
In Men’s Doubles quarterfinals, top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa of Mexico played Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador in what was a rematch of last year’s Pan American Championship final with the same result: a Mexican win; this time by the scores 15-3, 9-15, 11-3. Mexico will play the Dominican Republic in the semis, as the Dominicans Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon defeated Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro of Canada, 15-6, 15-10.
In the other quarterfinals, 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA beat Shai Mazuri and Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, 15-8, 15-10, and will play Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrado Moscoso in the semi-finals, as they defeated Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7 in the quarters.
The semi-finals will be Friday afternoon with the women playing before the men and then the finals will on Saturday. You can watch the action via the International Racquetball Federation Facebook page.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-4
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 6-15, 15-5, 11-3
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. 6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-5, 15-3
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-9
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 3 PM
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - 4 PM
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-3, 9-15, 11-3
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada), 15-6, 15-10
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. 7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-8, 15-10
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - 6 PM
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - 5 PM
Follow the bouncing ball....
In that Women’s Doubles semi-final, the defending champions Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico will play the USA team of Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich. In the quarterfinals, Longoria and Salas beat Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada of Chile, 15-2, 15-4, while Lotts and Rajsich came back from a game down to defeat Bolivians Stefanny Barrios and Jenny Daza, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3.
In the other semi, the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez face Ecuador’s Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz. Martinez and Martinez upset 2nd seeds Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-6, 15-9, while Sotomayor and Muñoz defeated Cubans Yurisledis Araujo and Maria Viera, 15-5, 15-3.
In Men’s Doubles quarterfinals, top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa of Mexico played Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador in what was a rematch of last year’s Pan American Championship final with the same result: a Mexican win; this time by the scores 15-3, 9-15, 11-3. Mexico will play the Dominican Republic in the semis, as the Dominicans Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon defeated Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro of Canada, 15-6, 15-10.
In the other quarterfinals, 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA beat Shai Mazuri and Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, 15-8, 15-10, and will play Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrado Moscoso in the semi-finals, as they defeated Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero of Costa Rica, 15-2, 15-7 in the quarters.
The semi-finals will be Friday afternoon with the women playing before the men and then the finals will on Saturday. You can watch the action via the International Racquetball Federation Facebook page.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-4
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 6-15, 15-5, 11-3
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. 6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-5, 15-3
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-9
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 3 PM
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - 4 PM
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-3, 9-15, 11-3
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada), 15-6, 15-10
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 15-2, 15-7
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. 7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-8, 15-10
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals Friday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - 6 PM
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - 5 PM
Follow the bouncing ball....
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Doubles Round of 16 at the XXX Pan American Championships
The higher seeds won all the doubles matches Wednesday at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, so there should be some close matches in the quarterfinals on Thursday. One concern is that Véronique Guillemette of Argentina had an injury forfeit in her singles match Wednesday, so it’s not clear whether she’ll be able to play doubles with Natalia Mendez. They are the 2nd seeds and had a bye on Wednesday.
In Men’s Doubles, top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa Mexico will face last year’s silver medalists Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador in the quarterfinals, as Rios and Ugalde defeated Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado of Chile, 15-5, 15-2. The 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA will be up against veterans Shai Mazuri and Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, who beat Edwin Garcia and Christian Wer of Guatemala, 15-9, 15-6.
In Women’s Doubles, the defending champions Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico will play Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada of Chile in the quarters Thursday, as the Chileans defeated the Dominican Republic team of Maria Cespedes and Merynanyelly Delgado, 15-11, 15-9. On the other side of the draw, 2nd seeds Guillemette and Mendez will face
the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez, who eliminated the Canadian pair of Danielle Drury and Jennifer Saunders, 15-7, 15-13.
The quarterfinals are later in the day on Thursday, with the semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) d. 9) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-9
5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. 12) Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-12
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 13) Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-4, 15-5
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. 11) Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-14, 15-6
7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 10) Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-7, 15-13
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile)
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. 6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba)
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 9) Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-2
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 12) Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-14, 15-13
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. 13) Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-9, 15-13
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. 14) Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-8, 15-4
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 11) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-10
7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 10) Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-6
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) v. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. 7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
In Men’s Doubles, top seeds Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa Mexico will face last year’s silver medalists Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador in the quarterfinals, as Rios and Ugalde defeated Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado of Chile, 15-5, 15-2. The 2nd seeds Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn of the USA will be up against veterans Shai Mazuri and Fernando Kurzbard of Argentina, who beat Edwin Garcia and Christian Wer of Guatemala, 15-9, 15-6.
In Women’s Doubles, the defending champions Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico will play Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada of Chile in the quarters Thursday, as the Chileans defeated the Dominican Republic team of Maria Cespedes and Merynanyelly Delgado, 15-11, 15-9. On the other side of the draw, 2nd seeds Guillemette and Mendez will face
the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez, who eliminated the Canadian pair of Danielle Drury and Jennifer Saunders, 15-7, 15-13.
