Racquetball will be at Santiago 2023

As we come to the end of 2020, we have some good news! Santiago 2023 announced the list of sports to be played at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, and racquetball … is … IN!

We understand that a new racquetball / squash facility will be built for the games. We’re not sure if that will be a temporary (as it was in Toronto in 2015) or permanent facility (as it was in Santo Dominigo 2003).

Nevertheless, it’s great news for racquetball. The rise of racquetball in the Americas has been helped by inclusion in multi-sport games, such as the Pan Am Games, as that puts racquetball on the radar for a nation’s sport governing body. Nations want to win medals at these games, so they want to support athletes in the respective sports.

The Pan Am Games is the largest multisport event outside of the Olympics, so being a part of them is great. And it’s especially great from an athlete’s perspective, because the athletes are part of a greater team. They are not just on a national racquetball team, but on a national team with athletes from all sports. It’s a big deal.

Happily, racquetball will part of that deal, and that’s good news.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria wins singles, Centellas & Mendez doubles, at LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Paola Longoria broke Angelica Barrios’s glass slipper Sunday, as the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour’s (LPRT’s) #1 player beat the young up and comer in two straight games, 15-5, 15-8, in the final of the LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. The win was Longoria’s 100th LPRT Tier 1 or Grand Slam title, while Barrios was playing in her 1st LPRT final. We trust it won’t be her last.

Longoria had a chance to win singles and doubles, as she and Samantha Salas were in the doubles final, but they were upset by the young team of Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez, 15-14, 3-15, 11-2.

Barrios made a good showing, despite the scores being a bit lopsided. They were back and forth early in game one, and Barrios actually led 5-2. Longoria got the serve back at that point, and called a timeout.

When play resumed, Longoria scored six unanswered points to go up 8-5, so Barrios called a timeout. But that merely delayed Longoria; it didn’t stop her, as she got five points on as many rallies to lead 13-5. Although they did go back and forth from there, the game outcome was inevitable at that point, with Longoria eventually winning it with a forehand pinch shot from the middle of the court.

Game two was similar, as they were close early, and Barrios had a lead at 5-3. Longoria tied it at 5-5, yet Barrios again led 8-5. Just when you might be thinking “hmm, maybe Barrios can force a tie-breaker,” Longoria calls a timeout.

After the timeout, Longoria gets a sideout, and then five straight points to lead 10-8. Barrios calls a timeout. Yet Barrios was only able to score one more point from there, as Longoria pushed on for the win in two straight games.

Doubles final

In the doubles final, the teams were back and forth in game one. Longoria and Salas were up 4-1, 6-3 and 8-5. Then Centellas and Mendez tied it at 8-8, and went ahead 12-8, and 14-9.

But Centellas skipped a shot on their first game point, which might have been a bit of nerves as the error seemed unforced. The veterans took advantage of Centellas’s error by scoring three points in a row to make the score 14-12.

Centellas and Mendez called a timeout, but that didn’t stop Longoria and Salas, who scored two more points to tie the game 14-14, as Centellas skipped another shot. But she made good on the next rally with a winning cross court forehand that put her side back in the service box. Centellas backed that up with a winner on the right side with Salas trapped on the right wall.

Longoria and Salas did what you expect of 3 time former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Women’s Doubles World Champions: they jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and maintained that lead to win 15-3, forcing a tie-breaker.

In game two, Centellas and Mendez had chances, as they served 19 times, but only won three points. Late in the game with the score 10-2, they tried switching sides, moving Mendez from left to right and Centellas the other way. But to no avail.

Thus, momentum was all with Longoria and Salas going into the breaker. The first rally of game three was strange in that the ball went down the right wall, and Salas moved to play it, but held up as Centellas was close by. Then the ball hit Centellas in the foot.

The referee called a point for Salas and Longoria, as she judged there to be no hinder on the play and that the ball hadn’t bounced twice before hitting Centellas. If a hinder had occurred prior to the ball hitting Centellas, then that contact shouldn’t have mattered. But so it goes.

Centellas and Mendez won the next rally, and then put together five straight points in as many rallies with some great shots. They were hot! Longoria and Salas tried to cool off their opponents by calling a timeout. But Centellas and Mendez scored two more points before yielding the serve.

Thus, Longoria and Salas found themselves down 7-1 when they got to serve a second time. They scored one point, but then were sided out. Centellas and Mendez scored two more points, making it 9-2, so Longoria and Salas called their second timeout.

When play resumed, a long rally ensued that ended when Longoria skipped a forehand shot. 10-2. Centellas and Mendez won the game and match on the next rally, when Longoria was forced into skipping another forehand.

It’s the first LPRT win for Centellas, and the 3rd for Mendez, who had previous wins with Alexandra Herrera and Maria Jose Vargas. But she hadn’t beaten Longoria and Salas in either win, so it’s her first victory over them.

If you want to watch some of the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam action from Overland Park - and DO want to see that doubles final! - check out the LPRT YouTube channel.

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
  

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria d. 23) Angelica Barrios, 15-5, 15-9 


Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas, 15-14, 3-15, 11-2

Follow the bouncing ball….

Barrios reaches an LPRT final for 1st time at 2020 TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Angelica Barrios has done it again. She knocked off another top seed at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas Saturday. LPRT #3 Alexandra Herrera was the victim this time, as Barrios defeated Herrera in two close games, 15-14, 15-10, putting herself in an LPRT final for the first time.

Barrios will face Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, in the final, as Longoria beat Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7, in the other semi-final.

The start of the Barrios’s match was delayed, as she was playing an Open division match, which she won in a tie-breaker. One wondered if that match might impact on Barrios’s LPRT semi, and early on it seemed like it did as Herrera took leads of 5-0 and 9-4.

However, Barrios keep at it, tying the game at 9-9, and then going ahead 12-9. But Herrera wasn’t going to go quietly, and she came back to tie the game at 12-12 and then take a one point lead at 13-12, even though Barrios had called a timeout at 12-12.

They were back and forth from there. Five sideouts, and then Barrios got a point to tie it 13-13. She hit a backahand reverse pinch that was flat for her 14th point. But Herrera hit a backhand cross court winner to fend off Barrios’s first game point. Herrera then forced a skip from Barrios to tie the game at 14-14.

Five sideouts went by with Herrera serving for the game thrice and Barrios twice before Barrios forced an error from Herrera with a drive serve to the right side - the lefthanded Herrera’s backhand side - that Herrera skipped on the return.

Game two had a similar storyline. Herrera was up early, though not as much. They were tied 2-2, and close at 4-3. But Herrera took a 7-3 lead and it looked like a tie-breaker would be necessary.

But after a timeout by Barrios, when trailing 8-4, she got a sideout and then four points on consecutive rallies to tie the score 8-8. Herrera called timeout. A few sideouts and a couple of points scored, and they were at 10-10.

Barrios took over from there, winning six of the last seven rallies of the game, earning five points to win it 15-10. Herrera seemed to sag late in the game, as there had been several long rallies and Barrios’s shots were moving Herrera back and forth as well as left and right on the court. The winner came on a half shot forehand to the front right corner that earlier in the match Herrera would have tried to get to and maybe done so successfully. But at the end, she didn’t even move for it.

