IRT & LPRT Rankings & Martinez announcement

Kane Waselenchuk’s win in Lombard, Illinois on the weekend solidified him at the top of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) rankings. Rocky Carson - runner up on the weekend - remains the #2 IRT player. But Alejandro Landa has moved up a spot, as he’s now #3 with Daniel De La Rosa dropping to #4. Alvaro Beltran rounds out the top 5.

Andree Parrilla, who was the defending champion in Lombard, sits at 6th. Samuel Murray is 7th with Sebastian Franco 8th, Jose Diaz 9th and Mario Mercado 10th.

Over the top 10 there are four Mexicans, two Canadians, two Colombians and two USA players. In the next 10, the USA dominates with 7 players (Jansen Allen, 12th, David Horn, 13th, Jake Bredenbeck 14th, Adam Manilla 15th, Charles Pratt 16th, Thomas Carter 17th, Robert Collins 20th), as well as two Mexicans (Rodrigo Montoya - 11th; Gerardo Franco - 19th) and one Costa Rican (Felipe Camacho - 18th).

The IRT is living up to its name.

Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour

Paola Longoria leads the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) rankings with her Mexican compatriots Samantha Salas 2nd and Alexandra Herrera 3rd. Those are the only three players who have been in a final this season with Longoria winning each one: four times against Salas and twice versus Herrera.

The other seven players in the top 10 come from six different countries. Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina is 4th and her team-mate Natalia Mendez is 7th. The USA’s Rhonda Rajsich is 5th, and Mexico’s Nancy Enriquez 6th. Canadian Frédérique Lambert is 8th, Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez is 9th and Colombia Adriana Riveros is 10th.

Shocker!

But the big news on the women’s racquetball front is that Gabriela Martinez, who is the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Women’s Singles World Champion, announced her retirement via Facebook on Tuesday. .

Martinez, 19, indicated that she is going to be concentrating on her studies for now, although she seems to leave the door open to playing more in the future. Regardless, it’s an astonishing announcement from one of the most promising young athletes in racquetball.

This isn’t without precedent, as Christie Huczek - then Christie Van Hees - also retired early in her career, and after having won the IRF World Championship. But Huczek came back after a couple of years to compete again, and won another World Championship as well as two more US Open titles; she won one prior to retiring.

So, let’s hope something similar happens with Martinez. That this is merely a sabbatical, not a retirement.

Coming up

The next big event on the racquetball calendar is the Bolivia American Iris Open in Cochabamba, Bolivia, March 27-31. The Bolivia Open is a true Grand Slam event, as it’s both an IRT and an LPRT event.

International Racquetball Tour Rankings - Monday March 18, 2019

Rank - Player - Points

1) Kane Waselenchuk (Canada) - 2,860.98
2) Rocky Carson (USA) - 2,328.19
3) Alejandro Landa (Mexico) - 1,756.17
4) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - 1,592.00
5) Alvaro Beltran (Mexico) - 1,406.00

6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - 1,302.02
7) Samuel Murray (Canada) - 1,264.00
8) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - 1,214.01
9) Jose Diaz (USA) - 1,114.00
10) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - 953.02

11) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - 834.02
12) Jansen Allen (USA) - 784.01
13) David Horn (USA) - 775.03
14) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 696.02
15) Adam Manilla (USA) - 605.02

16) Charles Pratt (USA) - 583.02
17) Thomas Carter (USA) - 528.03
18) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - 521.05
19) Gerardo Franco (Mexico) - 486.03
20) Robert Collins (USA) - 401.06

Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour Rankings - Monday Mar 18, 2019

Rank - Player - Points

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - 1,870.00
2) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - 1,186.00
3) Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - 600.00
4) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - 522.25
5) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 483.00

6) Nancy Enriquez (Mexico) - 427.25
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - 421.50
8) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - 415.50
9) Gabriella Martinez (Guatemala) - 386.50
10) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) - 284.50

11) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - 263.50
12) Adrienne Fisher (USA) - 181.25
13) Casandra Lee (USA) - 176.25
14) Carla Muñoz (Chile) - 169.75
15) Ana Laura Flores (Mexico) - 167.50

16) Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) - 162.00
17) Masiel Rivera (Colombia) - 161.25
17) Sheryl Lotts (USA) - 161.25
19) Michelle De La Rosa (USA) - 133.25
20) Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - 131.75

Follow the bouncing ball….