The quarterfinals are later in the day on Thursday, with the semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) d. 9) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-9
5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. 12) Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-12
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 13) Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-4, 15-5
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. 11) Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-14, 15-6
7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 10) Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-7, 15-13
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile)
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. 6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba)
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala)
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 9) Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-2
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 12) Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-14, 15-13
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. 13) Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-9, 15-13
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. 14) Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-8, 15-4
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 11) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-10
7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 10) Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-6
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) v. 5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. 6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) v. 7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Singles Rounds of 32 & 16 from XXX Pan American Championships
The top seeds are through to the quarterfinals at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica. In the Men’s Singles Round of 16, #1 seed Mexican Javier Mar defeated Luis Perez of the Dominican Republic, 15-10, 15-9, and will play Canadian Samuel Murray in the quarters, as Murray beat Ricardo Gomez of Venezuela, 15-3, 15-6. In Women’s Singles, #1 seed Paola Longoria of Mexico defeated Bolivian Stefanny Barrios, 15-9, 15-4, and will play Mariana Tobon of Venezuela in the quarterfinals, as Tobon beat Melania Sauma of Costa Rica, 15-11, 15-11.
There were a couple of upsets in Women’s Singles. Chilean Carla Muñoz, seeded 12th, defeated 5th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-9, 15-2, and 13th seed Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala beat 4th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-4, 15-2. Muñoz and Martinez will playoff in the quarterfinals with the winner meeting the winner of Longoria and Tobon in the semi-finals.
On the men’s side, Carlos Keller won an all Bolivia match against 5th seed Conrado Moscoso, 9-15, 15-10, 11-6. In the quarterfinals, Keller will face 4th seed Charlie Pratt (USA), who beat Francisco Gomez of Colombia, 15-11, 15-2, in the Round of 16.
Overall, in Women’s Singles there are seven countries represented in the final eight players with Mexico being the only country with two players. That contrasts with Men’s Singles, which has two players from each of Mexico, the USA and Canada, as well as a Costa Rican and a Bolivian.
The quarterfinals are on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. 16) Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-3, 12-15, 11-0
9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 24) Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-6
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. 25) Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-4
5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 21) Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-3, 15-3
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 20) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. 19) Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-11, 15-7
22) Michèle Morissette (Canada) d. 11) Jennifer Saunders (Canada), forfeit
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 27) Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 4-0, injury forfeit
7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. 26) Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-4, 15-4
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 23) Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 15-8, 15-2
15) Sharon Jackson (USA) d. 18) Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-1
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16 Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-4
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. 9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-11, 15-11
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-2
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 15-4, 15-2
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-7
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 22) Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-0, 15-1
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-6
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 15) Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-9, 15-11
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala)
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
Men's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. 17) Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. 24) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-11, 3-15, 11-8
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 25) Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 21) Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-1, 15-12
13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia) d. 20) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-14, 15-7
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) d. 19) Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 7-15, 15-4, 11-8
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 22) Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-3, 15-9
6) Mike Green (Canada) d. 27) Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-3, 15-3
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 26) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-0, 15-3
10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 23) Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-0, 15-5
15) Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. 18) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-10, 14-15, 11-6
2) David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) d. 16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-9
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-6
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 9-15, 15-10, 11-6
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-11, 15-2
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-4
6) Mike Green (Canada) d. 11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-10
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-12, 15-12
2) David Horn (USA) d. 15) Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-7, 15-13
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) v. 8) Samuel Murray (Canada)
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia)
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 6) Mike Green (Canada)
2) David Horn (USA) v. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica)
Follow the bouncing ball....
There were a couple of upsets in Women’s Singles. Chilean Carla Muñoz, seeded 12th, defeated 5th seed Jenny Daza of Bolivia, 15-9, 15-2, and 13th seed Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala beat 4th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-4, 15-2. Muñoz and Martinez will playoff in the quarterfinals with the winner meeting the winner of Longoria and Tobon in the semi-finals.
On the men’s side, Carlos Keller won an all Bolivia match against 5th seed Conrado Moscoso, 9-15, 15-10, 11-6. In the quarterfinals, Keller will face 4th seed Charlie Pratt (USA), who beat Francisco Gomez of Colombia, 15-11, 15-2, in the Round of 16.
Overall, in Women’s Singles there are seven countries represented in the final eight players with Mexico being the only country with two players. That contrasts with Men’s Singles, which has two players from each of Mexico, the USA and Canada, as well as a Costa Rican and a Bolivian.
The quarterfinals are on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. 16) Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-3, 12-15, 11-0
9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. 24) Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-6
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. 25) Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-4
5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 21) Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-3, 15-3
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 20) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. 19) Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-11, 15-7
22) Michèle Morissette (Canada) d. 11) Jennifer Saunders (Canada), forfeit
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 27) Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 4-0, injury forfeit
7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. 26) Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-4, 15-4
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 23) Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 15-8, 15-2
15) Sharon Jackson (USA) d. 18) Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-1
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16 Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-4
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. 9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-11, 15-11
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-2
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. 4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 15-4, 15-2
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-7
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 22) Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-0, 15-1
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-6
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 15) Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-9, 15-11
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala)
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
Men's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. 17) Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. 24) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-11, 3-15, 11-8
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 25) Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-3, 15-3
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 21) Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-1, 15-12
13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia) d. 20) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-14, 15-7
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) d. 19) Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 7-15, 15-4, 11-8
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 22) Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-3, 15-9
6) Mike Green (Canada) d. 27) Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-3, 15-3
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 26) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-0, 15-3
10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 23) Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-0, 15-5
15) Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. 18) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-10, 14-15, 11-6
2) David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 16 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) d. 16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-9
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-6
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 9-15, 15-10, 11-6
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-11, 15-2
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. 14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-4
6) Mike Green (Canada) d. 11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-10
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-12, 15-12
2) David Horn (USA) d. 15) Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-7, 15-13
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals Thursday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) v. 8) Samuel Murray (Canada)
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia)
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) v. 6) Mike Green (Canada)
2) David Horn (USA) v. 7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Doubles draws for XXX Pan American Championship
The doubles draws are out for the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, and the defending champion country of Mexico has the #1 seed in both Women’s Doubles and Men’s Doubles. Gold medalists from 2016, Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas (Mexico) are top in Women’s Doubles with Polo Gutierrez and Alejandro Landa top in Men’s Doubles. Landa won gold with Javier Moreno last year, so he has a good chance to defend his medal.