In the other semi-final, Longoria showed exactly why she is the LPRT’s #1 player, as she had little trouble defeating Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7. Martinez was seeded 21st, but she is the reigning Women’s Singles World Champion, winning the title by defeating Longoria in the final at the 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships. Longoria may have extra motivation when playing Martinez because of that.

Longoria is also in the doubles final, although she and SSamantha Salas needed a tie-breaker to get past Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, winning 11-15, 15-12, 11-8. In the final, they’ll face the new team of Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez who were straight game winners over Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-4.

You can watch the 2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
  

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 21) Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7
23) Angelica Barrios d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 15-14, 15-10

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 1 PM

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia, 11-15, 15-12, 11-8


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-4 


Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez - 2 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Quarterfinals at 2020 LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Another day, another young player making causing upsets at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. Saturday morning it was Angelica Barrios upsetting LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas, 1-15, 15-8, 11-10. Yes, Barrios lost game one 15-1, yet won the match. The win puts her into her second ever semi-final later today. Barrios was in the semis at the Bolivia American Iris Open in March of last year.

Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, seems to be in form despite no LPRT matches (indoors) in 10 months, as she beat LPRT #8 Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-1. But Longoria could have a stiff test in her the semi-finals, when she’ll play Gabriela Martinez, who needed a tie-breaker to defeat Holly Scott, 15-, -15, 11-1.

Barrios never seemed in game one against Vargas, who was on fire. But the tables flipped in game two, as Barrios took a 9-1 lead. Vargas did fight back, and got within two at 9-7. However, Barrios held her nerve and closed out game two, 15-8.

Generally, when there are too two blow outs, the tie-breaker is close, and so it was with Barrios and Vargas. The difference was never more than three, and they were tied at 3-3 and 5-5.

Barrios then got up 8-5, and looked like she was going to complete the comeback. However, the veteran Vargas dug in and scored five straight points to lead 10-8. In that streak, Barrios made a few errors by skipping shots.

But Barrios hit a winning backhand return off a lob serve on Vargas’s match point, which put her back in the service box. She then got two points as Vargas was called for avoidable (or penalty) hinders, and those did seem to the correct calls, as Vargas hit shots that came back to herself and Barrios was there to hit the ball.

On her match point, Barrios hit a lob serve to Vargas’s backhand, which was the serve that had been successful for her throughout the match. On the ensuing rally, Barrios hit a forehand cross court that came out of the back left corner, and Vargas was in position to hit it, but missed the ball. Point, game and match to Barrios.

You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The quarterfinals continue Saturday at noon. The Doubles quarters are at 1 and 2 PM Saturday. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
 

Quarterfinals - Saturday


1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-1
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 20) Hollie Scott, 15-4, 12-15, 11-1

 

3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 15-9, 15-14
23) Angelica Barrios d. 2) Maria Jose Vargas, 1-15, 15-8, 11-10

 

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 6 PM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 5 PM 


Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera, 15-6, 15-11


4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera, 12-15, 15-9, 11-4


6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz, 15-11, 15-8


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-8

 

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - 7 PM


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM

 

Follow the bouncing ball….

Scott into the quarters at the LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Hollie Scott caused the biggest upset in the Round of 16 at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas on Friday, as she knocked off 4th seed Samantha Salas, 11-15, 15-11, 11-7, to advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday. In the quarters, she’ll play another young player in Gabriela Martinez, who upset veteran 5th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-10. Scott and Martinez are two players in their early twenties, so their match on Saturday may be a sign of a rivalry that will play out over the coming decade.

But in the present there is LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who handily won her match in the 16s against 16th seed Masiel Rivera, 15-3, 15-1. Longoria will play 8th seed Jessica Parrilla in the quarters Saturday, as Parrilla squeaked by 9h seed Carla Muñoz, 10-15, 15-13, 11-10. 



The other half of the draw needed three tie-breakers to determine the quarterfinalists. That included 2nd seed Maria Jose Vargas, who went the distance with Montserrat Mejia, winning 15-12, 14-15, 11-4. That win puts Vargas up against Angelica Barrios, who is the reigning International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships in Girl’s U18, and Friday defeated Valeria Centellas, 6-15, 15-12, 11-5, in what was a rematch that of that 2019 final. 



Finally, Alexandra Herrera will play Natalia Mendez in the quarters, as Herrera outlasted Maria Renee Rodriguez, 12-15, 15-11, 11-2, and Mendez defeated Nancy Enriquez, 15-12, 15-3, in the Round of 16.



You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The quarterfinals begins Saturday at 11 AM. The Doubles quarters are at 1 and 2 PM Saturday. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 


2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020


Overland Park, Kansas

Round of 16 - Friday


1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Masiel Rivera, 15-3, 15-1
8) Jessica Parrilla d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 10-15, 15-13, 11-10
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 5) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-10

20) Hollie Scott d. 4) Samantha Salas, 11-15, 15-11, 11-7
  

3) Alexandra Herrera d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 12-15, 15-11, 11-2


6) Natalia Mendez d. 11) Nancy Enriquez, 15-12, 15-3
23) Angelica Barrios d. 7) Valeria Centellas, 6-15, 15-12, 11-5


2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 15) Montserrat Mejia, 15-12, 14-15, 11-4
 

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Jessica Parrilla - Noon
20) Hollie Scott v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - Noon  

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Natalia Mendez - 11 AM 


2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 11 AM
 

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera  - 2 PM
4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 2 PM

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 1 PM
2) Valeria Centellas &Natalia Mendez v. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Round of 32 at TeamRoot.com LPRT Super Max Slam

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam is underway in Overland Park, Kansas, and already there’s been an 11-10 tie-breaker, as Nancy Enriquez barely held off Micaela Meneses, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10, in the Round of 32. Enriquez will face Natalia Mendez in the Round of 16, as Mendez beat Jessica Chen, 15-5, 15-4. 

LPRT #1 Paola Longoria won her match in the 32s against Lucia Gonzalez, but the  scores were respectable for Gonzalez, as Longoria won 15-10, 15-11. Longoria faces Masiel Rivera in the 16s tonight, as Masiel won a close match with Erin Rivera (no relation), 15-10, 15-13.

A word about the tournament: it’s a “Super Max Slam,” because the total purse is $60,000 with the payouts beginning in the Round of 16. Thus, each match in the Round of 32 was worth a little over a $1000 with the loser taking home nothing.

Other Round of 32 results of note. Hollie Scott won a battle of two young American players, as she defeated Sheryl Lotts, 15-3, 15-9, and will play Samantha Salas in the 16s. Salas beat Shane Diaz, 15-7, 15-2.

Also, Gabriela Martinez defeated Adriana Riveros, 15-7, 15-8, to set up a showdown with US veteran Rhonda Rajsich, who was a winner over Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-12.

