The Team Standings from the 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships held earlier this month in San José, Costa Rica are now available, and we have them for you. We’d previously reported the top 4 of the Men’s, Women’s and Overall Team standings, and we’d wondered about the difference between the USA and Bolivia in the overall standings, as the USA was 2nd in Men’s and 6th in Women’s while Bolivia was 4th in Men’s and 3rd in Women’s with the USA coming out ahead in the Overall standings - 2nd versus 3rd.
It turns out that the points weren’t that close between those 2nd and 3rd place finishes, as the USA was 66 points ahead of Bolivia. There were some other close point differences though. There was only 20 points between 3rd and 5th on the Men’s side with Colombia in 3rd on 216 points, Bolivia 4th with 212 and Canada 5th with 196.
Also, in the Overall standings Guatemala is just two points ahead of Colombia - 414 to 412 - on the strength of their women’s showings, including Gabriela Martinez’s gold medal performance in Women’s Singles.
2018 IRF World Championships
San José, Costa Rica - August 10-18
Final Team Standings
Men's Team
1 Mexico - 432
2 USA - 392
3 Colombia - 216
4 Bolivia - 212
5 Canada - 196
6 Argentina - 126
7 Dominican Republic - 110
8 Costa Rica - 108
9 Ecuador - 90
10 Japan - 84
11 Guatemala - 82
12 Venezuela - 64
13 South Korea - 56
14 Chile - 48
15 Ireland - 40
16 India - 35
17 Puerto Rico - 18
18 Switzerland - 5
Women's Team
1 Mexico - 352
2 Guatemala - 332
3 Bolivia - 268
4 Argentina - 248
5 Colombia - 196
6 USA - 154
7 South Korea - 110
8 Canada - 84
9 Japan - 82
10 Chile - 74
11 Dominican Republic - 64
12 Ecuador - 56
13 Ireland - 48
14 Costa Rica & Venezuela - 10
Overall
1 Mexico - 784
2 USA - 546
3 Bolivia - 480
4 Guatemala - 414
5 Colombia - 412
6 Argentina - 374
7 Canada - 280
8 Dominican Republic - 174
9 Japan & South Korea - 166
11 Ecuador - 146
12 Chile - 122
13 Costa Rica - 118
14 Ireland - 88
15 Venezuela - 74
16 India - 35
17 Puerto Rico - 18
18 Switzerland - 5
Follow the bouncing ball....
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Monday, August 27, 2018
Longoria wins twice at 2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience
Paola Longoria had a great experience Sunday, as she won both singles and doubles at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2018 Paola Longoria Experience in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which is the first event of the 2018-19 LPRT season. Longoria beat her doubles partner, Samantha Salas in the singles final, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3, and together she and Salas defeated Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, 15-10, 15-9, to win the doubles title.
The US Open - October 3-7 in Minneapolis - is the next event on the LPRT indoor schedule, but the 3 Wallball World Championships in Las Vegas, September 28-30 is a outdoor event. If you missed any of this weekend’s action, check it out again via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria d. 10) Samantha Salas, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-10, 15-9
Follow the bouncing ball….
The US Open - October 3-7 in Minneapolis - is the next event on the LPRT indoor schedule, but the 3 Wallball World Championships in Las Vegas, September 28-30 is a outdoor event. If you missed any of this weekend’s action, check it out again via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria d. 10) Samantha Salas, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-10, 15-9
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Longoria & Salas in both singles & doubles finals at 2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience
Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas will meet in the final Sunday of the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2018 Paola Longoria Experience in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which is the first event of the 2018-19 LPRT season. Longoria defeated Gabriela Martinez in one semi-final, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3, which was a rematch of the Women’s Singles final from the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last Saturday that was won by Martinez.
In the other semi-final, Salas beat Alexandra Herrera in straight games, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3, to set up a meeting with her doubles team-mate. Salas has defeated Longoria two of the last three times they have met on tour, although not the last time, when Longoria beat her in straight games in June at the LPRT Teamroot.com Classic. Also, both times Salas won, she came back from 0-2 down to win it in five games.
After playing the singles final, Longoria and Salas will play together in the doubles final, when they’ll take on Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, which will be a rematch of the Mexico National Team Selection Event final that was won by Herrera and Mejia, who then represented Mexico at the IRF World Championships last week.
In the doubles semi-finals, Longoria and Salas beat Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-4, while Herrera and Mejia defeated Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-9.
The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday followed by the doubles final at 3 PM. You can watch the finals via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 13) Gabriela Martinez, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3
10) Samantha Salas d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria v. 10) Samantha Salas - 2 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-4
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-9
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 3 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the other semi-final, Salas beat Alexandra Herrera in straight games, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3, to set up a meeting with her doubles team-mate. Salas has defeated Longoria two of the last three times they have met on tour, although not the last time, when Longoria beat her in straight games in June at the LPRT Teamroot.com Classic. Also, both times Salas won, she came back from 0-2 down to win it in five games.
After playing the singles final, Longoria and Salas will play together in the doubles final, when they’ll take on Herrera and Monserrat Mejia, which will be a rematch of the Mexico National Team Selection Event final that was won by Herrera and Mejia, who then represented Mexico at the IRF World Championships last week.
In the doubles semi-finals, Longoria and Salas beat Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-4, while Herrera and Mejia defeated Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-9.
The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday followed by the doubles final at 3 PM. You can watch the finals via the LPRT LiveStream channel.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 13) Gabriela Martinez, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3
10) Samantha Salas d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 11-5, 11-5, 11-3
Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria v. 10) Samantha Salas - 2 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-4
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-9
Doubles - Final - Sunday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - 3 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Martinez makes amazing comeback in quarterfinals of 2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience
Gabriela Martinez showed why she is the World Champion in the quarterfinals of the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT’s) 2018 Paola Longoria Experience in San Luis Potosi, Mexico Saturday morning, as she went down two games to Nancy Enriquez before coming back to win in five games, 5-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 12-10. She’ll play Paola Longoria, who beat Maria Jose Vargas, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4.
Enriquez was two points from beating Martinez in three games, as she held a 9-7 lead in game three. But Martinez won four straight points to win that game, 11-9, and extend the match. Then in the tie-breaker Enriquez was within one point of the victory, as she led 10-3. Yet she couldn’t get the last point against Martinez, who hit five backhand winners in fighting her way back into the game.
Then at 10-10, Martinez hit a drive serve to the left side that cracked just over the short line for an ace making it 11-10. She won it with a drive serve ace to the right side to complete an unlikely escape from defeat.
On the other side of the draw, Alexandra Herrera was a straight game winner over Ana Laura Flores, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7. She’ll play Samantha Salas in the semi-finals later today, as Salas beat Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-2, 11-1.
The singles semi-finals are at 5 and 6 PM followed by the doubles semis at 7 and 8 PM. You can watch the action via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Maria Jose Vargas, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 5) Nancy Enriquez, 5-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 12-10
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 22) Ana Laura Flores, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
10) Samantha Salas d. 2) Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-2, 11-1
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 13) Gabriela Martinez - 6 PM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 10) Samantha Salas - 5 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 8 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Enriquez was two points from beating Martinez in three games, as she held a 9-7 lead in game three. But Martinez won four straight points to win that game, 11-9, and extend the match. Then in the tie-breaker Enriquez was within one point of the victory, as she led 10-3. Yet she couldn’t get the last point against Martinez, who hit five backhand winners in fighting her way back into the game.
Then at 10-10, Martinez hit a drive serve to the left side that cracked just over the short line for an ace making it 11-10. She won it with a drive serve ace to the right side to complete an unlikely escape from defeat.
On the other side of the draw, Alexandra Herrera was a straight game winner over Ana Laura Flores, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7. She’ll play Samantha Salas in the semi-finals later today, as Salas beat Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-2, 11-1.
The singles semi-finals are at 5 and 6 PM followed by the doubles semis at 7 and 8 PM. You can watch the action via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Maria Jose Vargas, 11-0, 11-4, 11-4
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 5) Nancy Enriquez, 5-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 12-10
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 22) Ana Laura Flores, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
10) Samantha Salas d. 2) Frédérique Lambert, 11-4, 11-2, 11-1
Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 13) Gabriela Martinez - 6 PM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 10) Samantha Salas - 5 PM
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 8 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Friday, August 24, 2018
Rounds of 32 & 16 at the 2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT’s) 2018 Paola Longoria Experience is underway in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and already there are upsets. The biggest happened in the Round of 16, as 22nd seed Ana Laura Flores defeated 6th seed Natalia Mendez, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10. Mendez was a bronze medalist at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships last week, so lose to Flores, who’s still a junior player, is a surprise.
Also in the Round of 16, 13th seed Gabriela Martinez knocked off the 4th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 5-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4, which might be seen a bigger upset than Flores’s, as Rajisch is a higher seed than Mendez, but Martinez is the IRF World Champion in Women’s Singles, so while this is still a bit of a surprise - especially given the scores - it’s not completely unexpected.
There were three upsets in the Round of 32 with the biggest coming as 24th seed Diana Aguilar came back from two games down to defeat 9th seed Carla Muñoz, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4. Also, 21st seed Denisse Maldonado beat 12th seed Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4, and 19th seed Montserrat Perez came back from 2-1 down to get the win over 14th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-0, 2-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9.
Top seed Paola Longoria will play Susana Acosta later today, but 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert defeated 15th seed Monserrat Mejia in four tough games, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, coming back from 10-7 down in the fourth to prevent a tie-breaker. Lambert will play Samantha Salas in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Salas defeated Cristina Amaya in five games, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3.
The singles quarterfinals begin Saturday morning at 10 AM with semi-finals at 5 and 6 PM followed by the doubles semis at 7 and 8 PM. You can watch the action via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Susana Acosta d. 17) Cassi Lee, 11-1, 11-6, 11-0
24) Diana Aguilar d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4
8) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
5) Nancy Enriquez - BYE
21) Denisse Maldonado d. 12) Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 20) Brenda Laime, 11-5, 11-3, 11-2
4) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
19) Montserrat Perez d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-0, 2-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9
22) Ana Laura Flores d. 11) Adriana Riveros, forfeit
6) Natalia Mendez - BYE
7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Samantha Salas d. 23) Carolina Luque, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2
15) Monserrat Mejia d. 18) Erin Rivera, 11-1, 11-6, 11-4
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Susana Acosta, 11-0, 11-0, 11-5
8) Maria Jose Vargas d. 24) Diana Aguilar, 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
5) Nancy Enriquez d. 21) Denisse Maldonado, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 4) Rhonda Rajsich, 5-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 19) Montserrat Perez, 11-3, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5
22) Ana Laura Flores d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10
10) Samantha Salas d. 7) Cristina Amaya, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 15) Monserrat Mejia, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Maria Jose Vargas - 1 PM
5) Nancy Enriquez v. 13) Gabriela Martinez - 10 AM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 22) Ana Laura Flores - 11 AM
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Samantha Salas - Noon
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime d. 8) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera, 5-15, 15-14, 11-8
5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya - BYE
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 11) Diana Aguilar & Denisse Maldonado, 15-0, 15-4
7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert d. 10) Cassi Lee & Carolina Luque, 15-10, 15-7
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime, 15-8, 15-5
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya, 15-8, 15-5
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-10, 15-14
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert, 15-9, 15-5
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 8 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Also in the Round of 16, 13th seed Gabriela Martinez knocked off the 4th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 5-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4, which might be seen a bigger upset than Flores’s, as Rajisch is a higher seed than Mendez, but Martinez is the IRF World Champion in Women’s Singles, so while this is still a bit of a surprise - especially given the scores - it’s not completely unexpected.