On the women’s side, Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez of Argentina are the 2nd seeds with Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz of Ecuador 3rd seeds and Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich of the USA 4th.
In Men’s Doubles, following Gutierrez and Landa are the USA’s Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn as 2nd seed, then the host nation Costa Rica has the 3rd seeded team in Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero with Canadians Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro as the 4th seeds.
Doubles has become very competitive over the last few years, so many of the matches could go either way depending on if a team gets hot. You would expect Mexico to be in both finals, but on the men’s side Gutierrez and Landa will likely have to face last year’s silver medalists - Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador - in the quarterfinals, and then perhaps the Canadians, who were bronze medalists last year, so Mexico’s path to the final isn’t easy on the men’s side.
On the women’s side, Longoria and Salas would be the favorites to win, but they did lose at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last year to the USA. But that USA team was Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger, who aren’t in Costa Rica this time. Nonetheless, Longoria and Salas will likely have to play the USA team of Lotts and Rajsich in the semis, and then whoever comes out of the bottom of the draw, which is likely either Argentina or Ecuador with the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez the dark horse on that side.
The Round of 16 will be Wednesday with the quarterfinals on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) v. 9) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) v. 12) Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia)
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 13) Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) v. 11) Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) v. 10) Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 9) Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. 12) Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia)
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) v. 13) Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba)
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. 14) Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 11) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 10) Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
On the women’s side, Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez of Argentina are the 2nd seeds with Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz of Ecuador 3rd seeds and Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich of the USA 4th.
In Men’s Doubles, following Gutierrez and Landa are the USA’s Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn as 2nd seed, then the host nation Costa Rica has the 3rd seeded team in Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero with Canadians Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro as the 4th seeds.
Doubles has become very competitive over the last few years, so many of the matches could go either way depending on if a team gets hot. You would expect Mexico to be in both finals, but on the men’s side Gutierrez and Landa will likely have to face last year’s silver medalists - Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador - in the quarterfinals, and then perhaps the Canadians, who were bronze medalists last year, so Mexico’s path to the final isn’t easy on the men’s side.
On the women’s side, Longoria and Salas would be the favorites to win, but they did lose at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last year to the USA. But that USA team was Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger, who aren’t in Costa Rica this time. Nonetheless, Longoria and Salas will likely have to play the USA team of Lotts and Rajsich in the semis, and then whoever comes out of the bottom of the draw, which is likely either Argentina or Ecuador with the Guatemala sister team of Gabriella and Andrea Martinez the dark horse on that side.
The Round of 16 will be Wednesday with the quarterfinals on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
8) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) v. 9) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
5) Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) v. 12) Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia)
4) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 13) Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela)
3) Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
6) Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) v. 11) Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica)
7) Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) v. 10) Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)
2) Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Round of 16
1) Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
8) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 9) Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
5) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. 12) Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia)
4) Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) v. 13) Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba)
3) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) v. 14) Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras)
6) Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 11) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
7) Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 10) Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
2) Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
Singles draws for XXX Pan American Championships
The draws are out for the final stage of the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, and we have the singles divisions for you below. In Women’s Singles, Paola Longoria of Mexico is the #1 seed with the USA’s Rhonda Rajsich #2 seed. Longoria’s team-mate Samantha Salas is 3rd seed with Argentine Natalia Mendez 4th. Thus, Longoria and Salas won’t meet each other until the final (if they get that far).
So there could be double medals for Mexico in Women’s Singles, but not for Costa Rica, Canada or the USA, as some team-mates will face off before the medal round. In fact, the hosts Costa Rica will have its players Melania Sauma and Naomi Sasso Kessler play each other in the Round of 32, as will Canada with Jennifer Saunders and Michèle Morissette playing off. The USA’s Sharon Jackson plays Venezuela Paola Guerra in the 32s, but if she wins, then she’ll play Rajsich in the Round of 16.
These match ups were a result of the group stage results. In the group stage, if team-mates both won their respective group - as Longoria and Salas did - then they would not be on opposite sides of the draw, and potentially only meet in the final. However, if either player didn’t win their group, then there was the possibility of team-mates being on the same side of the draw, which has happened for Costa Rica, Canada and the USA in Women’s Singles. It’s also the case for players from Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador, but players from those countries won’t meet in either the 32s or 16s.
In Men’s Singles, there is less of this, although Bolivians Conrado Moscoso and Carlos Keller could meet in the Round of 16, if Keller defeats Cuban Maikel Mollet Suarez in the Round of 32.
Javier Mar of Mexico is the #1 seed in Men’s Singles with American David Horn #2, Alejandro Landa of Mexico #3 and American Charlie Pratt #4.