There will be a replay of the Girl’s U18 final from the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships in the Round of 16, when Valeria Centellas takes on Angelica Barrios. In the 32s, Centellas beat Annie Roberts, 15-4, 15-4, while Barrios, who won that U18 final, defeated veteran Cristina Amaya, 15-10, 15-7.

<p>You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The Round of 16 begins Friday at 4 PM. Doubles began at 1 PM Friday with the Round of 16 followed by the quarterfinals at 1 and 2 PM Saturday afternoon. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central.

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020
Overland Park, Kansas
 

Round of 64 - Friday 

32) Lucia Gonzalez d. 33) Naomi Ros, 15-5, 15-0
 

Round of 32 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria d. 32) Lucia Gonzalez, 15-10, 15-11

16) Masiel Rivera d. 17) Erin Rivera, 15-10, 15-13
 

9) Carla Muñoz d. 24) Megan Shelton, 15-2, 15-1 

8) Jessica Parrilla d. 25) Maria Riquelme, 15-4, 15-6

5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 28) Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-12
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 12) Adriana Riveros, 15-7, 15-8
 

20) Hollie Scott d. 13) Sheryl Lotts, 15-3, 15-9

4) Samantha Salas d. 29) Shane Diaz, 15-7, 15-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 30) Daniela Rico, 15-12, 15-6 

14) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 19) Adrienna Haynes, 15-5, 15-3

11) Nancy Enriquez d. 22) Micaela Meneses, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10

6) Natalia Mendez d. 27) Jessica Chen, 15-5, 15-4
7) Valeria Centellas d. 26) Annie Roberts, 15-4, 15-4
23) Angelica Barrios d. 10) Cristina Amaya, 15-10, 15-7
 

15) Montserrat Mejia d. 18) Brenda Laime, 15-6, 15-11
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 31) Katie Neils, 15-3, 15-2
 

Round of 16 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria v. 16) Masiel Rivera - 7 PM

8) Jessica Parrilla v. 9) Carla Muñoz - 7 PM
 

5) Rhonda Rajsich v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 4 PM
4) Samantha Salas v. <p>20) Hollie Scott - 4 PM
 

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 5 PM
6) Natalia Mendez v. 11) Nancy Enriquez - 5 PM
 

7) Valeria Centellas v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 6 PM
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 15) Montserrat Mejia - 6 PM
 

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera d. 9) Katie Neils & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-7, 15-14

5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera v. 12) Jessica Chen & Megan Shelton, 15-4, 15-3


4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 13) Daniela Rico & Maria Riquelme, 15-7, 15-1

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz d. 14) Annie Roberts & Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-2

6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez  v. 11) Lucia Gonzalez & Hollie Scott, 15-5, 15-9
 

7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 10) Angelica Barrios & Micaela Meneses , 15-9, 15-12
2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 15) Shane Diaz & Naomi Ros, 15-5, 15-3

 

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 8) Brenda Laime &amp; Masiel Rivera - 2 PM
4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 2 PM

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 1 PM
2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 1 PM



Follow the bouncing ball….

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

RACQUETBALL IS BACK! It’s been 9 months since a major indoor tournament, but this weekend the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is playing the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. There are 33 players in the draw, including the top 11 players and 21 of the top 26. Leading the way is LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who could get her 100th Tier 1/Grand Slam LPRT win this weekend.

Thirty two players will be trying to prevent Longoria winning, and those with the best chance of doing so are LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas, #3 Alexandra Herrera and #4 Samantha Salas, although Salas will likely have to defeat either current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion Gabriela Martinez or veteran - and two time former IRF Champion - Rhonda Rajsich in the quarterfinals to get a shot at Longoria in the semi-finals. 

However, Longoria has only lost twice on tour since April 2018. That’s when she lost to Salas in San Antonio, and she also lost to Vargas in Chesapeake, Virginia in September of last year. Those are her only losses in the last 5 LPRT seasons, during which she had a record of 44-2. 

We don’t expect her to lose in Kansas. 

They are also playing doubles in Kansas, but there are two players who curiously aren’t. Neither Vargas nor Sheryl Lotts are in the doubles draw. Vargas has played with Natalia Mendez for the past few seasons, but Valeria Centellas, who won the Women’s Doubles at the most recent IRF World Championships (with Yazmine Sabja) is playing with Mendez this weekend. Centellas, who is still a junior, has moved to Argentina and will be playing for them, rather than her native Bolivia, so the plan is likely for her and Mendez to play doubles at next year’s World Championships. 

Lotts has often partnered with Rajsich in recent years, but not this weekend. We wonder if Vargas and Lotts knew they each didn’t have doubles partners, as a Vargas & Lotts team would be a decent one. One we think would win at least one match and maybe more. 

Nevertheless, doubles will be interesting, even with Longoria and Salas as the top seeds and heavy favourites. But we want to see how Centellas and Mendez play together, and there are other high quality teams teams, including Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, who have beat Longoria and Salas in the final of the 2019 US Open, as well as Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, and Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros. 

There’s been little racquetball action of note over the last several months, so it will be great to see some this weekend. 

You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The first match of the tournament is 8 AM Friday, with the Round of 32 beginning Friday at 9 AM. Doubles begins at 1 PM Friday with the Round of 16 followed by the quarterfinals at 1 and 2 PM Saturday afternoon. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020 

Overland Park, Kansas 

Round of 64 - Friday 

32) Lucia Gonzalez v. 33) Naomi Ros - 8 AM  

Round of 32 - Friday 

1) Paola Longoria v. 32) Lucia Gonzalez or 33) Naomi Ros - Noon

16) Masiel Rivera v. 17) Erin Rivera - Noon 

9) Carla Muñoz v. 24) Megan Shelton - Noon 

8) Jessica Parrilla v. 25) Maria Riquelme - Noon 

 5) Rhonda Rajsich v. 28) Erin Slutzky - 9 AM 

12) Adriana Riveros v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 9 AM 

13) Sheryl Lotts v. 20) Hollie Scott - 9 AM 

4) Samantha Salas v. 29) Shane Diaz - 9 AM 

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 30) Daniela Rico - 10 AM 

14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Adrienna Haynes - 10 AM 

11) Nancy Enriquez v. 22) Micaela Meneses - 10 AM 

6) Natalia Mendez v. 27) Jessica Chen - 10 AM 

7) Valeria Centellas v. 26) Annie Roberts - 11 AM 

10) Cristina Amaya v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 11 AM 

15) Montserrat Mejia v. 18) Brenda Laime - 11 AM 

2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 31) Katie Neils - 11 AM  

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE 

8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera v. 9) Katie Neils & Rhonda Rajsich - 2 PM

5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera v. 12) Jessica Chen & Megan Shelton - Noon 

4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 13) Daniela Rico & Maria Riquelme - 2 PM 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 14) Annie Roberts & Erin Slutzky - 1 PM 

6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 11) Lucia Gonzalez & Hollie Scott - 1 PM 

7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 10) Angelica Barrios & Micaela Meneses - 1 PM 

2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 15) Shane Diaz & Naomi Ros - 1 PM 

 Follow the bouncing ball….