There were three upsets in the Round of 32 with the biggest coming as 24th seed Diana Aguilar came back from two games down to defeat 9th seed Carla Muñoz, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4. Also, 21st seed Denisse Maldonado beat 12th seed Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4, and 19th seed Montserrat Perez came back from 2-1 down to get the win over 14th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-0, 2-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9.
Top seed Paola Longoria will play Susana Acosta later today, but 2nd seed Frédérique Lambert defeated 15th seed Monserrat Mejia in four tough games, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, coming back from 10-7 down in the fourth to prevent a tie-breaker. Lambert will play Samantha Salas in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Salas defeated Cristina Amaya in five games, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3.
The singles quarterfinals begin Saturday morning at 10 AM with semi-finals at 5 and 6 PM followed by the doubles semis at 7 and 8 PM. You can watch the action via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Susana Acosta d. 17) Cassi Lee, 11-1, 11-6, 11-0
24) Diana Aguilar d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4
8) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
5) Nancy Enriquez - BYE
21) Denisse Maldonado d. 12) Adrienne Haynes, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 20) Brenda Laime, 11-5, 11-3, 11-2
4) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
19) Montserrat Perez d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-0, 2-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9
22) Ana Laura Flores d. 11) Adriana Riveros, forfeit
6) Natalia Mendez - BYE
7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Samantha Salas d. 23) Carolina Luque, 11-1, 11-0, 11-2
15) Monserrat Mejia d. 18) Erin Rivera, 11-1, 11-6, 11-4
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Susana Acosta, 11-0, 11-0, 11-5
8) Maria Jose Vargas d. 24) Diana Aguilar, 11-2, 11-5, 11-3
5) Nancy Enriquez d. 21) Denisse Maldonado, 11-0, 11-1, 11-6
13) Gabriela Martinez d. 4) Rhonda Rajsich, 5-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 19) Montserrat Perez, 11-3, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5
22) Ana Laura Flores d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 4-11, 12-10
10) Samantha Salas d. 7) Cristina Amaya, 3-11, 11-9, 11-4, 10-12, 11-3
2) Frédérique Lambert d. 15) Monserrat Mejia, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11
Quarterfinals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Maria Jose Vargas - 1 PM
5) Nancy Enriquez v. 13) Gabriela Martinez - 10 AM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 22) Ana Laura Flores - 11 AM
2) Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Samantha Salas - Noon
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime d. 8) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera, 5-15, 15-14, 11-8
5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya - BYE
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 11) Diana Aguilar & Denisse Maldonado, 15-0, 15-4
7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert d. 10) Cassi Lee & Carolina Luque, 15-10, 15-7
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime, 15-8, 15-5
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya, 15-8, 15-5
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-10, 15-14
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert, 15-9, 15-5
Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 8 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Thursday, August 23, 2018
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience - Preview
The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT’s) will begin the 2018-19 season this weekend with the 2018 Paola Longoria Experience in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria heads the list of participants that includes 11 of the top 12 players. Only #3 Jessica Parrilla is absent, as she’s still recovering from an injury.
A rematch of last Saturday’s International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championship Women's Singles final between Longoria and Gabriela Martinez is possible in the semi-finals, although there will be some work to do by both players to make that happen. Longoria will likely have to go through veteran Susana Acosta and then Maria Jose Vargas to reach the semis, while the new Women’s Singles World Champion Martinez will probably have to take on Rhonda Rajsich and Nancy Enriquez.
On the other side of the draw #2 Frédérique Lambert will likely have to face either 7th seed Cristina Amaya or 10th seed Samantha Salas in the quarters, which will mostly likely lead to a semi-final showdown with either 3rd seed Alexandra Herrera or 6th seed Natalia Mendez, who upset Lambert at Worlds last week.
Look for this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM and the semi-finals at 5 and 6 PM. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Susana Acosta v. 17) Cassi Lee
9) Carla Muñoz v. 24) Diana Aguilar
8) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
5) Nancy Enriquez - BYE
12) Adrienne Haynes v. 21) Denisse Maldonado
13) Gabriela Martinez v. 20) Brenda Laime
4) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Montserrat Perez
11) Adriana Riveros v. 22) Ana Laura Flores
6) Natalia Mendez - BYE
7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Samantha Salas v. 23) Carolina Luque
15) Monserrat Mejia v. 18) Erin Rivera
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera v. 9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime
5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya - BYE
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 11) Diana Aguilar & Denisse Maldonado
7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Cassi Lee & Carolina Luque
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
A rematch of last Saturday’s International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championship Women's Singles final between Longoria and Gabriela Martinez is possible in the semi-finals, although there will be some work to do by both players to make that happen. Longoria will likely have to go through veteran Susana Acosta and then Maria Jose Vargas to reach the semis, while the new Women’s Singles World Champion Martinez will probably have to take on Rhonda Rajsich and Nancy Enriquez.
On the other side of the draw #2 Frédérique Lambert will likely have to face either 7th seed Cristina Amaya or 10th seed Samantha Salas in the quarters, which will mostly likely lead to a semi-final showdown with either 3rd seed Alexandra Herrera or 6th seed Natalia Mendez, who upset Lambert at Worlds last week.
Look for this weekend’s action live via the LPRT LiveStream channel. The Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday, with the quarterfinals on Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM and the semi-finals at 5 and 6 PM. The singles final will be 2 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 3 PM.
2018 LPRT Paola Longoria Experience, August 24-26, 2018
San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Round of 32
1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Susana Acosta v. 17) Cassi Lee
9) Carla Muñoz v. 24) Diana Aguilar
8) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
5) Nancy Enriquez - BYE
12) Adrienne Haynes v. 21) Denisse Maldonado
13) Gabriela Martinez v. 20) Brenda Laime
4) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
3) Alexandra Herrera - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Montserrat Perez
11) Adriana Riveros v. 22) Ana Laura Flores
6) Natalia Mendez - BYE
7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Samantha Salas v. 23) Carolina Luque
15) Monserrat Mejia v. 18) Erin Rivera
2) Frédérique Lambert - BYE
Doubles - Round of 16
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera v. 9) Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime
5) Susana Acosta & Cristina Amaya - BYE
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
3) Carla Muñoz & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 11) Diana Aguilar & Denisse Maldonado
7) Nancy Enriquez & Frédérique Lambert v. 10) Cassi Lee & Carolina Luque
2) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball….
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Happy 45th Birthday Mike Green!
You have been the dominant men's racquetball player in Canada for most of this century. You beat Sherman Greenfeld’s record of 10 Men’s Singles Canadian Championships last year with your 11th title. You won singles at Nationals in 2002-04, 2006, 2008, 2010-2013, 2016 and 2017.
But unlike Greenfeld, you played doubles also, and won Men’s Doubles at the Canadian Championships 10 times: first with Mike Ceresia in 2000, then in 2004 with Tom O’Brien, and with Brian Istace from 2005-2007, with Kris Odegard in 2010 and 2011, with Coby Iwaasa in 2013 and 2015, and finally with Trevor Webb in 2017.
Twenty one Canadian titles is more than any other man, and only your pal Jen Saunders has more with 22.
During your most active period on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) you were the 8th ranked player at the end of the 2003-04 IRT season. Your IRT record includes multiple wins over Cliff Swain, Sudsy Monchik, Alvaro Beltran, Rocky Carson, John Ellis and Mike Guidry. Impressive.
Furthermore, you’ve been “capped” for Team Canada more often than any other man: 34 appearances over 21 years beginning with the 1996 Pan American Championships and ending with the 2017 Pan American Championships. You won Men’s Singles at the Pan American Championships twice: in 1999 and 2012, and were a part of three Canadian men’s teams that won gold at the World Championships - in 1996, 2000 & 2002 - as well as the Overall Team gold medal at the 2000 World Championships.
In the individual competitions at Worlds, you were a silver medalist in Men’s Doubles three times: in 2002 with Ceresia, 2010 with Tim Landeryou and 2014 with Vincent Gagnon. You were also a silver medalist in Men's Singles at the 2003 Pan American Games.
You didn’t play at the World Championships earlier this month, which broke a streak of 11 consecutive appearances at Worlds. It was the first you’d missed since 1996.
That happened because this past season, you only participated in one National Team Selection Event, and weren’t at Nationals for the first time in over two decades. That leads us to wonder if retirement is in the offing, although one rumour is that you’ll be back competing next season.
No one would question a decision to either continue or retire. Your record of excellence speaks for itself: few have achieved more.
We wished you happy birthday 10 years ago, but it bears repeating: Happy birthday Mike Green!
Follow the bouncing ball….
But unlike Greenfeld, you played doubles also, and won Men’s Doubles at the Canadian Championships 10 times: first with Mike Ceresia in 2000, then in 2004 with Tom O’Brien, and with Brian Istace from 2005-2007, with Kris Odegard in 2010 and 2011, with Coby Iwaasa in 2013 and 2015, and finally with Trevor Webb in 2017.
Twenty one Canadian titles is more than any other man, and only your pal Jen Saunders has more with 22.
During your most active period on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) you were the 8th ranked player at the end of the 2003-04 IRT season. Your IRT record includes multiple wins over Cliff Swain, Sudsy Monchik, Alvaro Beltran, Rocky Carson, John Ellis and Mike Guidry. Impressive.
Furthermore, you’ve been “capped” for Team Canada more often than any other man: 34 appearances over 21 years beginning with the 1996 Pan American Championships and ending with the 2017 Pan American Championships. You won Men’s Singles at the Pan American Championships twice: in 1999 and 2012, and were a part of three Canadian men’s teams that won gold at the World Championships - in 1996, 2000 & 2002 - as well as the Overall Team gold medal at the 2000 World Championships.
In the individual competitions at Worlds, you were a silver medalist in Men’s Doubles three times: in 2002 with Ceresia, 2010 with Tim Landeryou and 2014 with Vincent Gagnon. You were also a silver medalist in Men's Singles at the 2003 Pan American Games.
You didn’t play at the World Championships earlier this month, which broke a streak of 11 consecutive appearances at Worlds. It was the first you’d missed since 1996.
That happened because this past season, you only participated in one National Team Selection Event, and weren’t at Nationals for the first time in over two decades. That leads us to wonder if retirement is in the offing, although one rumour is that you’ll be back competing next season.
No one would question a decision to either continue or retire. Your record of excellence speaks for itself: few have achieved more.
We wished you happy birthday 10 years ago, but it bears repeating: Happy birthday Mike Green!
Follow the bouncing ball….
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Results Summary for 2018 IRF World Championships
Here’s a rundown of all the results from the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships that took place in San José, Costa Rica last week. Mexico was the top medalling nation with four: two gold and two silver. That helped them finish as the top team in both Men’s and Women’s competitions as well as Overall.
The USA had three medals, which was second most, and they were all in the men’s divisions, so they finished second in the Men’s Team standings, and second in the Overall Team standings, which we’re surprised at, as the USA women’s results were poor and Bolivia finished in the top four in both women’s and men’s team totals. Thus, we would have guessed Bolivia would be ahead of the USA in the Overall standings, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
(note: the IRF via their Facebook page has released only the top 4 team finishers and done so by simply listing them; no point totals are given).