The Rounds of 32 and 16 in both Men’s and Women’s Singles will be played on Wednesday with the quarterfinals on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico)
16) Maria Viera (Cuba) v. 17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia)
9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) v. 24) Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica)
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. 25) Josefa Parada (Chile)
5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 21) Carolina Gomez (Colombia)
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) v. 20) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic)
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. 19) Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
11) Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. 22) Michèle Morissette (Canada)
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 27) Véronique Guillemette (Argentina)
7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) v. 26) Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba)
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 23) Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador)
15) Sharon Jackson (USA) v. 18) Paola Guerra (Venezuela)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) v. 17) Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) v. 24) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica)
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 25) Carlos Medrano (Honduras)
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. 21) Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba)
13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia) v. 20) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) v. 19) Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 22) Shai Mazuri (Argentina)
6) Mike Green (Canada) v. 27) Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua)
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) v. 26) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 23) Raul Gutierrez (Cuba)
15) Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. 18) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala)
2) David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
So there could be double medals for Mexico in Women’s Singles, but not for Costa Rica, Canada or the USA, as some team-mates will face off before the medal round. In fact, the hosts Costa Rica will have its players Melania Sauma and Naomi Sasso Kessler play each other in the Round of 32, as will Canada with Jennifer Saunders and Michèle Morissette playing off. The USA’s Sharon Jackson plays Venezuela Paola Guerra in the 32s, but if she wins, then she’ll play Rajsich in the Round of 16.
These match ups were a result of the group stage results. In the group stage, if team-mates both won their respective group - as Longoria and Salas did - then they would not be on opposite sides of the draw, and potentially only meet in the final. However, if either player didn’t win their group, then there was the possibility of team-mates being on the same side of the draw, which has happened for Costa Rica, Canada and the USA in Women’s Singles. It’s also the case for players from Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador, but players from those countries won’t meet in either the 32s or 16s.
In Men’s Singles, there is less of this, although Bolivians Conrado Moscoso and Carlos Keller could meet in the Round of 16, if Keller defeats Cuban Maikel Mollet Suarez in the Round of 32.
Javier Mar of Mexico is the #1 seed in Men’s Singles with American David Horn #2, Alejandro Landa of Mexico #3 and American Charlie Pratt #4.
The Rounds of 32 and 16 in both Men’s and Women’s Singles will be played on Wednesday with the quarterfinals on Thursday, semi-finals Friday and finals on Saturday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Singles - Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico)
16) Maria Viera (Cuba) v. 17) Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia)
9) Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) v. 24) Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica)
8) Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. 25) Josefa Parada (Chile)
5) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 21) Carolina Gomez (Colombia)
13) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) v. 20) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic)
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. 19) Pamela Sierra (Honduras)
11) Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. 22) Michèle Morissette (Canada)
6) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 27) Véronique Guillemette (Argentina)
7) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) v. 26) Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba)
10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 23) Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador)
15) Sharon Jackson (USA) v. 18) Paola Guerra (Venezuela)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32 Wednesday
1) Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
16) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) v. 17) Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)
9) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) v. 24) Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica)
8) Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 25) Carlos Medrano (Honduras)
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. 21) Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba)
13) Francisco Gomez (Colombia) v. 20) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
4) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
14) Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) v. 19) Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 22) Shai Mazuri (Argentina)
6) Mike Green (Canada) v. 27) Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua)
7) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) v. 26) Marco Sarmiento (Honduras)
10) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 23) Raul Gutierrez (Cuba)
15) Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. 18) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala)
2) David Horn (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
Monday, April 10, 2017
Day 3 at XXX Pan American Championships
When sports competition has a group stage, there is often one group that looks especially strong. In the FIFA World Cup that group is labelled the group of death, as the group stage will eliminate some teams, and in a strong group that means one or more strong teams will be eliminated.
The group stage at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, doesn’t eliminate any players, rather the results are simply used to seed all players for an elimination round. However, if there was a group of death, Group A in Women’s Singles may have been it, as it featured the two finalists from the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last year in Paola Longoria of Mexico and Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala as well as another strong player in American Sharon Jackson.
After three days of play, Longoria - the defending Pan American Champion and current IRF World Champion - has won the group ending it with a win over Jackson, 15-6, 15-3, on Monday. Thus, Longoria will be the #1 seed for the elimination round that will begin Wednesday.
Monday’s matches conclude the group stage of the competition. The group stage results will determine seeding for the elimination stage, which will begin Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-6, 15-3
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-5, 15-1
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-5, 15-7
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-10, 15-6
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-8, 11-15, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Pamela Sierra (Honduras) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 11-15, 15-12, 11-10
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-5, 15-3
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-5, 15-7
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-0, 15-5
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group G
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-10, 15-1
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 9-15, 15-12, 11-9
Women's Doubles - Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-8
Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-7, 8-15, 11-5
Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-9
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-11, 15-7
Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-4
Men's Singles - Group A
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Edwin Garcia (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-13
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
David Horn (USA) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-6, 15-13
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-3
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-0, 15-0
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-3, 15-5
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-2
Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-13, 15-9
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-2
Raul Gutierrez (Cuba) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), forfeit
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-2, 15-5
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-4, 15-10
Men's Singles - Group H
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-10, 15-10
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-8
Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-12, 15-2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 7-15, 15-12, 11-0
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-1, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-5, 15-3
Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-3, 15-12
Follow the bouncing ball....