IRF postpones events & 2020 3 Wallball World Championships

Another day and another tournament delay. The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) announced Sunday the 2020 Pan American Championships and 2020 Junior World Championships that were scheduled for December in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia will be deferred to 2021. Santa Cruz will be the site for the Pan Am Championships from March 26 to April 4, while the World Junior Championships will be in November, 2021 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. 

They remain committed to having the XXX World Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico August 13-21, 2021. 

2020 3 Wallball World Championships

In a tournament that actually happened, over 340 players were in Las Vegas on the weekend for the 2020 3 Wallball World Championships in Las Vegas. Outdoor activities are safer in these pandemic times than indoor activities, so that was undoubtedly some of the appeal of going to Vegas.

In outdoor racquetball, doubles is often seen as more prestigious than singles, while indoors it’s the reverse. Thus, when Kane Waselenchuk - the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) - played his first outdoor tournament in Vegas this weekend, he focussed on doubles with partner Ben Croft.

Waselenchuk and Croft reached the Men’s Pro Doubles final by defeating Alejandro Barcelo and Brandon Davis in the semi-finals, 15-3, 15-7. In the final, they faced familiar foes in Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa, who had beat Emmett Coe and Rick Koll in the semis, 15-3, 15-5.

Indoors, Waselenchuk and Croft are 5-1 versus Beltran and De La Rosa, but in their first outdoor match, Beltran and De La Rosa carried the day, winning 12-15, 15-9, 11-8.

The Women’s Pro Doubles final also went to a tie-breaker, as Paola Longoria and Janel Tisinger-Ledkins won the title against Michelle De La Rosa and Carla Muñoz, 12-15, 15-9, 11-5. Longoria and Tisinger-Ledkins beat Rhonda Rajsich and Erica Williams in one semi-final, 15-7, 15-6, while De La Rosa and Muñoz defeated Jessica Parrilla and Adriana Riveros, 15-12, 15-6, in the other.

Andree Parrilla won Men’s Pro Singles by beating Marcelo Vargas Aguilar in the final, 15-5, 15-8. In the semis, Parrilla defeated Jose Diaz, 15-8, 15-14, and Vargas Aguilar beat Danny Lavely, 15-12, 15-11.

In Women’s Pro Singles, Longoria - the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) - defeated outdoor veteran Rajsich, 4-15, 15-4, 11-4, in the final. Longoria also needed a tie-breaker to win her semi-final match against Parrilla, 15-8, 9-15, 11-4, while Rajsich defeated Muñoz in two straight games, 15-13, 15-6, in the other semi.

Given that Beltran and Longoria won their respective doubles matches, and Longoria also won singles, you’d think that they would be a successful team in mixed doubles. But that wasn’t the case, as they lost in the 1st round of Mixed Pro Doubles to Katie Neils and Nicholas Riffel, 15-14, 15-11. If that’s not a big upset, we’re not sure what is.

Unfortunately for Neils and Riffel, they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Daniel and Michelle De La Rosa, 15-7, 15-7. The De La Rosas beat Mario Mercado and Adriana Riveros, 15-8, 15-0, in the final. Mercado and Riveros reached the final with a win over Carla Muñoz and Robert Sostre, 15-5, 15-8.

2020 3 Wallball World Championships - Las Vegas, Nevada - October 14-18, 2020

Men’s Pro Doubles - Final

Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. Ben Croft & Kane Waselenchuk, 12-15, 15-9, 11-8

Semi-finals

Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. Emmett Coe & Rick Koll, 15-3, 15-5
Ben Croft & Kane Waselenchuk d. Alejandro Barcelo & Brandon Davis, 15-3, 15-7

Women’s Pro Doubles - Final

Paola Longoria & Janel Tisinger-Ledkins d. Michelle De La Rosa & Carla Muñoz, 12-15, 15-9, 11-5

Semi-finals

Michelle De La Rosa & Carla Muñoz d. Jessica Parrilla and Adriana Riveros, 15-12, 15-6
Paola Longoria & Janel Tisinger-Ledkins d. Rhonda Rajsich & Erica Williams, 15-7, 15-6

Men’s Pro Singles - Final

Andree Parrilla d. Marcelo Vargas Aguilar in the final, 15-5, 15-8

Semi-finals

Marcelo Vargas Aguilar d. Danny Lavely, 15-12, 15-11
Andree Parrilla d. Jose Diaz, 15-8, 15-14

Women’s Pro Singles - Final

Paola Longoria d. Rhonda Rajsich, 4-15, 15-4, 11-4

Semi-finals

Rhonda Rajsich d. Carla Muñoz, 15-13, 15-6
Paola Longoria d. Jessica Parrilla, 15-8, 9-15, 11-4

Mixed Pro Doubles - Final

Daniel De La Rosa & Michelle De La Rosa d. Mario Mercado & Adriana Riveros, 15-8, 15-0  

Semi-finals 

Daniel De La Rosa & Michelle De La Rosa d. Katie Neils and Nicholas Riffel, 15-7, 15-7 
Mario Mercado & Adriana Riveros d. Carla Muñoz & Robert Sostre, 15-5, 15-8 

 Follow the bouncing ball….

6 months later

Hey there. How’s it going? Long time no chat. Or write, as it were. 

Six months since the last post on The Racquetball Blog, and where are we at? Much has been cancelled, and not much has been scheduled, as COVID-19 is still holding sway over much of the world, so sport, especially indoor sport, has been diminished. 

Locally, we’re not playing, but they are playing some places. Is that frustrating? Sure. But it’s understandable. Conditions vary across the world, and facilities have different priorities and their protocols for reopening also vary. 

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) has two events on its schedule for December, although that may be ambitious. The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) doesn’t have any Tier 1 events scheduled. 

Internationally, the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) has the Pan American Championships and the Junior World Championships on the schedule for December in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Whether either of those events happen is uncertain, of course. The IRF does have the proviso that the events may be moved to January, which still seems ambitious. Also, the IRF World Senior Championships are set for December - after those previous events - in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as usual. 

In lieu of matches, the LPRT and IRT have been posting interviews with various players, which is a nice feature. You can watch them via their respective YouTube channels: LPRT on YT - IRT on YT.  

2020 3 Wallball World Championships 

All that said, many of the best players are going to be competing this weekend at the 2020 3 Wallball World Championships in Las Vegas. Hopefully, everyone will stay safe, and no outbreaks will stem from that competition. It’s outdoors, so the likelihood of transmission should be reduced. 

Will we be going to Vegas this weekend? No, because local authorities advise not travelling unless necessary, and while racquetball seems necessary, it’s not actually actually necessary. And then there would be a two week self isolation on returning home. Not fun. 

We look forward to the days when we can travel care free to racquetball events or for any other reason. But those days aren’t here yet, even after six months. 

Follow the bouncing ball….

IRF cancels World Championships, Rajsich & Waselenchuk speak

The Internatinoal Racquetball Federation (IRF) announced today that they have suspended the 2020 World Championships that were to be held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in August. The IRF’s Executive Committee will meet in two months to evaluate how to arrange their tournament schedule moving forward.