The next IRF event will be the Senior World Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 28-September 2, then the World Junior Championships will be held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, November 3-10.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
GOLD - Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
SILVER - Charlie Pratt (USA)
BRONZE - David Horn (USA) & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles
GOLD - Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
BRONZE - Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) & Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Men's Doubles
GOLD - Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
SILVER - Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA)
BRONZE - Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) and Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Women's Doubles
GOLD - Valeria Centellas & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia)
SILVER - Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) and Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Medal Table
1. Mexico - 2 gold, 2 silver, 0 bronze = 4 medals
2. USA - 0, 2, 1 = 3
3. Bolivia - 1, 0, 1 = 2
3. Guatemala - 1, 0, 1 = 2
5. Argentina - 0, 0, 2 = 2
5. Colombia - 0, 0, 2 = 2
7. Canada - 0, 0, 1 = 1
Men's Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Colombia
4. Bolivia
Women's Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. Guatemala
3. Bolivia
4. Argentina
Overall Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Bolivia
4. Guatemala
Follow the bouncing ball....
The USA had three medals, which was second most, and they were all in the men’s divisions, so they finished second in the Men’s Team standings, and second in the Overall Team standings, which we’re surprised at, as the USA women’s results were poor and Bolivia finished in the top four in both women’s and men’s team totals. Thus, we would have guessed Bolivia would be ahead of the USA in the Overall standings, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
(note: the IRF via their Facebook page has released only the top 4 team finishers and done so by simply listing them; no point totals are given).
The next IRF event will be the Senior World Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 28-September 2, then the World Junior Championships will be held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, November 3-10.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
GOLD - Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
SILVER - Charlie Pratt (USA)
BRONZE - David Horn (USA) & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles
GOLD - Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
BRONZE - Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) & Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Men's Doubles
GOLD - Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
SILVER - Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA)
BRONZE - Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) and Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Women's Doubles
GOLD - Valeria Centellas & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia)
SILVER - Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) and Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Medal Table
1. Mexico - 2 gold, 2 silver, 0 bronze = 4 medals
2. USA - 0, 2, 1 = 3
3. Bolivia - 1, 0, 1 = 2
3. Guatemala - 1, 0, 1 = 2
5. Argentina - 0, 0, 2 = 2
5. Colombia - 0, 0, 2 = 2
7. Canada - 0, 0, 1 = 1
Men's Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Colombia
4. Bolivia
Women's Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. Guatemala
3. Bolivia
4. Argentina
Overall Team Standings
1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Bolivia
4. Guatemala
Follow the bouncing ball....
Monday, August 20, 2018
Post Worlds Thoughts
The 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships ended on Saturday in San José, Costa Rica, and the 19th Worlds were remarkable in many ways. Let’s review them.
On Court
This was the third World Championships with gold medalists from three different countries. This year players from Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico won gold. This first happened in 2006, when gold was taken home by players from Canada, Mexico and the USA, then again in 2014, when gold went to Colombia, Mexico and the USA.
This a far cry from the years when the USA swept gold at Worlds. That’s happened five times: 1981 - the first World Championships - 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2008. And for the first nine World Championships gold only went to the USA or Canada.
But this year no Canadian or USA women reached the podium for the first time ever. If you needed any proof of how the balance of power has changed in racquetball, there it is.
Gabriela Martinez’s win in Women’s Singles was the first by a teenage woman. The other Women’s Singles World Champions all won for the first time in their 20s except for Cheryl Gudinas (USA), who was 33 when she won for the first time in 2000.
Martinez isn’t the only player to win singles as a teenager though, as Jack Huczek (USA) won his first Men’s Singles World Championship at 19 in 2002. But Huczek’s birthday is in January and Martinez’s in August, so she won at a younger age.
However, Martinez wasn’t the youngest gold medalist in San José. Valeria Centellas of Bolivia, half of the team that won Women’s Doubles (partnering Yasmine Sabja), won Girl’s U16 Doubles last year at the World Junior Championships, so she has to be younger than Martinez, who turned 19 earlier this month. Centellas could be the youngest Worlds gold medalist ever.
In Men’s Singles, Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico wasn’t only the second World Champion from Mexico (after Alvaro Beltran in 2000), he is the second World Champion born on June 4. Egan Inoue (USA) who won two World Championships (in 1986 & 1990) was also born on June 4. Furthermore two other Men’s Singles World Champions were also born in June: Andy Roberts (USA) and Sherman Greenfeld (Canada).
Off Court
The IRF has improved how international events operate in recent years. They’ve implemented a referee development program, so no athletes need to referee at either senior or junior events. That’s great.
Also, they have implemented live streaming of matches at events, so those of us who are not at the event can follow the action. Those matches are also available for re-watching after the fact, in case you want to see it all again - “how did he win that match?!?” - or just enjoy some great racquetball on line.
But the IRF is also APPALLING in some of the ways that it communicates, or rather fails to communicate, what is happening or going to happen at their events. Case one: last week the results of the quarterfinals were not available on line promptly after the matches were over. Those results were not even up the next morning!
When this situation was related to an IRF official, he seemed unconcerned. We related this story to a racquetball enthusiast who responded “how is it possible for us to be a legitimate sport if we can’t even manage this?” Good question.
But, hey, why talk about last week, when we can talk about today? The IRF’s biggest event - their World Championships - just happened and you’d think their website would be shouting the names of the new champions. And you would be wrong.
The IRF website states who will be in the finals, although only surnames are used and it’s not clear who is in which final. If anyone is thinking "well, we know which of those players is playing which event," you are part of the problem here, because the website needs to speak to everyone who comes by, and perhaps especially people who aren't so familiar with the game, because you want to bring them into the game. Make it clear! Moreover, according to the website the finals are apparently happening on “Friday,” when they actually happened on Saturday. The little graphic listing the matches looks good, but it's failing to communicate all the relevant information.
A great aspect of the internet is that information can be communicated quickly and efficiently. IRF communications too often fail on both counts. Case two: consider that if you were looking for information on the World Championships two weeks ago - that is, prior to it happening - and you went to the IRF site to find out who was playing for each country, let alone the draws, you would not be able to find that information. Indeed, it wouldn’t have been obvious that the most important IRF event was going to be happening the following week from their website. That’s atrocious.
Case three: apparently there was a team competition at Worlds, although it’s just a by-product of the individual events with countries getting points for how well their players do in each event. But can you see the results of the team competition on the IRF website today, two days after the event wrapped up? No, you cannot.
The failure to communicate is also frustrating, because it’s not that difficult to accomplish. But it requires planning, and the people to do it, although the people wouldn’t have to be on site. Someone would need to get the results to the person promptly though, perhaps by text message, and then that individual could update the website with the results. Also, writing promotional releases for events isn’t too difficult, if there’s enough lead time so adequate planning can be done to accomplish the task.
The IRF seems to be failing to recognize the importance of communicating its results, and it needs to make better plans for how to communicate results in the future.
Follow the bouncing ball….
On Court
This was the third World Championships with gold medalists from three different countries. This year players from Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico won gold. This first happened in 2006, when gold was taken home by players from Canada, Mexico and the USA, then again in 2014, when gold went to Colombia, Mexico and the USA.
This a far cry from the years when the USA swept gold at Worlds. That’s happened five times: 1981 - the first World Championships - 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2008. And for the first nine World Championships gold only went to the USA or Canada.
But this year no Canadian or USA women reached the podium for the first time ever. If you needed any proof of how the balance of power has changed in racquetball, there it is.
Gabriela Martinez’s win in Women’s Singles was the first by a teenage woman. The other Women’s Singles World Champions all won for the first time in their 20s except for Cheryl Gudinas (USA), who was 33 when she won for the first time in 2000.
Martinez isn’t the only player to win singles as a teenager though, as Jack Huczek (USA) won his first Men’s Singles World Championship at 19 in 2002. But Huczek’s birthday is in January and Martinez’s in August, so she won at a younger age.
However, Martinez wasn’t the youngest gold medalist in San José. Valeria Centellas of Bolivia, half of the team that won Women’s Doubles (partnering Yasmine Sabja), won Girl’s U16 Doubles last year at the World Junior Championships, so she has to be younger than Martinez, who turned 19 earlier this month. Centellas could be the youngest Worlds gold medalist ever.
In Men’s Singles, Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico wasn’t only the second World Champion from Mexico (after Alvaro Beltran in 2000), he is the second World Champion born on June 4. Egan Inoue (USA) who won two World Championships (in 1986 & 1990) was also born on June 4. Furthermore two other Men’s Singles World Champions were also born in June: Andy Roberts (USA) and Sherman Greenfeld (Canada).
Off Court
The IRF has improved how international events operate in recent years. They’ve implemented a referee development program, so no athletes need to referee at either senior or junior events. That’s great.
Also, they have implemented live streaming of matches at events, so those of us who are not at the event can follow the action. Those matches are also available for re-watching after the fact, in case you want to see it all again - “how did he win that match?!?” - or just enjoy some great racquetball on line.
But the IRF is also APPALLING in some of the ways that it communicates, or rather fails to communicate, what is happening or going to happen at their events. Case one: last week the results of the quarterfinals were not available on line promptly after the matches were over. Those results were not even up the next morning!
When this situation was related to an IRF official, he seemed unconcerned. We related this story to a racquetball enthusiast who responded “how is it possible for us to be a legitimate sport if we can’t even manage this?” Good question.
But, hey, why talk about last week, when we can talk about today? The IRF’s biggest event - their World Championships - just happened and you’d think their website would be shouting the names of the new champions. And you would be wrong.
The IRF website states who will be in the finals, although only surnames are used and it’s not clear who is in which final. If anyone is thinking "well, we know which of those players is playing which event," you are part of the problem here, because the website needs to speak to everyone who comes by, and perhaps especially people who aren't so familiar with the game, because you want to bring them into the game. Make it clear! Moreover, according to the website the finals are apparently happening on “Friday,” when they actually happened on Saturday. The little graphic listing the matches looks good, but it's failing to communicate all the relevant information.
A great aspect of the internet is that information can be communicated quickly and efficiently. IRF communications too often fail on both counts. Case two: consider that if you were looking for information on the World Championships two weeks ago - that is, prior to it happening - and you went to the IRF site to find out who was playing for each country, let alone the draws, you would not be able to find that information. Indeed, it wouldn’t have been obvious that the most important IRF event was going to be happening the following week from their website. That’s atrocious.
Case three: apparently there was a team competition at Worlds, although it’s just a by-product of the individual events with countries getting points for how well their players do in each event. But can you see the results of the team competition on the IRF website today, two days after the event wrapped up? No, you cannot.
The failure to communicate is also frustrating, because it’s not that difficult to accomplish. But it requires planning, and the people to do it, although the people wouldn’t have to be on site. Someone would need to get the results to the person promptly though, perhaps by text message, and then that individual could update the website with the results. Also, writing promotional releases for events isn’t too difficult, if there’s enough lead time so adequate planning can be done to accomplish the task.
The IRF seems to be failing to recognize the importance of communicating its results, and it needs to make better plans for how to communicate results in the future.
Follow the bouncing ball….
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Bolivia & Mexico win doubles at 2018 IRF World Championships
Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia are the first women racquetball World Champions from South America as they captured gold in Women’s Doubles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. The Bolivians defeated Mexicans Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera, 8-15, 15-14, 11-2, in the final.