The group stage at the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, doesn’t eliminate any players, rather the results are simply used to seed all players for an elimination round. However, if there was a group of death, Group A in Women’s Singles may have been it, as it featured the two finalists from the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last year in Paola Longoria of Mexico and Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala as well as another strong player in American Sharon Jackson.
After three days of play, Longoria - the defending Pan American Champion and current IRF World Champion - has won the group ending it with a win over Jackson, 15-6, 15-3, on Monday. Thus, Longoria will be the #1 seed for the elimination round that will begin Wednesday.
Monday’s matches conclude the group stage of the competition. The group stage results will determine seeding for the elimination stage, which will begin Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-6, 15-3
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-5, 15-1
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-5, 15-7
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-10, 15-6
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-8, 11-15, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
Pamela Sierra (Honduras) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 11-15, 15-12, 11-10
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-5, 15-3
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-5, 15-7
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-0, 15-5
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group G
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-10, 15-1
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 9-15, 15-12, 11-9
Women's Doubles - Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 15-5, 15-8
Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-7, 8-15, 11-5
Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-9
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-11, 15-7
Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-4
Men's Singles - Group A
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Edwin Garcia (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-13
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
David Horn (USA) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-6, 15-13
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-3
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-0, 15-0
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-3, 15-5
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-2
Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-13, 15-9
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-2
Raul Gutierrez (Cuba) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), forfeit
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-2, 15-5
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-4, 15-10
Men's Singles - Group H
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-10, 15-10
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-8
Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-12, 15-2
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 7-15, 15-12, 11-0
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-1, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-5, 15-3
Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-3, 15-12
Follow the bouncing ball....
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Day 2 at XXX Pan American Championships
On day two of the XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, Cuban women were the big story, as they got wins in both singles and doubles. In Women’s Singles, Maria Viera of Cuba defeated Véronique Guillemette of Argentina, 15-9, 15-10, and then in Women’s Doubles Viera and Yurisledis Araujo knocked off the Canadian team of Danielle Drury and Jennifer Saunders, 15-11, 15-1.
This is the first time Cuba has sent a team to the Pan American Championships since 2015, when they only had one player in Men’s Singles. So, it’s somewhat of a surprise that there are Cubans in Costa Rica and doubly so that they are winning matches.
Monday will conclude the group stage of the competition. The Pan American Championships have two parts. A group stage over three days to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The elimination round will begin Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-6, 15-10
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-1
Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-9, 15-10
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-4, 15-4
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-7, 15-7
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 7-15, 15-11, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-2
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-2
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-4
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group G
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 13-15, 11-2
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-4, 15-11
Women's Doubles - Group A
Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-9
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) d. Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-14, 15-4
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 12-15, 15-3, 11-6
Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-12, 15-4
Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-11, 15-1
Men's Singles - Group A
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-5
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-5, 15-8
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-3, 15-2
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-5, 15-1
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-1, 15-7
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-0
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-2, 15-4
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-0, 15-3
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-4, 15-10
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-2, 15-7
Men's Singles - Group H
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-3, 15-13
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-12
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-5, 15-7
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-12
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-5, 12-15, 11-1
Follow the bouncing ball....
This is the first time Cuba has sent a team to the Pan American Championships since 2015, when they only had one player in Men’s Singles. So, it’s somewhat of a surprise that there are Cubans in Costa Rica and doubly so that they are winning matches.
Monday will conclude the group stage of the competition. The Pan American Championships have two parts. A group stage over three days to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The elimination round will begin Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. Sharon Jackson (USA), 15-6, 15-10
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-1
Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-9, 15-10
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-4, 15-4
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-7, 15-7
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 7-15, 15-11, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-2
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Paola Guerra (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-2
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-4
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-5
Women's Singles - Group G
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 13-15, 11-2
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-4, 15-11
Women's Doubles - Group A
Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-9
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) d. Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-14, 15-4
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 12-15, 15-3, 11-6
Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-12, 15-4
Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-11, 15-1
Men's Singles - Group A
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-5
Javier Mar (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-5, 15-8
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-3, 15-2
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-5, 15-1
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-9, 15-12
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-1, 15-7
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-0
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-2, 15-4
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-0, 15-3
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Shai Mazuri (Argentina), 15-4, 15-10
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-2, 15-7
Men's Singles - Group H
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba), 15-3, 15-13
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 15-12
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-5, 15-7
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-12
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-5, 12-15, 11-1
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Day 1 at XXX Pan American Championship
Costa Rican Andrés Acuña, playing at home, had the first surprise of the XXVII Pan American Racquetball Championships that began Saturday in San Jose, Costa Rica, as he defeated Carlos Keller of Bolivia, 15-8, 15-6. Saturday is the first of three days of the group stage, as players are divided into groups based on their country’s respective performances at recent Pan American Championships. The group stage results will be used to seed players for an elimination stage to determine this year’s Pan American Champions.
On the first day, the closet seeds play off, so things start with a bang. Hence, there were several tie-breakers, including one between defending gold medalist in Women’s Singles Paola Longoria of Mexico, who dropped the first game against Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala before coming back to win in three games, 11-15, 15-7, 11-3.