As we reported previously, racquetball is part of the World Games program, and the 2021 World Games were scheduled for July 15-25, 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama. But those game have been pushed back to July 7-17, 2022, because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pushed back the 2020 Olympic Games to summer of 2021.

Previously, the field of players for the World Games has been based on results from the IRF World Championships held in the year prior to the World Games. Thus, the IRF will probably want to hold a World Championships in 2021, rather than wait until 2022 to get back on their two year schedule.

After that the IRF would likely want to keep their World Championships on even years, so as not to interfere with either the World Games or the Pan American Games, which both happen on four year cycles in odd numbered years.

Racquetball Talk

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) has begun to do weekly chats via their Facebook and YouTube channels. Called “The Service Box” there have been two so far. The first was with the LPRT staff: T. J. Baumbaugh, Tim Baghurst, and J Josey, and the second was an interview with Rhonda Rajsich.

Rajsich talked about her enduring love for basketball, how it feels weird to be home for so long as she’s usually gone off somewhere every week or two for over 20 years of competitive racquetball. She hopes that home time will help her heal up some nagging injuries.

The Service Box chats happen live on Thursday nights, and run for about an hour. This week they’ll be talking to Jessica Parrilla.

Kane Waselenchuk also held a Q&A session last week, which is available via the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) YouTube Channel. Waselenchuk’s session has him answering questions submitted via his Intagram channel.

This session is unmoderated, so there’s some dead time as Waselenchuk reads the questions coming in, or there’s a lag in people submitting questions.

But you do hear Waselenchuk talk about his most memorable matches, why he doesn’t play internationally now, and how the tour has changed over the span of his career. Waselenchuk’s chat was to be the 1st of two sessions, but we’re not sure when the 2nd will be.

The LPRT Service Box and Waselenchuk’s Q&A are both nice ways to try and quench the thirst that we all have for racquetball, which is hard to satisfy otherwise.

We hope that you are doing well, and that we'll all be able to get back on court somewhere sometime soon.

Follow the bouncing ball….

USAR's New Board Members, Coaches of the Year, and 2021 World Games

USA Racquetball announced its newly elected Board of Directors: Mike Grisz, JD Shelton - both new board members - and Cindy Tilbury, who was re-elected. Grisz is also the President and CEO of the International Racquetball Tour.

Three athletes were also elected to the USAR Board to be the Athlete Representatives. Michelle De La Rosa, Danielle Maddux, and Charlie Pratt, will be the athletes’ voices on the board. They succeed outgoing representatives Aimee Ruiz and Jose Diaz.

All of these newly elected board members will serve three year terms.

USA Racquetball Coaching Awards

Coaching is an important activity, but rarely awarded. But this week USA Racquetball announced its Coach of the Year award recipients. Brian Ancheta - Head Coach at Barlow High School in Gresham, Oregon - is the High School Coach of the Year. Sara Moulton - Assistant Coach at Brigham Young University - is the Intercollegiate Coach of the Year. Also, Dr. Tim Miller of Baldwin Wallace University received the Collegiate Lifetime Contribution Award.

Congratulations to all three coaches.

2021 World Games, now in 2022

The 2021 World Games that were scheduled for July 15-25, 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama will now be played July 7-17, 2022, because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games to summer of 2021. That change meant there would have been an overlap in dates with the 2021 World Games, so the World Games also pushed back its event by a year.

This, of course, is all due to the COVID-19 virus situation that is ongoing across the world. The World Games change seems like the right thing to do, and we look forward to seeing racquetball players participating a multi-sport event in the USA for the first time ever.

We hope that you are staying safe during this crazy time. Best wishes.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Racquetball News - Longoria part of Athlete Commission & 2021 World Games

Paola Longoria of Mexico was named to the Athlete Commission of the Pan American Games. The objective of the Athlete Commission is “To represent the voice of Pan American athletes in Panam [sic] Sports and ensure that all needs for their development are met.” For example, the Athlete Commission recently put out a statement supporting the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) decision to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games.

It’s great for a racquetball athlete to be part of this commission, and Longoria is the only athlete from a Pan Am Games only sport to be part of the commission (the other members are from Olympic sports).

2021 World Games

With the change in dates for the 2020 Olympic Games from this year to 2021, we indicated that might effect the 2021 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, where racquetball will be on the program. Today comes word confirming this, as the dates for the Olympics now conflict with the World Games dates.

The new Olympic dates are July 23 to August 8, 2021, and the World Games dates were July 15-25, 2021. Not a large overlap, but still enough for the World Games to “urgently review alternative options.” The World Games and International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been in “close contact” with the IOC pledging to help the World Games overcome the challenges created by this change in dates.

The possibilities that the World Games are considering are changing “to similar dates in 2022 or to slightly earlier dates in 2021.”

Hopefully, this can be worked out, and racquetball players can participate in a multi-sport event in the USA for the first time ever.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Canadian Championships cancelled

Today Racquetball Canada announced its “made the difficult decision to CANCEL [sic] the 2020 Canadian Championships” that were scheduled for May 17-24 in Brossard, Québec. They “hope to hold a selection event to crown our Open 2020 Canadian Champions in singles and doubles … and select our National team.”

Not a surprising announcement, and confirms that another big event has been effected the current COVID-19 situation.

With this cancellation, Racquetball Canada will be unlikely to send a team to the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships if those go ahead as scheduled in August. They would also need to figure out how to determine a team for the IRF World Junior Championships, if that event goes ahead in November.

As with other cancellations due to COVID-19, this is a sad decision, but the appropriate one given the current conditions.

We're not sure how this situation is going to end, let alone when. But we look forward to once again being able to...

Follow the bouncing ball….

USAR cancels 2020 National Singles & National Junior Championships

Late today, USA Racquetball sent an email announcing the “difficult but appropriate decision to cancel the National Singles and National Junior Championships scheduled for May and June, respectively” (bold in the original). This is a change from last Wednesday, when USA Racquetball was “fully committed to hosting” those championships.

We thought their commitment was optimistic, and unfortunately that optimism has not been rewarded.

National Singles and the National Junior Championships are USA Team selection events, so alternative arrangements will need to be made to select the US teams. USA Racquetball is “discussing approaches” to how that could be accomplished. Of course, if the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships (scheduled for August) and World Junior Championships (scheduled for November) are cancelled, then determining US Team members would be unnecessary.

While cancelling the IRF events may seem unlikely, the COVID-19 situation has created a great deal of uncertainty in the world. So much so, that Canada and Australia announced yesterday that they would not be sending athletes to the 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo if it starts as scheduled on July 24. There is a generally feeling - though no official announcement - that the Olympics will be postponed, maybe even by a year.

While that seems like a good idea, it will have other ramifications. Most Olympic sports are set up on a 4 year - quadrennial - cycle based on when the Olympics occur. There are smaller games that build up to the Olympics. In the Americas, there’s the Central American Games one year, the Central American & Caribbean Games, the next, then the Pan American Games in year three and the Olympics in year four. Moving the Olympics can throw that off.