While there were new champions on the women’s side, Mexican Alvaro Beltran won his 4th Men’s Doubles World Championship, as he and Daniel De La Rosa came back from a game down to defeat racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA, 10-15, 15-9 11-2. It marks the first time Carson is without a gold medal at Worlds since 2006, as he won gold in Men’s Singles at the last five events. Beltran has now won Men’s Doubles in three of the last four World Championships.
If you missed the finals, you can view them again via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Final
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA), 10-15, 15-9, 11-2
Women's Doubles - Final
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico), 8-15, 15-14, 11-2
Follow the bouncing ball....
While there were new champions on the women’s side, Mexican Alvaro Beltran won his 4th Men’s Doubles World Championship, as he and Daniel De La Rosa came back from a game down to defeat racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA, 10-15, 15-9 11-2. It marks the first time Carson is without a gold medal at Worlds since 2006, as he won gold in Men’s Singles at the last five events. Beltran has now won Men’s Doubles in three of the last four World Championships.
If you missed the finals, you can view them again via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Final
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA), 10-15, 15-9, 11-2
Women's Doubles - Final
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico), 8-15, 15-14, 11-2
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Martinez & Montoya win singles at 2018 IRF World Championships
Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala upset the three time defending Women’s Singles World Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico to win her 1st Women’s Singles Championship Saturday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. With the win, Martinez, 19, becomes the youngest Women’s Singles Champion. Previously, Christie Huczek (née Van Hees) was youngest at 21. Longoria won her first title at 23. She is also the first woman from outside North America to win an IRF World Championship.
Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico won the Men’s Singles World Championship by defeating USA’s Charlie Pratt, 15-14, 15-9. Montoya is the second Mexican Men’s Singles World Champion after Alvaro Beltran, who won it in 2000.
In the Women’s Singles final, Martinez came out with her left arm wrapped, as she hurt it in the Women’s Doubles semi-finals on Friday. In fact, Guatemala forfeited that semi-final in the third game, when Martinez couldn’t continue to play. So there was some concern as to whether Martinez would be able to play in singles final.
Thus, it wasn’t a surprise when Longoria took a 6-0 lead in game one. She maintained the lead throughout that game, although Martinez got within four at 12-8 before Longoria closed it out, 15-8. But if you take the first six points at the start away, then they were pretty even.
Game two started similarly to game one, as Longoria took a 4-1 lead. But Martinez slowly built up the points from there. She got six points to lead 7-4. Longoria called a time out, and then closed the lead to 7-6. However, Martinez held Longoria at 6, as she went on to win game two, 15-6, helped by two ace serves and a couple of skips by Longoria late in the game.
They were back and forth earth in the tie-breaker, and tied at 4-4. Then Martinez scored six unanswered points, including three ace serves, to reach match point at 10-4. Longoria called her second timeout at that point, and then got the serve back with a backhand serve return winner.
She hit a service winner to make it 10-5, and it looked like the comeback was on. A Longoria forehand made it 10-6. However, Martinez snuffed out the comeback with a great backhand pinch shot.
On the first match point, Longoria had a set up off the back wall that she played with her forehand. But it skipped. With that unforced error, Martinez dethroned the three time Champion and claimed her first Women’s Singles Championship.
The Men’s Singles final went back and forth. Montoya was ahead early in the game, 8-3, and then Pratt found his stride and looked to be in control as he went ahead 11-10. However, Montoya had a resurgence, and scored four point to get to game point at 14-11.
But Pratt denied Montoya game point not once, but twice, and then proceeded to tie the game at 14-14. It looked like he won the game with an ace drive serve to the left side, but Montoya appealed that it was short and the line judges agreed, overturning the call.
Montoya then got the serve back with a forehand shot that went cross court from left to right. On his 3rd game point, the referee called a two bounce get on Pratt, but he appealed that he had got the ball before it bounced twice and the line judges agreed.
Clearly, it was going to take something special to win this game, and Montoya provided that on the next rally, as he dove to the right side in the front court and hit a roll out winner to take the first game 15-14.
Like game one, game two was streaky. Pratt went up 4-0, and then Montoya scored eight points to lead 8-4. Pratt tied it at 8-8. Again Montoya responded with four more points to lead 12-8. He was able to close it out from there, hitting a forehand pinch shot to get his first match point at 14-9. Montoya drove serve to the left side, and it looked to be a comfortable opportunity to return the ball, but Pratt skipped it with his backhand, which was a sad ending to a good match.
In the singles finals, neither Longoria or Pratt played poorly, though perhaps neither played their absolute best. However, Martinez and Montoya, respectively, were just a little bit better, and when the competition is close - as it usually is in a World Championship final - that’s all that is needed.
If you missed the matches, you can see them at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
Men's Singles - Final - Saturday
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 3) Charlie Pratt (USA), 15-14, 15-9
Women's Singles - Final - Saturday
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 1) Paola Longoria (Mexico), 8-15, 15-6, 11-6
Follow the bouncing ball....
Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico won the Men’s Singles World Championship by defeating USA’s Charlie Pratt, 15-14, 15-9. Montoya is the second Mexican Men’s Singles World Champion after Alvaro Beltran, who won it in 2000.
In the Women’s Singles final, Martinez came out with her left arm wrapped, as she hurt it in the Women’s Doubles semi-finals on Friday. In fact, Guatemala forfeited that semi-final in the third game, when Martinez couldn’t continue to play. So there was some concern as to whether Martinez would be able to play in singles final.
Thus, it wasn’t a surprise when Longoria took a 6-0 lead in game one. She maintained the lead throughout that game, although Martinez got within four at 12-8 before Longoria closed it out, 15-8. But if you take the first six points at the start away, then they were pretty even.
Game two started similarly to game one, as Longoria took a 4-1 lead. But Martinez slowly built up the points from there. She got six points to lead 7-4. Longoria called a time out, and then closed the lead to 7-6. However, Martinez held Longoria at 6, as she went on to win game two, 15-6, helped by two ace serves and a couple of skips by Longoria late in the game.
They were back and forth earth in the tie-breaker, and tied at 4-4. Then Martinez scored six unanswered points, including three ace serves, to reach match point at 10-4. Longoria called her second timeout at that point, and then got the serve back with a backhand serve return winner.
She hit a service winner to make it 10-5, and it looked like the comeback was on. A Longoria forehand made it 10-6. However, Martinez snuffed out the comeback with a great backhand pinch shot.
On the first match point, Longoria had a set up off the back wall that she played with her forehand. But it skipped. With that unforced error, Martinez dethroned the three time Champion and claimed her first Women’s Singles Championship.
The Men’s Singles final went back and forth. Montoya was ahead early in the game, 8-3, and then Pratt found his stride and looked to be in control as he went ahead 11-10. However, Montoya had a resurgence, and scored four point to get to game point at 14-11.
But Pratt denied Montoya game point not once, but twice, and then proceeded to tie the game at 14-14. It looked like he won the game with an ace drive serve to the left side, but Montoya appealed that it was short and the line judges agreed, overturning the call.
Montoya then got the serve back with a forehand shot that went cross court from left to right. On his 3rd game point, the referee called a two bounce get on Pratt, but he appealed that he had got the ball before it bounced twice and the line judges agreed.
Clearly, it was going to take something special to win this game, and Montoya provided that on the next rally, as he dove to the right side in the front court and hit a roll out winner to take the first game 15-14.
Like game one, game two was streaky. Pratt went up 4-0, and then Montoya scored eight points to lead 8-4. Pratt tied it at 8-8. Again Montoya responded with four more points to lead 12-8. He was able to close it out from there, hitting a forehand pinch shot to get his first match point at 14-9. Montoya drove serve to the left side, and it looked to be a comfortable opportunity to return the ball, but Pratt skipped it with his backhand, which was a sad ending to a good match.
In the singles finals, neither Longoria or Pratt played poorly, though perhaps neither played their absolute best. However, Martinez and Montoya, respectively, were just a little bit better, and when the competition is close - as it usually is in a World Championship final - that’s all that is needed.
If you missed the matches, you can see them at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
Men's Singles - Final - Saturday
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 3) Charlie Pratt (USA), 15-14, 15-9
Women's Singles - Final - Saturday
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 1) Paola Longoria (Mexico), 8-15, 15-6, 11-6
Follow the bouncing ball....
Friday, August 17, 2018
Doubles semi-finals at 2018 IRF World Championships
The top seeded Mexican teams are through to the finals in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico won their semi-final in Men’s Doubles against Bolivans Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso, 15-14, 15-8, and their team-mates Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia beat Colombians Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros, 15-8, 15-4, in their semi-final.
Beltran and De La Rosa look to have the more difficult final, as they will face racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA. Carson and Monchik defeated Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, 15-12, 15-2, in the semis. If Carson wins, he’ll become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Doubles at Worlds after fellow American Todd O’Neill and Beltran. Carson has five titles in singles. Beltran is the defending champion in doubles, which is one of his three doubles titles to go with one singles title.
Herrera and Mejia will play Bolivians Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja, who are surprise finalists, as they entered the medal round as the 7th seeds. In their semi-final match against the Guatemalan team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, Martinez picked up a left elbow injury. She tried to continue on, but in the middle of the third game found that it was too much, so the final score line was 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit, in favor of Bolivia. Thus, Centellas and Sabja have a chance to become to the first South American team to win Women’s Doubles at Worlds.
Martinez’s left arm injury happened at 10-7 down in game two. She continued to play after taking an injury timeout, but then in the middle of game three, Martinez doubled over, and it was over for her. The seemed to pick up the injury after a dive, although she didn’t stay down, so it didn’t seem to be serious. Then in game three, it became more painful when she wasn’t even about to play the ball, which is a bad sign.
Martinez is in the Women’s Singles final versus Mexican Paola Longoria, and we hope that she’ll be able to play in that.
Look for both finals to be live streamed via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-8
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-12, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Final - Saturday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) - 1 PM MDT
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-8, 15-4
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit
Women's Doubles - Final - Saturday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - Noon MDT
Follow the bouncing ball....
Beltran and De La Rosa look to have the more difficult final, as they will face racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA. Carson and Monchik defeated Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, 15-12, 15-2, in the semis. If Carson wins, he’ll become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Doubles at Worlds after fellow American Todd O’Neill and Beltran. Carson has five titles in singles. Beltran is the defending champion in doubles, which is one of his three doubles titles to go with one singles title.
Herrera and Mejia will play Bolivians Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja, who are surprise finalists, as they entered the medal round as the 7th seeds. In their semi-final match against the Guatemalan team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, Martinez picked up a left elbow injury. She tried to continue on, but in the middle of the third game found that it was too much, so the final score line was 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit, in favor of Bolivia. Thus, Centellas and Sabja have a chance to become to the first South American team to win Women’s Doubles at Worlds.
Martinez’s left arm injury happened at 10-7 down in game two. She continued to play after taking an injury timeout, but then in the middle of game three, Martinez doubled over, and it was over for her. The seemed to pick up the injury after a dive, although she didn’t stay down, so it didn’t seem to be serious. Then in game three, it became more painful when she wasn’t even about to play the ball, which is a bad sign.
Martinez is in the Women’s Singles final versus Mexican Paola Longoria, and we hope that she’ll be able to play in that.
Look for both finals to be live streamed via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-8
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-12, 15-2
Men's Doubles - Final - Saturday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) - 1 PM MDT
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-8, 15-4
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit
Women's Doubles - Final - Saturday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - Noon MDT
Follow the bouncing ball....