Longoria’s team-mate, Samantha Salas also needed three games to win Saturday, as like Longoria, Salas lost the first game against Stefanny Barrios of Bolivia but came back to win in three, 9-15, 15-4, 11-0.
In other action, Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador outlasted Colombian Cristina Amaya, 12-15, 15-2, 11-6, in what is an upset by the seeding, but we’d say was more of a toss up match, as it could have gone either way, evidenced by them playing a breaker to decide it.
The Pan American Championships have two parts. A preliminary round will be played first to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The preliminary round will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with the elimination round beginning Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 11-15, 15-7, 11-3
Sharon Jackson (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-7, 15-0
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-4, 7-15, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 9-15, 15-4, 11-0
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-1, 15-8
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-1
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-13, 15-9
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-5, 15-5
Paola Guerra (Venezuela) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-3, 15-10
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 12-15, 15-2, 11-6
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-7, 3-15, 11-0
Women's Singles - Group G
Carolina Gomez (Colombia) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 9-15, 15-13, 11-5
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-10, 15-13
Women's Doubles - Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-1
Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-12, 15-7
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-6
Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-4, 15-4
Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-9, 15-13
Men's Singles - Group A
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-1
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
David Horn (USA) d. Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 14-15, 11-4
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 11-15, 15-8, 11-4
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-7, 15-2
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-8, 15-5
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-7
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-8, 15-7
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-8
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-2, 15-0
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-6
Shai Mazuri (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-9, 15-9
Men's Singles - Group H
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-4, 9-15, 11-4
Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-8
Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-13
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 10-15, 15-11 11-4
Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-8, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-10, 15-9
Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-13, 15-7
Follow the bouncing ball....
On the first day, the closet seeds play off, so things start with a bang. Hence, there were several tie-breakers, including one between defending gold medalist in Women’s Singles Paola Longoria of Mexico, who dropped the first game against Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala before coming back to win in three games, 11-15, 15-7, 11-3.
Longoria’s team-mate, Samantha Salas also needed three games to win Saturday, as like Longoria, Salas lost the first game against Stefanny Barrios of Bolivia but came back to win in three, 9-15, 15-4, 11-0.
In other action, Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador outlasted Colombian Cristina Amaya, 12-15, 15-2, 11-6, in what is an upset by the seeding, but we’d say was more of a toss up match, as it could have gone either way, evidenced by them playing a breaker to decide it.
The Pan American Championships have two parts. A preliminary round will be played first to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The preliminary round will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with the elimination round beginning Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Group Play
Women's Singles - Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala), 11-15, 15-7, 11-3
Sharon Jackson (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Véronique Guillemette (Argentina), 15-7, 15-0
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Maria Viera (Cuba), 15-4, 7-15, 11-2
Women's Singles - Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), 9-15, 15-4, 11-0
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba), 15-1, 15-8
Women's Singles - Group D
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-1
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) d. Pamela Sierra (Honduras), 15-13, 15-9
Women's Singles - Group E
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-5, 15-5
Paola Guerra (Venezuela) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-3, 15-10
Women's Singles - Group F
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 12-15, 15-2, 11-6
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) d. Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica), 15-7, 3-15, 11-0
Women's Singles - Group G
Carolina Gomez (Colombia) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 9-15, 15-13, 11-5
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-10, 15-13
Women's Doubles - Group A
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Maricruz Ortiz & Melania Sauma (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-1
Andrea Martinez & Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group B
Véronique Guillemette & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia), 15-12, 15-7
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group C
Veronica Sotomayor & Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-6
Stefanny Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Group D
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-4, 15-4
Yurisledis Araujo & Maria Viera (Cuba) d. Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-9, 15-13
Men's Singles - Group A
Javier Mar (Mexico) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-1
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group B
David Horn (USA) d. Francisco Gomez (Colombia), 15-7, 14-15, 11-4
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group C
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 11-15, 15-8, 11-4
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE
Men's Singles - Group D
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-7, 15-2
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua), 15-8, 15-5
Men's Singles - Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-7
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Marco Sarmiento (Honduras), 15-8, 15-7
Men's Singles - Group F
Mike Green (Canada) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-3, 15-8
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-2, 15-0
Men's Singles - Group G
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-6
Shai Mazuri (Argentina) d. Carlos Medrano (Honduras), 15-9, 15-9
Men's Singles - Group H
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-4, 9-15, 11-4
Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), forfeit
Men's Doubles - Group A
Polo Gutierrez & Alejandro Landa (Mexico) d. Roland Keller & Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-8
Set Cubillos & Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group B
Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-13
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
Men's Doubles - Group C
Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) d. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 10-15, 15-11 11-4
Edwin Garcia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Maikel Mollet Suarez & Raul Gutierrez (Cuba), 15-8, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Group D
Tim Landeryou & Pedro Castro (Canada) d. Shai Mazuri & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-10, 15-9
Francisco Troncoso & Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) d. Carlos Medrano & Sergio Ortega (Honduras), 15-13, 15-7
Follow the bouncing ball....
Friday, April 7, 2017
XXX Pan American Championships - Preview
The XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships begin Saturday in San Jose, Costa Rica, and we have a run down of the rosters for each country for you. Mexico is led by last year’s double gold medalist Paola Longoria and her doubles partner Samantha Salas. But on the men’s side, only one player from last year - Alejandro Landa - is in Costa Rica. Landa is playing both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles, but he’s joined by Javier Mar as the other singles player and Polo Gutierrez as his doubles partner.