Also, moving the Olympics can create conflicts with other events. For example, athletics - aka track and field - holds its World Championships every two years in odd numbered years. The 2021 Athletics World Championships are scheduled for August 6-15 in Eugene, Oregon.

Back within racquetball, the 2020 IRF World Championships are also supposed to be the qualification event for the 2021 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. If Worlds, don’t happen, then it’s unclear how players will qualify for the World Games. Bigger picture, if the Olympics do happen in 2021, then they may conflict with the World Games, which probably won’t make people in Birmingham happy, and there would be less attention for an event that will feature racquetball.

So, COVID-19 has changed our current conditions, and will for some time. But COVID-19 will also have a “hangover” for future conditions, as we recover from it.

We wish you the best in these current conditions, and that any hangovers are minimal.

Follow the bouncing ball….

IRT cancels two events & where we are now

Another day, and another racquetball organization cancels tournaments due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Today, the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) announced Thursday that both their Denver event (scheduled for April 30-May 3) and their Sarasota event (May 14-17) have been cancelled.

On their website, the IRT states "these are critical times for everyone. The safety of our athletes is of the utmost importance to us. Without having events and clubs shut down, it makes it difficult for players to not only practice but make an income. We hope to come out of this challenging time stronger than before. Stay healthy & safe."

The statement is a bit awkward in highlighting players' incomes, and not taking fans into account also. Because some of the point in what people are being asked to do here - in terms of social isolation - is for people to be separated so that the spread of the virus is limited. That is, this is very much a case of it not just being about YOU, and what happens to YOU, but about what you could do to others. That is, who you could infect.

This is why we were so surprised that last weekend’s IRT Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois was not cancelled. That’s especially in light of the fact the World Health Organization identified the situation as a pandemic on Wednesday, and the City of Chicago recommended against gatherings of 250 people or more. There were 203 players registered in the Shamrock Shootout, so there were likely more than 250 people in the club during that event.

Of course, the COVID-19 developments have happened quickly, and sporting events began to be cancelled in the middle of last week, when players would have already been in Lombard. It can be more difficult for a small enterprise (like the IRT) than a large enterprise (like the NBC, NHL, etc) to walk away from money, and cancelling last week would have meant no one gets paid, yet everyone would have expenses. Not a happy prospect.

But, as some people say “hard choices, easy life - easy choices, hard life.”

It would have been a hard choice to cancel last week, but it would have been a better choice.

There will probably be more hard choices before this is over, and we wish you the best in making them.

Follow the bouncing ball….

LPRT cancels San Antonio due to COVID-19 situation, plus US & Canadian Nationals

The COVID-19 situation continues to effect the racquetball world. The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) announced Tuesday that the Battle at the Alamo event scheduled for April 17-19 has been cancelled. That was a sad announcement, but not surprising given how the COVID-19 situation has been developing in the USA.

It’s also entirely sensible, and we’re surprised that the announcement on Facebook has garnered some “angry” reactions. We understand being sad about this decision, but anger? Come on.

According to LPRT Commissioner T.J. Baumbaugh, the YMCA that would host the event has forbidden group events until further notice, and she felt the uncertainty on whether the event would go ahead was too great to ask players to make travel arrangements to be in San Antonio at this time, so it was best to cancel it.

US & Canadian Nationals

USA Racquetball sent an email today stating they remain “fully committed to hosting our National Singles and Junior Championships… there is no need for any drastic decisions. Any speculation at this moment would be counterproductive.” But they will be guided by two principles: “to protect the health of everyone involved and to support the containment of the virus” and “to safeguard the interests of the athletes and all involved with USA Racquetball.”

It’s good for USA Racquetball to get in touch with its membership, but a little optimistic to think that everything’s going to be fine in two month time.

Last week (that is, last Thursday, not today, Wednesday), Racquetball Canada sent an email about their Nationals, which happen at the same time as US National Singles. In their message, Racquetball Canada states “we are working closely with our National Team and High-Performance Committee to ensure our athletes and coaches are not put into an unsafe situation. As of today, we are still planning our National Championships. Registration is on hold while we wait for further information” in the coming weeks.

Furthermore, Racquetball Canada is working on “contingency plans” to use “if the situation escalates.” A message on their website states they recommend “NOT [purchasing] flights or [making] travel arrangements until registration is open.”

Both USA Racquetball and Racquetball Canada are hopeful their National events will go ahead, although the latter’s message seems more pessimistic, and speaks to actively planning for alternatives. USA Racquetball should be doing that too, and perhaps they are even if they are not stating that publicly at the moment.

It’s not the best of times, but it’s not the worst of times either. There isn’t fire and brimstone raining down on us, but the situation isn’t normal either. We will go through some pain and discomfort, but overall, we will get through this.

And when we do, racquetball will be waiting.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - Wins for Acuña & Manilla

Andres Acuña won Men’s Open on the weekend at the 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois. He defeated Sebastian Fernandez, 15-11, 15-13, in what was a replay of their match in the Round of 32 of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) draw on Friday. Fernandez won the IRT match, so Acuña's win was a measure of revenge for that loss.

In the semi-finals, Acuña beat Mario Mercado, 15-2, 15-6, and Fernandez defeated Gerardo Franco, 15-9, 15-3.

Erika Manilla won the Women’s Open division at the Shamrock Shootout, as she defeated Melania Sauma, 15-9, 15-8. Manilla got to the final with a win over Erin Slutzky, 15-6, 15-5, in the semi-finals, and Sauma beat Marie Gomar, 15-1, 15-11.

COVID-19 and Racquetball

We were surprised the Shamrock Shootout was not cancelled, given the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation is changing day by day if not hour by hour, and it seems there will be a greater clampdown in the USA regarding people movement and gatherings. Thus, it’s unclear when another large tournament will happen.

When there’s a pandemic going on, and everyone is shutting their businesses down or making accommodations for the pandemic, but you’re going about your business as if everything is normal, you need to ask yourself “who’s the crazy one?” You? Or everyone else?

Things can get crazy on a racquetball court, but they should not get crazy off the court.

35th Annual KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Men’s Open Final

3) Andres Acuña d. 1) Sebastian Fernandez, 15-11, 15-13

Semi-finals

1) Sebastian Fernandez d. 4) Gerardo Franco, 15-9, 15-3
3) Andres Acuña d. 2) Mario Mercado, 15-2, 15-6

Quarterfinals

1) Sebastian Fernandez d. 9) Edwin Galicia, 15-8, 15-8
4) Gerardo Franco d. 5) Jaime Martell, 15-9, 15-5

3) Andres Acuña d. 6) Robert Collins, 15-2, 9-15, 11-5
2) Mario Mercado d. 7) Kyle Ulliman, 12-15, 15-11, 11-4

Women’s Open Final

1) Erika Manilla d. 3) Melania Sauma, 15-9, 15-8

Semi-finals

1) Erika Manilla d. 5) Erin Slutzky, 15-6, 15-5
3) Melania Sauma d. 2) Marie Gomar, 15-1, 15-11

Follow the bouncing ball….