Singles semi-finals at 2018 IRF World Championships
Mexico will have a chance to sweep gold in Men’s and Women’s Singles on Saturday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, as they have a player in both finals. Three time Women’s Singles Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico will have a chance to make it four, as she defeated Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals, 6-15, 15-2, 11-7. Longoria’s team-mate Rodrigo Montoya will have chance to win Men’s Singles, as he defeated David Horn of the USA in the semis, 15-9, 15-8.
In the Women’s Singles final, Longoria will play Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in what will be a repeat of the 2016 World Championship final that Longoria won. Martinez beat Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-8, 15-3, in the other semi-final. Longoria, who is now 29, used to be the younger than her opponents at previous World Championships, but she was the oldest player in the semi-finals, and is a decade older than Martinez.
Charlie Pratt of the USA will be Montoya’s opponent in the Men’s Singles final, as Pratt defeated Sebastian Franco of Colombia, 15-8, 15-13, in what was a battle of two players who won their first International Racquetball Tour (IRT) events this past season. The loss ends the Franco’s bid to become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.
All of the finals will be live streamed on Saturday from 10 AM MDT via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 1) David Horn (USA). 15-9, 15-8
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-8, 15-13
Men's Singles - Final - Saturday
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 6-15, 15-2, 11-7
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 15-8, 15-3
Women's Singles - Final - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Follow the bouncing ball....
In the Women’s Singles final, Longoria will play Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in what will be a repeat of the 2016 World Championship final that Longoria won. Martinez beat Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-8, 15-3, in the other semi-final. Longoria, who is now 29, used to be the younger than her opponents at previous World Championships, but she was the oldest player in the semi-finals, and is a decade older than Martinez.
Charlie Pratt of the USA will be Montoya’s opponent in the Men’s Singles final, as Pratt defeated Sebastian Franco of Colombia, 15-8, 15-13, in what was a battle of two players who won their first International Racquetball Tour (IRT) events this past season. The loss ends the Franco’s bid to become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.
All of the finals will be live streamed on Saturday from 10 AM MDT via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 1) David Horn (USA). 15-9, 15-8
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-8, 15-13
Men's Singles - Final - Saturday
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 6-15, 15-2, 11-7
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 15-8, 15-3
Women's Singles - Final - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Doubles quarterfinal results from the 2018 IRF World Championships
The top seeds in Men’s and Women’s Doubles are through to semi-finals at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, but the 2nd seeds did not fare as well, as they lost on both the men’s and women’s sides. Mexican teams are seeded #1 in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles, and both won their respective quarterfinal matches Thursday.
Men’s top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico defeated the Dominican Republic team of Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon, 15-11, 15-11. But 2nd seeds Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri of Argentina lost to Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, in the quarters.
Similarly in Women’s Doubles a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera are the top seeds and beat Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 15-12, 15-10. However, the 2nd seeded USA team of Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich were upset by the 7th seeds Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, 15-12, 15-10.
Mexico will play the 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia in the semi-finals, as Colombia defeated 5th seeds Jin Seok and Mi Ok An of South Korea, 15-10, 15-9. Bolivia will be up against 3rd seeds Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who won by the largest margin of all the quarterfinal matches, beating the Argentina team of Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-8.
Look for all the semi-final matches to be live streamed on Friday via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-11
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 15-13
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) or 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 5-15, 15-9, 11-4
5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-14, 15-11
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-1, 15-6
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-6, 15-6
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-8, 15-6
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-10
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 15-9
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-2, 15-8
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-12, 15-10
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Men’s top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico defeated the Dominican Republic team of Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon, 15-11, 15-11. But 2nd seeds Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri of Argentina lost to Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, in the quarters.
Similarly in Women’s Doubles a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera are the top seeds and beat Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 15-12, 15-10. However, the 2nd seeded USA team of Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich were upset by the 7th seeds Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, 15-12, 15-10.
Mexico will play the 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia in the semi-finals, as Colombia defeated 5th seeds Jin Seok and Mi Ok An of South Korea, 15-10, 15-9. Bolivia will be up against 3rd seeds Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who won by the largest margin of all the quarterfinal matches, beating the Argentina team of Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-8.
Look for all the semi-final matches to be live streamed on Friday via the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-11
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 15-13
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)
Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) or 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 5-15, 15-9, 11-4
5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-14, 15-11
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-1, 15-6
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-6, 15-6
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-8, 15-6
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-10
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 15-9
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-2, 15-8
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-12, 15-10
Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Singles quarterfinal results at 2018 IRF World Championships
You want upsets? We got upsets! Of the eight semi-finalists in Men’s and Women’s Singles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica only four were seeded in the top 4 in their respective draws. On the women’s side only top seed and three time defending champion Paola Longoria of Mexico won her quarterfinal match. She defeated 9th seed Adriana Riveros of Colombia, 15-7, 15-1.
Longoria will face a familiar foe in Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals. Vargas, seeded 20th, beat Bolivian 5th seed Yasmine Sabja, 15-2, 15-7.
If she wins, Longoria could face the same player in the final that she faced in the final two years ago, as the 2016 silver medalist Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who was seeded 6th, defeated Longoria’s team-mate 3rd seed Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12. Salas, who isn't playing doubles this year, has made the podium in either singles or doubles in the last four World Championships, but this loss means she won't this year for the first time since 2008, when Salas wasn't on the Mexican team.
Martinez will play 7th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina who upset 2nd seed Rhonda Rajsich of the USA, 15-1, 15-13. The win keeps Rajsich - a two time Women’s Singles World Champion - off the podium for the second straight World Championships. Also, Mendez and Vargas are the first two South American women from the same country to make it to the semi-finals of Women’s Singles at Worlds.
In the Men’s Singles, 10th seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia upset 2nd seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10, in the quarters. He’ll face the USA’s Charlie Pratt in the semi-finals, as Pratt beat Canada’s Samuel Murray, 15-2, 15-12.
In the other semi-final, it’s #1 versus #4, as top seed David Horn of the USA defeated 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-12, 15-6. Horn faces 4th seed Rodrigo Montoya from Mexico, who eked out a tie-breaker win over 5th seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, 13-15, 15-7, 11-6.
Thus, an all USA final is a possibility if Horn and Pratt win their semis. But also possible is Franco becoming only the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.
The live streaming of matches will continue Friday with the semi-finals in all divisions. Look for the action at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-12, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 13-15, 15-7, 11-6
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-2, 15-12
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 15-8, 5-15, 11-10
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) David Horn (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-7, 15-1
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-7
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-1, 15-13
Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Longoria will face a familiar foe in Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals. Vargas, seeded 20th, beat Bolivian 5th seed Yasmine Sabja, 15-2, 15-7.
If she wins, Longoria could face the same player in the final that she faced in the final two years ago, as the 2016 silver medalist Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who was seeded 6th, defeated Longoria’s team-mate 3rd seed Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12. Salas, who isn't playing doubles this year, has made the podium in either singles or doubles in the last four World Championships, but this loss means she won't this year for the first time since 2008, when Salas wasn't on the Mexican team.
Martinez will play 7th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina who upset 2nd seed Rhonda Rajsich of the USA, 15-1, 15-13. The win keeps Rajsich - a two time Women’s Singles World Champion - off the podium for the second straight World Championships. Also, Mendez and Vargas are the first two South American women from the same country to make it to the semi-finals of Women’s Singles at Worlds.
In the Men’s Singles, 10th seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia upset 2nd seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10, in the quarters. He’ll face the USA’s Charlie Pratt in the semi-finals, as Pratt beat Canada’s Samuel Murray, 15-2, 15-12.
In the other semi-final, it’s #1 versus #4, as top seed David Horn of the USA defeated 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-12, 15-6. Horn faces 4th seed Rodrigo Montoya from Mexico, who eked out a tie-breaker win over 5th seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, 13-15, 15-7, 11-6.
Thus, an all USA final is a possibility if Horn and Pratt win their semis. But also possible is Franco becoming only the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.
The live streaming of matches will continue Friday with the semi-finals in all divisions. Look for the action at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-12, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 13-15, 15-7, 11-6
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-2, 15-12
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 15-8, 5-15, 11-10
Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) David Horn (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-7, 15-1
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-7
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-1, 15-13
Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Round of 32 & 16 in Men's & Women's Singles at 2018 IRF World Championships
The Round of 32 in the medal round in Men’s and Women’s Singles is done at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica with no real surprises. Perhaps the biggest upset is Canadian veteran Jen Saunders defeating the USA’s Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 15-1, as they were seeded 22nd and 11th, respectively, and the margin of victory is surprisingly large. But Saunders is a wily veteran, while Lotts was playing at Worlds for the first time, so the outcome is not too surprising.
In the Men’s Singles Round of 16, the higher seeds won in all match but one. Tenth seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia won a narrow two game match over Carlos Keller of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-13. The only tie-breaker was in the 8/9 game, which was a rematch of a Group Stage match between 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia and 9th seed Coby Iwaasa of Canada that also went three game with Mercado winning 11-10. Wednesday, Mercado again came out on top, and by a wider margin: two points, not one, as the final score line was 15-13, 10-15, 11-9.
The Women’s Singles Round of 16 had three tie-breakers, although the most surprising result may have been Argentina’s Natalia Mendez’s straight game win over Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-8, 15-8, as Lambert finished 2nd on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) this season, while Mendez was 7th. However, Mendez had played Lambert tough, including a five game match at last year’s US Open, which Lambert won.
In the three game matches, 5th seed Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia came back from a game down to defeat 12th seed Carla Muñoz of Chile, 7-15, 15-4, 11-6. Similarly, Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) fought from behind to beat Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5, and in an all Colombian match, Adriana Riveros narrowly defeated team-mate Cristina Amaya, 15-6, 11-15, 11-9.
The live streaming of matches is said to take a step up in production on Thursday, when they’ll play the quarterfinals of singles as well as the opening rounds of doubles, so check it out at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) d. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-8, 15-2
17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE
21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE
29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE
19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) d. 31) Alok Mehta (India), 15-8, 12-15, 11-9
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 32) Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-3, 15-1
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. 17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-7, 15-12
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. 24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-11, 15-2
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4
5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 28) Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-4
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. 21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-4, 15-12
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 20) Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-10, 15-9
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 29) Yash Doshi (India), 15-0, 15-2
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 30) Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-8, 15-5
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-4
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-0, 15-8
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-1
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-4
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-3
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-0, 15-0
Men's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 15-13, 10-15, 11-9
5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-1
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), forfeit
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-10, 15-3
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-13
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-12
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) David Horn (USA) v. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia)
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. 16) Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-0, 15-6
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-4
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-2, 15-7
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-9, 15-4
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) d. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9
22) Jen Saunders (Canada) d. 11) Sheryl Lotts (USA), 15-10, 15-1
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-2, 15-2,
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. 23) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) d. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 12-15, 15-11, 11-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-11
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-6, 11-15, 11-9
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 12) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 7-15, 15-4, 11-6
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 14) Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-3, 15-3
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-2, 15-5
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-8, 15-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 15) Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-7, 15-5
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
In the Men’s Singles Round of 16, the higher seeds won in all match but one. Tenth seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia won a narrow two game match over Carlos Keller of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-13. The only tie-breaker was in the 8/9 game, which was a rematch of a Group Stage match between 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia and 9th seed Coby Iwaasa of Canada that also went three game with Mercado winning 11-10. Wednesday, Mercado again came out on top, and by a wider margin: two points, not one, as the final score line was 15-13, 10-15, 11-9.