Most of the USA team is the same, as Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn will play Men’s Doubles, and Horn will also play singles. But Charlie Pratt is their other singles player, making his first appearance on the US National Team. The women representing the USA are veteran Rhonda Rajsich in Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles as well as Sharon Jackson in singles and Sheryl Lotts in doubles.
Team Canada has most of the same players. Indeed, their men are all playing the same positions as last year. Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro will play Men’s Doubles with Mike Green and Samuel Murray as the Men’s Singles players. Jennifer Saunders is also in Costa Rica playing both Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles for Canada, and Michèle Morissette will be other Canadian Singles play with Danielle Drury partnering with Saunders in Women’s Doubles. Thus, Frédérique Lambert, who was the silver medalist in Women’s Singles and bronze medalist in Women’s Doubles last year, is missing this year.
Other players of note in men’s play include Bolivians Carlos Keller and Conrado Moscoso, and Ecuadorans Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde. In women’s action, look for Colombian Cristina Amaya, Bolivian Jenny Daza, Ecuadorans Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz, Argentines Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez, Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala, as well as Carla Muñoz of Chile, and Melania Sauma of Costa Rica.
The Pan American Championships have two parts. A preliminary round will be played first to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The preliminary round will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with the elimination round beginning Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Competitors
Véronique Guillemette (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Danielle Drury (Canada) - Doubles
Michèle Morissette (Canada) - Singles
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - Doubles & Singles
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Josefa Parada (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Carolina Gomez (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica) - Singles
Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Viera (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - Doubles
Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador) - Singles
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - Singles
Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - Doubles
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - Doubles & Singles
Pamela Sierra (Honduras) - Singles
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Sharon Jackson (USA) - Singles
Sheryl Lotts (USA) - Doubles
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - Doubles & Singles
Paola Guerra (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Men's Competitors
Shai Mazuri (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Roland Keller (Bolivia) - Doubles
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - Singles
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Tim Landeryou (Canada) - Doubles
Pedro Castro (Canada) - Doubles
Mike Green (Canada) - Singles
Samuel Murray (Canada) - Singles
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Set Cubillos (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - Singles
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) - Singles
Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Raul Gutierrez (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - Singles
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) - Doubles
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Doubles & Singles
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Singles
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) - Doubles & Singles
Christian Wer (Guatemala) - Doubles
Marco Sarmiento (Honduras) - Singles
Carlos Medrano (Honduras) - Doubles & Singles
Sergio Ortega (Honduras) - Doubles
Polo Gutierrez (Mexico) - Doubles
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Javier Mar (Mexico) - Singles
Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua) - Singles
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - Doubles
David Horn (USA) - Doubles & Singles
Charlie Pratt (USA) - Singles
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Follow the bouncing ball....
Most of the USA team is the same, as Jake Bredenbeck and David Horn will play Men’s Doubles, and Horn will also play singles. But Charlie Pratt is their other singles player, making his first appearance on the US National Team. The women representing the USA are veteran Rhonda Rajsich in Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles as well as Sharon Jackson in singles and Sheryl Lotts in doubles.
Team Canada has most of the same players. Indeed, their men are all playing the same positions as last year. Tim Landeryou and Pedro Castro will play Men’s Doubles with Mike Green and Samuel Murray as the Men’s Singles players. Jennifer Saunders is also in Costa Rica playing both Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles for Canada, and Michèle Morissette will be other Canadian Singles play with Danielle Drury partnering with Saunders in Women’s Doubles. Thus, Frédérique Lambert, who was the silver medalist in Women’s Singles and bronze medalist in Women’s Doubles last year, is missing this year.
Other players of note in men’s play include Bolivians Carlos Keller and Conrado Moscoso, and Ecuadorans Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde. In women’s action, look for Colombian Cristina Amaya, Bolivian Jenny Daza, Ecuadorans Veronica Sotomayor and Maria Paz Muñoz, Argentines Véronique Guillemette and Natalia Mendez, Gabriella Martinez of Guatemala, as well as Carla Muñoz of Chile, and Melania Sauma of Costa Rica.
The Pan American Championships have two parts. A preliminary round will be played first to determine seeding for an elimination round, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The preliminary round will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with the elimination round beginning Wednesday.