Waselenchuk defeats Landa to win 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout

Kane Waselenchuk, the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), won his 7th event of the season and the 123rd of his career, Sunday at the 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, where he defeated IRT #2 Alejandro Landa, 15-3, 15-5, in the final.

It was a dominating performance by Waselenchuk, although Landa did make some great shots, but he also made some errors that you just can’t do, if you are going to defeat Waselenchuk. Waselenchuk also served well, especially in game one, when he hit four aces. He hit two more in game two.

Game two was closer than game one, as Landa kept it close, trailing 5-3 and 7-4. But he only got one more point after that, as Waselenchuk got the last eight he needed to end the game, 15-5, and the match in two straight games. The winner came when Waselenchuk hit a jam serve that Landa could just push back, and his return was in the middle of the court, so Waselenchuk was able to hit a soft forehand pinch into the left corner for the match winner.

If you missed any of the Shamrock Shootout action, check out matches on the IRT YouTube channel.

Future Racquetball

Yesterday, USA Racquetball announced that it was cancelling its Intercollegiate Championships that were to take place at Louisiana State University, March 25-28. Also, the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) announced that the 2020 Pan American Championships slated for Santa Cruz, Bolivia, April 3-11, have been postponed. Both of those decisions come in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given this pandemic, we’re not sure when we’ll see racquetball action again. Quite frankly, we were surprised that the Shamrock Shootout went ahead. The City of Chicago recommended against gatherings of 250 people or more, and there were 203 players registered in the Shamrock Shootout, so there were likely more than 250 people in the club during that event. Thus, it seems that recommendation was not heeded, or perhaps they hosts felt there would not be more than 250 people the club. Still, it seems odd when everyone is cancelling their events, and you are not.

After today’s final, Waselenchuk was asked about playing when few, if any, sports are in action. He said “I think the IRT made the right decision by coming and playing,” but also “we shouldn’t ignore” the current situation and we “gotta be safe,” because “people are dying and you need to take that seriously.”

The next pro events on the schedule are the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Battle at the Alamo, April 17-19, and the IRT World Singles and Doubles Championships in Denver, April 30-May 3. Perhaps things will be better by then. We certainly hope so.

But we wouldn’t bet on it.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Final - Sunday

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 2) Alejandro Landa, 15-3, 15-5

Follow the bouncing ball….

Beltran & De La Rosa win doubles, Waselenchuk & Landa in singles final at 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout

The International Racquetball Tour’s (IRT’s) #1 player faces off with the #2 player Sunday in the final of the 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, when Kane Waselenchuk, the IRT’s #1 player, plays #2 Alejandro Landa. In Saturday’s semi-finals, Waselenchuk beat 5th seed Andree Parrilla, 15-6, 15-11, while Landa had to come back from a game down to defeat 6th seed Daniel De La Rosa, 13-15, 15-12, 11-7.

Doubles Final

Top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa won the doubles event Saturday night, as they beat 3rd seeds Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya, 15-10, 15-13. Beltran and De La Rosa never trailed in game one, but game two was more back and forth.

Beltran and De La Rosa led 3-0, and then Mar and Montoya led 6-3. Beltran and De La Rosa led 8-7. Then Mar and Montoya led 10-8, and a tie-breaker looked like a possibility. But from there Beltran and De La Rosa got six straight points to make it 14-10.

A long rally ensued, and on the 21st shot De La Rosa skipped a backhand shot, which was an unforced error, and gave the serve back to his opponents. Mar and Montoya took advantage, as they ran off three quick points to get within one at 14-13. Beltran and De La Rosa called a timeout.

When play resumed, De La Rosa hit a winner to put Mar and Montoya half down. Then Montoya skipped a forehand shot that gave the serve back to Beltran and De La Rosa for their second match point.

Beltran served a high lob down the right side, which is a very common serve for him. Montoya returned it with his forehand, and tried to go cross court, but the ball skipped to the front wall, giving Beltran and De La Rosa the match winning point.

But the rally of the match, which you can see on the IRT YouTube channel (go to the 22 min mark of the recording), happened in game one, as they played a 36 shot rally that De La Rosa ended with a simple pass down the right side that Mar and Montoya couldn’t cover. Montoya had fallen over on the right side making the previous shot, and Mar seemed to let the ball go past him on the belief that Montoya would be able to cover it.

The Shamrock Shootout final can be seen at 1 PM central time Sunday via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 5) Andree Parrilla, 15-6, 15-11
2) Alejandro Landa d. 6) Daniel De La Rosa, 13-15, 15-12, 11-7

Final - Sunday

1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 2) Alejandro Landa - 1 PM

IRT Doubles - Final - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya, 15-10, 15-13

Follow the bouncing ball….

Top 2 seeds into semi-finals at 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout

The top two seeds are through to the semi-finals at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 35th Annual KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, but the 3rd and 4th seeds lost. Kane Waselenchuk, the IRT’s #1 player, defeated 8th seed Eduardo Portillo, 15-6, 15-7, and IRT #2 Alejandro Landa beat 7th seed Samuel Murray, 15-6, 15-9.

But 6th seed Daniel De La Rosa upset 3rd seed Rocky Carson, 15-5, 15-5, and 5th seed Andree Parrilla came back from a game down to defeat 4th seed Alvaro Beltran, 6-15, 15-12, 11-4.

Both Waselenchuk and Landa had streaks of good play that helped them to victory. Waselenchuk started slowly in game one, as Portillo was up 4-1. However, Waselenchuk won 21 of the next 23 points, as he went from down 1-4 to win game one 15-6 and then take a 7-0 lead in game two.

After Portillo got a few points in game two, Waselenchuk then went up 13-3. Portillo kept fighting and it took several rallies for Waselenchuk to finish off the game, 15-7.

Landa began his match on fire, as he took a 9-0 lead. From there they were even, as Landa won 15-6. In game two, he and Murray were close early with Murray holding slight leads at 5-3 and 7-5.

There were 9 sideouts with Murray ahead 7-5. Landa broke the stalemate with a forehand winner to make it 7-6, and he tied it with another forehand winner, 7-7. An ace serve from Murray got him back in the lead, 8-7, but Landa got the serve back with another forehand winner that went cross court.

With the serve, he put together a streak of six points to go from 7-8 down to 13-8 up, which put the writing on the wall. Murray got a final point with another ace serve - driving the ball to the left, making it 13-9, but Landa won the next three rallies with forehand shots, the last being a reverse pinch that won him the game, 15-9, and the match in two straight games.

Shamrock Shootout action can be seen via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The singles semi-finals will be at 5:30 and 6:30 PM, and the final will be 1 PM Sunday. The doubles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM and the final Saturday night at 8:30 PM. All times Central.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 8) Eduardo Portillo, 15-6, 15-7
5) Andree Parrilla d. 4) Alvaro Beltran, 6-15, 15-12, 11-4

6) Daniel De La Rosa d. 3) Rocky Carson, 15-5, 15-5
2) Alejandro Landa d. 7) Samuel Murray, 15-6, 15-9

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 5) Andree Parrilla - 6:30 PM
2) Alejandro Landa v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa - 5:30 PM

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo, 14-15, 15-8, 11-6
3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray, 15-11, 15-4

IRT Doubles - Final - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. 3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - 8:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Top 8 seeds into quarters at 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout

Kane Waselenchuk, the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), won his first match at the 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois Friday, as he beat 19 year old Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-9. Waselenchuk and Fernandez were close early in game one, but then Waselenchuk took control and pulled away. He carried that momentum over into game two, and won in two straight games.