The Women’s Singles Round of 16 had three tie-breakers, although the most surprising result may have been Argentina’s Natalia Mendez’s straight game win over Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-8, 15-8, as Lambert finished 2nd on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) this season, while Mendez was 7th. However, Mendez had played Lambert tough, including a five game match at last year’s US Open, which Lambert won.
In the three game matches, 5th seed Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia came back from a game down to defeat 12th seed Carla Muñoz of Chile, 7-15, 15-4, 11-6. Similarly, Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) fought from behind to beat Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5, and in an all Colombian match, Adriana Riveros narrowly defeated team-mate Cristina Amaya, 15-6, 11-15, 11-9.
The live streaming of matches is said to take a step up in production on Thursday, when they’ll play the quarterfinals of singles as well as the opening rounds of doubles, so check it out at the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) d. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-8, 15-2
17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE
21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE
29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE
19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) d. 31) Alok Mehta (India), 15-8, 12-15, 11-9
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Men's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 32) Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-3, 15-1
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. 17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-7, 15-12
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. 24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-11, 15-2
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4
5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 28) Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-4
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. 21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-4, 15-12
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 20) Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-10, 15-9
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 29) Yash Doshi (India), 15-0, 15-2
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 30) Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-8, 15-5
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-4
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-0, 15-8
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-1
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-4
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-3
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-0, 15-0
Men's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) d. 16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 15-13, 10-15, 11-9
5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-1
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), forfeit
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-10, 15-3
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-13
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-12
Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) David Horn (USA) v. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia)
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)
Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. 16) Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-0, 15-6
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-4
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-2, 15-7
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-9, 15-4
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) d. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9
22) Jen Saunders (Canada) d. 11) Sheryl Lotts (USA), 15-10, 15-1
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-2, 15-2,
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. 23) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5
15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) d. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 12-15, 15-11, 11-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-11
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-6, 11-15, 11-9
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 12) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 7-15, 15-4, 11-6
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 14) Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-3, 15-3
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-2, 15-5
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-8, 15-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 15) Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-7, 15-5
Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Doubles draws at 2018 IRF World Championships
The doubles medal rounds will begin on Thursday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, as there are so many singles matches to go through on Wednesday. For those unfamiliar with international doubles in recent years, know that it has become kind of a crap shoot, as there are several strong teams in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles, so while it might not be true that anyone could win, there are a few strong championship contenders.
That said, top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico are the favorites to win Men’s Doubles. But they’ll probably have to beat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso in the semi-finals, which will not be easy, and then defeat whoever comes out of the bottom half of the draw.
On the bottom half is the US team of racquetball greats Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik, seeded 3rd. They’ll likely be challenged by Colombians Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado in the quarterfinals, although Colombia took an injury default in their last Group Stage match. If that injury is serious, it could make it easier for the US.
If Carson and Monchik get to the semi-finals, then waiting for them will likely be either Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri, who upset the Colombians in the Group Stage en route to claiming the 2nd seed, or Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray. The Argentina win over Colombia - a team of two top 10 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) players - is proof of how doubles match outcomes are uncertain.
Women’s Doubles is even more uncertain than the men’s, as the top seeds are a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera, who beat Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas in the Mexico Team qualifying event to make it to Worlds. They were also US Open doubles finalists a couple of years back, so they are a strong team, but without the proven record of Longoria and Salas, who have won three Women’s Doubles World Championships. Mexico will have to face the winner of 8th seeds Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador and 9th seeds Frédérique Lambert and Jen Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals, and then likely 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia.
But the favorites to win Women’s Doubles in San José may be the Guatemala team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, as they were runners up to Longoria and Herrera at this year’s Pan American Championships. Also, they were 2nd at the Central American and Caribbean Games last month after losing to Longoria and Salas in a tie-breaker.
To get to the final, Guatemala will probably have to defeat Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina and then one of Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada (Chile) or Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich (USA).
If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia)
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada)
5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) v. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland)
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile)
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
That said, top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico are the favorites to win Men’s Doubles. But they’ll probably have to beat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso in the semi-finals, which will not be easy, and then defeat whoever comes out of the bottom half of the draw.
On the bottom half is the US team of racquetball greats Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik, seeded 3rd. They’ll likely be challenged by Colombians Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado in the quarterfinals, although Colombia took an injury default in their last Group Stage match. If that injury is serious, it could make it easier for the US.
If Carson and Monchik get to the semi-finals, then waiting for them will likely be either Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri, who upset the Colombians in the Group Stage en route to claiming the 2nd seed, or Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray. The Argentina win over Colombia - a team of two top 10 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) players - is proof of how doubles match outcomes are uncertain.
Women’s Doubles is even more uncertain than the men’s, as the top seeds are a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera, who beat Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas in the Mexico Team qualifying event to make it to Worlds. They were also US Open doubles finalists a couple of years back, so they are a strong team, but without the proven record of Longoria and Salas, who have won three Women’s Doubles World Championships. Mexico will have to face the winner of 8th seeds Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador and 9th seeds Frédérique Lambert and Jen Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals, and then likely 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia.
But the favorites to win Women’s Doubles in San José may be the Guatemala team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, as they were runners up to Longoria and Herrera at this year’s Pan American Championships. Also, they were 2nd at the Central American and Caribbean Games last month after losing to Longoria and Salas in a tie-breaker.
To get to the final, Guatemala will probably have to defeat Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina and then one of Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada (Chile) or Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich (USA).
If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)
5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia)
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada)
5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) v. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland)
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile)
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
Monday, August 13, 2018
Singles draws at 2018 IRF World Championships
The medal round in Men’s and Women’s Singles begins Wednesday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. Mexicans and USA players dominate the top 4 seeds in both the women’s and men’s draws.
In Men’s Singles, David Horn is the #1 seed with team-mate Charlie Pratt #3. Mexicans Daniel De La Rosa and Rodrigo Montoya are the #2 and #4 seeds, so there can’t be either all USA or all Mexico match until the final. That is the reward the players have for winning all their Group Stage matches. But there should be plenty of good matches prior to the final, including a potential rematch between Colombian Mario Mercado, seeded 8th, and Canadian Coby Iwaasa, seeded 9th, who met in the Group Stage with Mercado winning by an 11-10 tie-breaker.
In Women’s Singles, Mexican Paola Longoria - the 3 time defending champion, is the #1 seed with her team-mate Samantha Salas #3. Rhonda Rajsich of the USA is 2nd seed with Guatemalan Maria Renee Rodriguez 4th seed. Rodriguez’s seeding gets her a bye in the Round of 32, but she’ll likely have to face Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina in the Round of 16. Vargas is a former #2 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) and won an LPRT event this past season, so it's not the most favourable draw for Rodriguez.
If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) v. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland)
17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE
21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE
29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE
19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
31) Alok Mehta (India) v. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
16) Young Ock Lee (Korea) v. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile)
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela)
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) v. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic)
11) Sheryl Lotts (USA) v. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland)
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)
15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) v. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
In Men’s Singles, David Horn is the #1 seed with team-mate Charlie Pratt #3. Mexicans Daniel De La Rosa and Rodrigo Montoya are the #2 and #4 seeds, so there can’t be either all USA or all Mexico match until the final. That is the reward the players have for winning all their Group Stage matches. But there should be plenty of good matches prior to the final, including a potential rematch between Colombian Mario Mercado, seeded 8th, and Canadian Coby Iwaasa, seeded 9th, who met in the Group Stage with Mercado winning by an 11-10 tie-breaker.
In Women’s Singles, Mexican Paola Longoria - the 3 time defending champion, is the #1 seed with her team-mate Samantha Salas #3. Rhonda Rajsich of the USA is 2nd seed with Guatemalan Maria Renee Rodriguez 4th seed. Rodriguez’s seeding gets her a bye in the Round of 32, but she’ll likely have to face Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina in the Round of 16. Vargas is a former #2 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) and won an LPRT event this past season, so it's not the most favourable draw for Rodriguez.
If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday
1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) v. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland)
17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE
9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE
5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE
21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE
13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE
29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE
19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE
23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE
15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
31) Alok Mehta (India) v. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
16) Young Ock Lee (Korea) v. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile)
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela)
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) v. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic)
11) Sheryl Lotts (USA) v. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland)
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)
15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) v. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
Day 3 at the 2018 World Championships
Monday the Group Stage of play wrapped up at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, and there were few surprises. Indeed across the whole day there was only one tie-breaker, which came in Group D of Women’s Singles, when Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala was pushed to three games by Aisling Hickey of Ireland before winning 11-15, 15-6, 11-7. They were tied at 7-7 in the breaker before Rodriguez was able to finish it off.
There will now be an off day on Tuesday, and then the medal round will be on Wednesday in all divisions. We’ll have those draws for you soon.
You can see some of the Group Stage matches on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-7, 15-4
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-1
Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-13
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Johnny O’keeney (ireland), 15-7, 15-14
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-10
Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-1, 15-1
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-8
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-7, 15-2
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-8, 15-2
Kono Michimune (Japan) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-10, 15-1
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-6
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-3, 15-3
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-4
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-10
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-1, 15-8
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-6, 15-4
Harumi Kajino (Japan) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-2, 15-3
Young Ock Lee (Korea) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-3, 15-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7
Group D
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-5, 15-3
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-15, 15-6, 11-7
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-5
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-1
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-3, 15-7
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-3
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-1
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-4, injury forfeit
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-3, 15-6
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-9, 15-6
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-0, 15-0 - injury forfeit
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-6, 8-1 - injury forfeit
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-2
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-3
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-3
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-6
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 8-15, 11-0
Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-7, 15-4
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Group D
Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-9, 15-12
Follow the bouncing ball....
There will now be an off day on Tuesday, and then the medal round will be on Wednesday in all divisions. We’ll have those draws for you soon.
You can see some of the Group Stage matches on the IRF Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-7, 15-4
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-1
Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-13
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Johnny O’keeney (ireland), 15-7, 15-14
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-10
Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-1, 15-1
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-8
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-7, 15-2
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-8, 15-2
Kono Michimune (Japan) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-10, 15-1
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-6
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-3, 15-3
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-4
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-10
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-1, 15-8
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-6, 15-4
Harumi Kajino (Japan) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-2, 15-3
Young Ock Lee (Korea) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-3, 15-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7
Group D
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-5, 15-3
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-15, 15-6, 11-7
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-5
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-1
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-3, 15-7
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-3
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-1
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-4, injury forfeit
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-3, 15-6
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-9, 15-6
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-0, 15-0 - injury forfeit
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-6, 8-1 - injury forfeit
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-2
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-3
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-3
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-6
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 8-15, 11-0
Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-7, 15-4
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE
Group D
Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-9, 15-12
Follow the bouncing ball....
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Day 2 at 2018 IRF World Championships
Day 2 at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica has been somewhat less dramatic than Day 1. But there have been some close matches. For example, in Group C of Women’s Singles, Chilean Carla Muñoz defeated Bolivian Jenny Daza in a tie-breaker, 15-8, 14-15, 11-5. That win gives Muñoz a chance to win the group when she plays Samantha Salas of Mexico on Monday.
Salas beat Donna Ryder of Ireland, 15-1, 15-4, Sunday, and the winner of Group C will be seeded 3rd in the playoff round, which would mean avoiding three time defending Women’s Singles Champion Paola Longoria, who is Salas’s Mexican team-mate. Longoria had a bye Sunday.