XXX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Jose, Costa Rica - April 8-15, 2017
Women's Competitors
Véronique Guillemette (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Danielle Drury (Canada) - Doubles
Michèle Morissette (Canada) - Singles
Jennifer Saunders (Canada) - Doubles & Singles
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Josefa Parada (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Carolina Gomez (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Melania Sauma (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Naomi Sasso Kessler (Costa Rica) - Singles
Yurisledis Araujo (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Viera (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - Doubles & Singles
Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - Doubles
Ana Christina Velez (Ecuador) - Singles
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - Singles
Andrea Martinez (Guatemala) - Doubles
Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - Doubles & Singles
Pamela Sierra (Honduras) - Singles
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Sharon Jackson (USA) - Singles
Sheryl Lotts (USA) - Doubles
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - Doubles & Singles
Paola Guerra (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Men's Competitors
Shai Mazuri (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - Doubles & Singles
Roland Keller (Bolivia) - Doubles
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - Singles
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - Doubles & Singles
Tim Landeryou (Canada) - Doubles
Pedro Castro (Canada) - Doubles
Mike Green (Canada) - Singles
Samuel Murray (Canada) - Singles
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) - Doubles & Singles
Set Cubillos (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) - Doubles & Singles
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - Singles
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica) - Doubles
Jose Ubilla (Costa Rica) - Singles
Maikel Mollet Suarez (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Raul Gutierrez (Cuba) - Doubles & Singles
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - Doubles & Singles
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - Singles
Fernando Rios (Ecuador) - Doubles
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Doubles & Singles
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Singles
Edwin Garcia (Guatemala) - Doubles & Singles
Christian Wer (Guatemala) - Doubles
Marco Sarmiento (Honduras) - Singles
Carlos Medrano (Honduras) - Doubles & Singles
Sergio Ortega (Honduras) - Doubles
Polo Gutierrez (Mexico) - Doubles
Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - Doubles & Singles
Javier Mar (Mexico) - Singles
Fernando Mansell (Nicaragua) - Singles
Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - Doubles
David Horn (USA) - Doubles & Singles
Charlie Pratt (USA) - Singles
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - Doubles & Singles
Follow the bouncing ball....
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships - Team Results
The team results from the 2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships in Fountain Valley, California have been released, and Oregon State University won the Overall Team title helped by their women players, who captured the Women’s Team title. The win is Oregon State’s 10th consecutive Overall Team title. Baldwin Wallace University won the Men’s Team title.
Notable is that most of the players at the Intercollegiates were from universities west of the Mississippi. By our count, 62 of the 205 players (30.2%) were from eastern universities. That could be influenced by the site of the event. California is a long way from the east coast.
In 2014, Intercollegiates was at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and of the 203 players entered 108 (53%) were from universities east of the Mississippi, so site of the event does seem to have an influence on where the players are coming from.
Of the 205 players this year, 69 were women or 33.7% of the field. That percentage of women participation has been steady over the last five years. In 2016, it was 32.1% (70 women in a field of 218 players), in 2015, 34.5% (77 in 223), in 2014, 30.5% (62 in 203) and in 2013, 32.4% (70 of 216).
It would be great if all racquetball tournaments had women as one third of the players. However, it seems many tournaments have few if any women players. This is an issue that USA Racquetball should be addressing.
2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships - Team Results
Fountain Valley, California
Women's Team
1) Oregon State University - 1,265
2) University of Missouri - 789
3) Brigham Young University - 764
4) Northern Arizona University - 682.5
5) Arizona State University - 671
6) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 490
Men's Team
1) Baldwin Wallace University - 1,810
2) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 1,326
3) Oregon State University - 807
4) University of Colorado, Boulder - 758
5) Brigham Young University - 715
6) University of Texas, Austin - 713.5
7) Montana State University - 566
8) San Joaquin Delta College - 560
9) University of Colorado, Colorado Springs - 513
10) University of Central Florida - 424.5
Overall Team
1) Oregon State University - 2072
2) Baldwin Wallace University - 2035
3) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 1816
4) Brigham Young University - 1479
5) University of Missouri - 1302
6) Arizona State University - 1014
7) University of Colorado, Boulder - 958
8) University of Texas, Austin - 900.5
9) Northern Arizona University - 863.5
10) Montana State University - 566
Follow the bouncing ball....
Notable is that most of the players at the Intercollegiates were from universities west of the Mississippi. By our count, 62 of the 205 players (30.2%) were from eastern universities. That could be influenced by the site of the event. California is a long way from the east coast.
In 2014, Intercollegiates was at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and of the 203 players entered 108 (53%) were from universities east of the Mississippi, so site of the event does seem to have an influence on where the players are coming from.
Of the 205 players this year, 69 were women or 33.7% of the field. That percentage of women participation has been steady over the last five years. In 2016, it was 32.1% (70 women in a field of 218 players), in 2015, 34.5% (77 in 223), in 2014, 30.5% (62 in 203) and in 2013, 32.4% (70 of 216).
It would be great if all racquetball tournaments had women as one third of the players. However, it seems many tournaments have few if any women players. This is an issue that USA Racquetball should be addressing.
2017 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships - Team Results
Fountain Valley, California
Women's Team
1) Oregon State University - 1,265
2) University of Missouri - 789
3) Brigham Young University - 764
4) Northern Arizona University - 682.5
5) Arizona State University - 671
6) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 490
Men's Team
1) Baldwin Wallace University - 1,810
2) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 1,326
3) Oregon State University - 807
4) University of Colorado, Boulder - 758
5) Brigham Young University - 715
6) University of Texas, Austin - 713.5
7) Montana State University - 566
8) San Joaquin Delta College - 560
9) University of Colorado, Colorado Springs - 513
10) University of Central Florida - 424.5
Overall Team
1) Oregon State University - 2072
2) Baldwin Wallace University - 2035
3) Colorado State University, Pueblo - 1816
4) Brigham Young University - 1479
5) University of Missouri - 1302
6) Arizona State University - 1014
7) University of Colorado, Boulder - 958
8) University of Texas, Austin - 900.5
9) Northern Arizona University - 863.5
10) Montana State University - 566
Follow the bouncing ball....
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