In Group G of Women’s Singles, Natalia Mendez of Argentina is in control after beating Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-8, Sunday. But Dominican Republic’s Merynanyelly Delgado may be able to prevent Mendez from winning the group, as they will play on Monday, and on Sunday Delgado defeated Canadian Jen Saunders, 6-15, 15-12, 11-3.
No surprising results in Men’s Singles, although there were a few tie-breakers. Bolivian Carlos Keller needed three games to beat Chilean Johan Igor, 15-8, 4-15, 11-6, and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador won a close match with Christian Wer of Guatemala, 13-15, 15-13, 11-5. Finally, Ramon De Leon of Dominican Republic defeated Daeyong Kwon of South Korea, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7.
The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-10
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Group B
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 10-15, 15-9, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-1
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-4, 15-5
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-2
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-4, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-3
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-3, 15-4
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-13, 15-11
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-8, 4-15, 11-6
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-4
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-0
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-6
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-4, 15-10
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 13-15, 15-13, 11-5
Women's Singles
Group A
Jin Seok (South Korea) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), injury forfeit - 15-0, 15-0
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 12-15, 11-4
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-1, 15-4
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-8, 14-15, 11-5
Group D
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-11, 15-12
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-5
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-0
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-11
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-0
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-11, 15-4
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-1, 15-8
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 6-15, 15-12, 11-3
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-2, 15-1
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-12, 11-15, 11-4
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-8
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-5, 15-7
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-5, 15-1
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecoador) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 4-15, 15-4, 11-5
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-0
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7
Women's Doubles
Group A
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-7, 15-9
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-8, 15-8
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Group C
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-6
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) - BYE
Group D
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-5, 15-7
Follow the bouncing ball....
Salas beat Donna Ryder of Ireland, 15-1, 15-4, Sunday, and the winner of Group C will be seeded 3rd in the playoff round, which would mean avoiding three time defending Women’s Singles Champion Paola Longoria, who is Salas’s Mexican team-mate. Longoria had a bye Sunday.
In Group G of Women’s Singles, Natalia Mendez of Argentina is in control after beating Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-8, Sunday. But Dominican Republic’s Merynanyelly Delgado may be able to prevent Mendez from winning the group, as they will play on Monday, and on Sunday Delgado defeated Canadian Jen Saunders, 6-15, 15-12, 11-3.
No surprising results in Men’s Singles, although there were a few tie-breakers. Bolivian Carlos Keller needed three games to beat Chilean Johan Igor, 15-8, 4-15, 11-6, and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador won a close match with Christian Wer of Guatemala, 13-15, 15-13, 11-5. Finally, Ramon De Leon of Dominican Republic defeated Daeyong Kwon of South Korea, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7.
The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-10
David Horn (USA) - BYE
Group B
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 10-15, 15-9, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-1
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-4, 15-5
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-2
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-4, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-3
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-3, 15-4
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-13, 15-11
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-8, 4-15, 11-6
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-4
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-0
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-6
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-4, 15-10
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 13-15, 15-13, 11-5
Women's Singles
Group A
Jin Seok (South Korea) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), injury forfeit - 15-0, 15-0
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 12-15, 11-4
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-1, 15-4
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-8, 14-15, 11-5
Group D
Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-11, 15-12
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-5
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-0
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-11
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-0
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-11, 15-4
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-1, 15-8
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 6-15, 15-12, 11-3
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-2, 15-1
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-12, 11-15, 11-4
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-8
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-5, 15-7
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-5, 15-1
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecoador) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 4-15, 15-4, 11-5
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-0
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7
Women's Doubles
Group A
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-7, 15-9
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
Group B
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-8, 15-8
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE
Group C
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-6
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) - BYE
Group D
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-5, 15-7
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Day 1 at 2018 IRF World Championships
Play began at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships on Saturday in San José, Costa Rica, and already there have been some great matches. The best might be Colombian Mario Mercado’s comeback win over Canadian Coby Iwaasa, 11-15, 15-10, 11-10, in Men’s Singles.
One of the anticipated matches in Women’s Singles went to the silver medalist from two years ago, Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who defeated Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-9, 15-6. It was a strange match, as Vargas was up 7-1 in game one, and playing well. Then the tables totally switched, and Martinez won 29 of the next 37 points.
Also of significance, Martinez’s Guatemalan team-mate Maria Rene Rodriguez was a winner over the USA’s Sheryl Lotts, 8-15, 15-6, 11-4. The significance of the win is that Rodriguez can claim the #4 seeding by winning the group, and Lotts was her strongest opponent in the group.
But the Player of the Day was Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, as she caused two upsets in women’s play. First in Women’s Singles, she defeated Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-9, 15-13, which was a surprise, as Lambert is the 2nd ranked player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT). Then in Women’s Doubles, Sabja and Valeria Centellas got the better of Canadians Lambert and Jen Saunders in Women’s Doubles, 12-15, 15-12, 11-8. A good day for Sabja coupled with a bad day for Lambert.
Surprise result in Group B of Men’s Doubles, as Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri defeat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7. The win gives Argentina the advantage in earning the 2nd seed for the playoff round, as that seeding will go to the winner of Group B.
The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-7
Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-3, 15-7
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-9
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-7, 15-3
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-4, 15-1
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-3, 15-4
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-4
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 11-15, 15-10, 11-8
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-2, 15-12
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-6, 151-2
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-9
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-11
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 11-15, 15-10, 11-10
Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-0
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-10
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-3
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-1, 15-3
Jin Seok (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 15-4
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-3, 12-15, 11-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-5, 15-10
Group D
Aisling Hickey (Ireland) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Sheryl Lotts (USA), 8-15, 15-6, 11-4
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-9, 15-13
Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-6
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-9, 15-6
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-5
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-7, 15-3
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-7
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-7
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-7, 15-0
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 10-15, 11-7
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-10, 13-15, 11-4
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-2
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-6
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 7-15, 15-8, 11-6
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-0, 15-11
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-1, 10-15, 11-5
Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-10, 15-4
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group D
Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 12-15, 15-12, 11-8
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1
Follow the bouncing ball....
One of the anticipated matches in Women’s Singles went to the silver medalist from two years ago, Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who defeated Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-9, 15-6. It was a strange match, as Vargas was up 7-1 in game one, and playing well. Then the tables totally switched, and Martinez won 29 of the next 37 points.
Also of significance, Martinez’s Guatemalan team-mate Maria Rene Rodriguez was a winner over the USA’s Sheryl Lotts, 8-15, 15-6, 11-4. The significance of the win is that Rodriguez can claim the #4 seeding by winning the group, and Lotts was her strongest opponent in the group.
But the Player of the Day was Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, as she caused two upsets in women’s play. First in Women’s Singles, she defeated Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-9, 15-13, which was a surprise, as Lambert is the 2nd ranked player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT). Then in Women’s Doubles, Sabja and Valeria Centellas got the better of Canadians Lambert and Jen Saunders in Women’s Doubles, 12-15, 15-12, 11-8. A good day for Sabja coupled with a bad day for Lambert.
Surprise result in Group B of Men’s Doubles, as Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri defeat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7. The win gives Argentina the advantage in earning the 2nd seed for the playoff round, as that seeding will go to the winner of Group B.
The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-7
Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-3, 15-7
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-9
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-7, 15-3
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-4, 15-1
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-3, 15-4
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-4
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 11-15, 15-10, 11-8
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-2, 15-12
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-6, 151-2
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-9
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-11
Group H
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 11-15, 15-10, 11-10
Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-0
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-10
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-3
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-1, 15-3
Jin Seok (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 15-4
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-3, 12-15, 11-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-5, 15-10
Group D
Aisling Hickey (Ireland) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Sheryl Lotts (USA), 8-15, 15-6, 11-4
Group E
Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-9, 15-13
Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-6
Group F
Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-9, 15-6
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-5
Group G
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-7, 15-3
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-7
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-7
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-7, 15-0
Group B
Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 10-15, 11-7
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-10, 13-15, 11-4
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-2
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-6
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 7-15, 15-8, 11-6
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-0, 15-11
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-1, 10-15, 11-5
Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-10, 15-4
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group D
Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 12-15, 15-12, 11-8
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1
Follow the bouncing ball....
Who will be World Champion? - 2018 IRF World Championships Preview
The 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships begin play on Saturday in San José, Costa Rica. Originally, this event was to be held in China, but government complications ended that possibility, so Cali, Colombia was to be host, as it was two years ago. However, the courts used for in 2016 were unexpectedly razed earlier this year, eliminating that as a venue. Thus, the players have convened in Costa Rica.
With more and more players competing on the men’s and women’s pro tours, international players are more familiar to fans, and when you see the entrants below you’ll appreciate how difficult it will to become a 2018 World Champion racquetball player.
Groups of Difficulty, but not Death
The competition begins with three days of group play with the results being used to seed players for a playoff draw. Often in international competitions that involve an initial group stage one group can be identified as a Group of Death, because the players or teams in the group are so strong and some players or teams are going to be eliminated at the group stage.
IRF competitions don’t eliminate players or teams at the group stage (though perhaps they should), but two - maybe three - groups in Women's Singles could be labeled a Group of Difficulty, if not actual Death (elimination). The most difficulty may come in Group F, where there is Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - formerly #2 on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - the silver medalist from the 2016 World Championships and Adriana Riveros (Colombia), who’s 12th on the LPRT, as well as Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica).
But Group G won’t be easy either, as there are two current LPRT top 10 players in Natalia Mendez (Argentina) and Cristina Amaya (Colombia), as well as Canadian veteran Jen Saunders, who is a former LPRT top 10 player and Merynaanyelly Delgado of the Dominican Republic, who was a bronze medalist last month at the Central American and Caribbean Games. Furthermore, Group C doesn’t have any slouches either with Mexican Samantha Salas, Chilean Carla Muñoz, Bolivian Jenny Daza and Ireland’s Donna Ryder.
Yes, it’s going to be difficult to win those groups.
Doubles but not Singles
A couple of things to note about doubles play. One partly involves singles. Rocky Carson of the USA is the 5 time defending World Champion in Men’s Singles, but he’s playing Men’s Doubles not Men’s Singles, so his streak of championships will come to an end. However, Carson is partnered with Sudsy Monchik, a 4 time US Open Champion and legend of the sport, and with a partner like that, you can understand why Carson chose doubles over singles.
Monchik will be playing for the USA for only the second time. He first did so over 20 years ago at the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina, where he won Men’s Doubles with Tim Sweeney. If he and Carson win Men's Doubles this year, Carson will become the third man to capture both Men’s Singles and Doubles titles after Todd O’Neill (USA) and Alvaro Beltran (Mexico).
In a similarly strange move, Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador are in Women’s Doubles, but neither is playing singles. Indeed, no Ecuador woman is entered in singles, which is odd. Sotomayor, who is married to Monchik, recently had her first child, so it’s understandable she wouldn’t want to play two divisions, but why Muñoz - or any other Ecuador women - isn’t in singles is unclear.
We expect there will be live streaming of matches from San José, but it’s uncertain when that will begin, as the IRF hasn’t made any announcements about it on their Facebook page or Twitter. Check the IRF website for updates.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) v. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic)
Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea)
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica)
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) v. Jonny O’keeney (ireland)
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan)
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland)
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica)
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) v. Mark Murphy (Ireland)
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Kono Michimune (Japan)
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) v. Sumeet Kamat (India)
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Christian Chavez (Ecuador)
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) v. Johan Igor (Chile)
Group H
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) v. Mario Mercado (Colombia)
Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) v. Yash Doshi (India)
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) v. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Harumi Kajino (Japan)
Jin Seok (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Young Ock Lee (Korea)
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Donna Ryder (Ireland)
Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Group D
Lilian Zea (Venezuela) v. Aisling Hickey (Ireland)
Sheryl Lotts (USA) v. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Group E
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Josefa Parada (Chile) v. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic)
Group F
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) v. Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
Group G
Jen Saunders (Canada) v. Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) v. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Group B
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecoador)
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) v. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
Alejandra Jiménez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) v. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group D
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland)
Follow the bouncing ball....
With more and more players competing on the men’s and women’s pro tours, international players are more familiar to fans, and when you see the entrants below you’ll appreciate how difficult it will to become a 2018 World Champion racquetball player.
Groups of Difficulty, but not Death
The competition begins with three days of group play with the results being used to seed players for a playoff draw. Often in international competitions that involve an initial group stage one group can be identified as a Group of Death, because the players or teams in the group are so strong and some players or teams are going to be eliminated at the group stage.
IRF competitions don’t eliminate players or teams at the group stage (though perhaps they should), but two - maybe three - groups in Women's Singles could be labeled a Group of Difficulty, if not actual Death (elimination). The most difficulty may come in Group F, where there is Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - formerly #2 on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - the silver medalist from the 2016 World Championships and Adriana Riveros (Colombia), who’s 12th on the LPRT, as well as Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica).
But Group G won’t be easy either, as there are two current LPRT top 10 players in Natalia Mendez (Argentina) and Cristina Amaya (Colombia), as well as Canadian veteran Jen Saunders, who is a former LPRT top 10 player and Merynaanyelly Delgado of the Dominican Republic, who was a bronze medalist last month at the Central American and Caribbean Games. Furthermore, Group C doesn’t have any slouches either with Mexican Samantha Salas, Chilean Carla Muñoz, Bolivian Jenny Daza and Ireland’s Donna Ryder.
Yes, it’s going to be difficult to win those groups.
Doubles but not Singles
A couple of things to note about doubles play. One partly involves singles. Rocky Carson of the USA is the 5 time defending World Champion in Men’s Singles, but he’s playing Men’s Doubles not Men’s Singles, so his streak of championships will come to an end. However, Carson is partnered with Sudsy Monchik, a 4 time US Open Champion and legend of the sport, and with a partner like that, you can understand why Carson chose doubles over singles.
Monchik will be playing for the USA for only the second time. He first did so over 20 years ago at the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina, where he won Men’s Doubles with Tim Sweeney. If he and Carson win Men's Doubles this year, Carson will become the third man to capture both Men’s Singles and Doubles titles after Todd O’Neill (USA) and Alvaro Beltran (Mexico).
In a similarly strange move, Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador are in Women’s Doubles, but neither is playing singles. Indeed, no Ecuador woman is entered in singles, which is odd. Sotomayor, who is married to Monchik, recently had her first child, so it’s understandable she wouldn’t want to play two divisions, but why Muñoz - or any other Ecuador women - isn’t in singles is unclear.
We expect there will be live streaming of matches from San José, but it’s uncertain when that will begin, as the IRF hasn’t made any announcements about it on their Facebook page or Twitter. Check the IRF website for updates.
18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica
Men's Singles
Group A
David Horn (USA) v. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic)
Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea)
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group C
Charlie Pratt (USA) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica)
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) v. Jonny O’keeney (ireland)
Group D
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan)
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland)
Group E
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica)
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) v. Mark Murphy (Ireland)
Group F
Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Kono Michimune (Japan)
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) v. Sumeet Kamat (India)
Group G
Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Christian Chavez (Ecuador)
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) v. Johan Igor (Chile)
Group H
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) v. Mario Mercado (Colombia)
Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) v. Yash Doshi (India)
Group I
Sebastian Franco (Colombia) v. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Women's Singles
Group A
Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Harumi Kajino (Japan)
Jin Seok (South Korea) - BYE
Group B
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Young Ock Lee (Korea)
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE
Group C
Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Donna Ryder (Ireland)
Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Jenny Daza (Bolivia)
Group D
Lilian Zea (Venezuela) v. Aisling Hickey (Ireland)
Sheryl Lotts (USA) v. Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Group E
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Josefa Parada (Chile) v. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic)
Group F
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) v. Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
Group G
Jen Saunders (Canada) v. Natalia Mendez (Argentina)
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
Men's Doubles
Group A
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) v. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)
Group B
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Group C
Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecoador)
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) v. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)
Group D
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
Women's Doubles
Group A
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
Alejandra Jiménez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Group B
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) - BYE
Group C
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) v. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Group D
Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland)
Follow the bouncing ball....
Saturday, August 4, 2018
USA Racquetball upheaval
There has been upheaval at USA Racquetball, (USAR) which has led to the dismissal of their Executive Director Jason Thoerner. The cause of the upheaval is unclear, as parties are unwilling to discuss the matter, but the recently created U.S. Center for SafeSport was involved, and it was reported in USA Today. What's going on?
SafeSport’s Mission “is to make athlete well-being the centerpiece of our nation’s [the USA’s] sports culture. All athletes deserve to participate in sports free from bullying, hazing, sexual misconduct or any form of emotional or physical abuse.” No one would argue against that mission, and athlete abuse is serious business. Thus, if SafeSport is involved in this USAR situation, it’s not good news.
Yet the SafeSport spokesperson quoted in the USA Today piece on this matter suggests it wasn’t an abusive situation, but rather about adopting “proactive policies that … set standards for professional boundaries, minimize the appearance of impropriety and have the effect of preventing boundary violations and prohibiting grooming tactics.” Not good, but again it’s unclear what exactly we are talking about, and why it cost Thoerner his job.
Thoerner is a racquetball lifer, so he’s well known in the sport. He was an elite player - a World Champion in Men’s Doubles - and top 10 player on the International Racquetball Tour. After retiring as a player, he worked in the industry for Head / Penn, and later became USAR President. In an unusual move, Thoerner was hired as USAR Executive Director from the President’s position.
Thus, if Thoerner had ever acted inappropriately or even if there was a suspicion of him acting inappropriately, shouldn't someone have known about it, and that knowledge prevented him from getting involved in the USAR in the first place? In our experience he has always been reasonable and helpful with The Racquetball Blog. It was good news when he became involved on the USAR Board, and although it’s unusual to go from a volunteer position to a staff position, it seemed like good decision to put someone as sensible as Thoerner appears to be in the role of Executive Director.
So, we’re left wondering whether the matter in question was really something that SafeSport should have been involved in. That is, if an abusive situation isn’t going on, and based on SafeSport’s statement it appears not to be, then should the matter have been brought to SafeSport at all? Now, SafeSport would likely say that such an omission would be an example of the behavior they are trying to quash.
But when there is conflict between two parties, it is best to solve it at that level of conflict before appealing to higher powers. If your brother has taken some of your candy, try to work it out with him before going to your parents for help. And certainly don’t call the police to report your brother for candy theft unless you are looking to escalate the consequences for him, because once the police are involved, things will get serious and you won't be able to control what happens. Of course, if your brother stole millions of dollars from you, then a call to the police could be in order sooner than later.
Thus, we wonder if this is a tempest in a teapot that once brought to SafeSport’s attention demanded that someone take the fall for it. Hence, Thoerner’s dismissal.
Although much is unclear in this matter, it does seem clear that Nick Irvine is involved somehow, as he was also dismissed following Thoerner, although Irvine has not been accused of anything by SafeSport. He is appealing for wrongful dismissal.
Also, it’s clear to us that this is not over. USAR will have to deal with its repercussions for months to come, including the hiring of a new Executive Director, the defense of their decision to dismiss Irvine - and perhaps Thoerner if he files suit against USAR - as well as generally fielding questions regarding this matter, and potential impact on USAR sponsorship. That will take considerable time and energy.
Finally, it’s also clear that USAR is not a big organization, so the resources and energy needed to deal with this situation will tax it severely. As the National Governing Body (NGB) for racquetball in the USA, where racquetball has been treading water for sometime now but wants to move forward, it won’t be helpful for USAR to be putting as much time and resources into this matter as are going to be required to see it through.
But they won’t have a choice.
Follow the bouncing ball….
SafeSport’s Mission “is to make athlete well-being the centerpiece of our nation’s [the USA’s] sports culture. All athletes deserve to participate in sports free from bullying, hazing, sexual misconduct or any form of emotional or physical abuse.” No one would argue against that mission, and athlete abuse is serious business. Thus, if SafeSport is involved in this USAR situation, it’s not good news.
Yet the SafeSport spokesperson quoted in the USA Today piece on this matter suggests it wasn’t an abusive situation, but rather about adopting “proactive policies that … set standards for professional boundaries, minimize the appearance of impropriety and have the effect of preventing boundary violations and prohibiting grooming tactics.” Not good, but again it’s unclear what exactly we are talking about, and why it cost Thoerner his job.
Thoerner is a racquetball lifer, so he’s well known in the sport. He was an elite player - a World Champion in Men’s Doubles - and top 10 player on the International Racquetball Tour. After retiring as a player, he worked in the industry for Head / Penn, and later became USAR President. In an unusual move, Thoerner was hired as USAR Executive Director from the President’s position.
Thus, if Thoerner had ever acted inappropriately or even if there was a suspicion of him acting inappropriately, shouldn't someone have known about it, and that knowledge prevented him from getting involved in the USAR in the first place? In our experience he has always been reasonable and helpful with The Racquetball Blog. It was good news when he became involved on the USAR Board, and although it’s unusual to go from a volunteer position to a staff position, it seemed like good decision to put someone as sensible as Thoerner appears to be in the role of Executive Director.
So, we’re left wondering whether the matter in question was really something that SafeSport should have been involved in. That is, if an abusive situation isn’t going on, and based on SafeSport’s statement it appears not to be, then should the matter have been brought to SafeSport at all? Now, SafeSport would likely say that such an omission would be an example of the behavior they are trying to quash.
But when there is conflict between two parties, it is best to solve it at that level of conflict before appealing to higher powers. If your brother has taken some of your candy, try to work it out with him before going to your parents for help. And certainly don’t call the police to report your brother for candy theft unless you are looking to escalate the consequences for him, because once the police are involved, things will get serious and you won't be able to control what happens. Of course, if your brother stole millions of dollars from you, then a call to the police could be in order sooner than later.
Thus, we wonder if this is a tempest in a teapot that once brought to SafeSport’s attention demanded that someone take the fall for it. Hence, Thoerner’s dismissal.
Although much is unclear in this matter, it does seem clear that Nick Irvine is involved somehow, as he was also dismissed following Thoerner, although Irvine has not been accused of anything by SafeSport. He is appealing for wrongful dismissal.
Also, it’s clear to us that this is not over. USAR will have to deal with its repercussions for months to come, including the hiring of a new Executive Director, the defense of their decision to dismiss Irvine - and perhaps Thoerner if he files suit against USAR - as well as generally fielding questions regarding this matter, and potential impact on USAR sponsorship. That will take considerable time and energy.
Finally, it’s also clear that USAR is not a big organization, so the resources and energy needed to deal with this situation will tax it severely. As the National Governing Body (NGB) for racquetball in the USA, where racquetball has been treading water for sometime now but wants to move forward, it won’t be helpful for USAR to be putting as much time and resources into this matter as are going to be required to see it through.
But they won’t have a choice.
Follow the bouncing ball….
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