What was remarkable about Fernandez’s game was that more than once he anticipated where Waselenchuk was going to hit the ball, and went over to cover it. That’s the kind of anticipation that we sometimes see from Waselenchuk, but rarely see from anyone else. It bodes well for Fernandez’s future.

Waselenchuk will next play another young Mexican in Eduardo Portillo. Portillo won two close games against Jaime Martell, 15-13, 15-13, to set up a quarterfinal showdown with Waselenchuk.

Alejandro Landa, the IRT’s #2 player, barely escaped from his Round of 16 match, as he pulled out an 11-10 tie-breaker over 18th seed Adam Manilla, winning 15-10, 12-15, 11-10. They were close in game one until Landa put together a five point run to end it.

In game two, Manilla had the big lead, but Landa worked his way back into the game, and looked like he might pull off the comeback. But eventually Manilla got the last two points to force the tie-breaker.

Landa was in control early in the breaker with leads of 3-0 and 8-4. But the left-handed Manilla tied the game at 8-8, and took the lead at 9-8 with a forehand pinch shot, reinforcing the cliché that lefties like their pinches. Uncharacteristically, Landa called a timeout, because he often doesn’t call timeouts.

When play resumed, Landa got a sideout with a backhand winner off a Z serve to the left side. Landa tied the score at 9-9 with a backhand pinch from deep. Manilla got the serve back with a forehand winner, but couldn’t get a point, as he skipped a backhand shot on the next rally.

A forehand winner by Landa put him on match point at 10-9, but Manilla fought that off with a great backhand return winner off a Landa drive serve to the right side. A Manilla backhand pinch winner put him on match point also at 10-10.

Landa denied Manilla the match with a forehand winner down the left side. Then on his 2nd match point, Landa drove the ball to the right side. Manilla returned it cross court, and then Landa sent it back to the right with a backhand cross court that Manilla couldn’t reach for the match winner.

Landa will play his doubles partner Samuel Murray in the quarterfinals Saturday. Murray defeated Rodrigo Montoya in two games, 15-11, 15-3, in the 16s. That was the only match on the bottom of the draw to be over in two games.

Rocky Carson, the IRT #3 player, defeated 14th seed Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 12-15, 11-7, and he’ll play 6th seed Daniel De La Rosa in the quarters. De La Rosa won another 11-10 tie-breaker, as he came back to beat 11th seed Jake Bredenbeck, 9-15, 15-9, 11-10.

Shamrock Shootout action can be seen via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The quarterfinals will be Saturday from 10 & 11 AM with the semi-finals at 5:30 and 6:30 PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday. The doubles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM and the final Saturday night at 8:30 PM. All times Central.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 16) Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-9
8) Eduardo Portillo d. 24) Jaime Martell, 15-13, 15-13

5) Andree Parrilla d. 12) Gerardo Franco, 15-0, 15-11
4) Alvaro Beltran d. 13) Thomas Carter, 15-8, 15-8

3) Rocky Carson d. 14) Eduardo Garay, 15-5, 12-15, 11-7
6) Daniel De La Rosa d. 11) Jake Bredenbeck, 9-15, 15-9, 11-10

7) Samuel Murray d. 10) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-11, 15-3
2) Alejandro Landa d. 18) Adam Manilla, 15-10, 12-15, 11-10

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 8) Eduardo Portillo - 11 AM
4) Alvaro Beltran v. 5) Andree Parrilla - 11 AM

3) Rocky Carson v. 6) Daniel De La Rosa - 10 AM
2) Alejandro Landa v. 7) Samuel Murray - 10 AM

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 8) Justus Benson & Robert Collins, 11-15, 15-3, 11-2
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo d. 5) Eduardo Garay & Mario Mercado, 15-13, 15-5

3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 6) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck, 15-8, 15-9
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray d. 7) Andres Acuña & Adam Manilla, 14-15, 15-3, 11-3

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. 4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo - 1 PM
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray v. 3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - 2 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Round of 32 at 35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout

Jaime Martell upset Mario Mercado, 15-7, 15-2, in the Round of 32 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 35th Annual KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois Friday. Mercado, the 9th seed, was a finalist at the last IRT event in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, but still he’s been bounced from the Shamrock Shootout by 24th seed Martell, who’s playing his 1st IRT event since last year’s US Open. Martell’s win gets him a match with 8th seed Eduardo Portillo later today.

One other upset in the Round of 32, but not one as dramatic, as 18th seed Adam Manilla beat 15th seed Javier Mar in two straight games, 15-9, 15-9. Manilla will play IRT #2 Alejandro Landa in the Round of 16.

There were two tie-breakers in the 32s. Sebastian Fernandez needed three games to get past Andres Acuña, 15-10, 11-15, 11-7. Fernandez’s win put him up against IRT #1 Kane Waselenchuk in the Round of 16.

Also, Eduardo Garay and Robert Collins played two close games, and then - as so often happens - there was a blow out in the tie-breaker, with Garay coming out on top, winning 14-15, 15-13, 11-1. Garay will play IRT #3 Rocky Carson in the 16s.

Shamrock Shootout action can be seen via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The Round of 16 will be at 5 and 6 PM Friday. The quarterfinals will be Saturday from 10 & 11 AM with the semi-finals at 5:30 and 6:30 PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday. The doubles Round of 16 and quarterfinals are Friday with the semi-finals Saturday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM and the final Saturday night at 8:30 PM. All times Central.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
16) Sebastian Fernandez d. 17) Andres Acuña, 15-10, 11-15, 11-7

24) Jaime Martell d. 9) Mario Mercado, 15-7, 15-2
8) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

5) Andree Parrilla - BYE
12) Gerardo Franco d. 21) Scott McClellan, 15-10, 15-8

13) Thomas Carter d. 20) Sam Bredenbeck, 15-1, 15-9
4) Alvaro Beltran - BYE

3) Rocky Carson - BYE
14) Eduardo Garay d. 19) Robert Collins, 14-15, 15-13, 11-1

11) Jake Bredenbeck d. 22) Juan Salvatierra, 15-8, 15-7
6) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE

7) Samuel Murray - BYE
10) Rodrigo Montoya d. 23) Kyle Ulliman, 15-4, 15-1

18) Adam Manilla d. 15) Javier Mar, 15-9, 15-9
2) Alejandro Landa - BYE

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk v. 16) Sebastian Fernandez - 5 PM
8) Eduardo Portillo v. 24) Jaime Martell - 5 PM

5) Andree Parrilla v. 12) Gerardo Franco - 5 PM
4) Alvaro Beltran v. 13) Thomas Carter - 5 PM

3) Rocky Carson v. 14) Eduardo Garay - 6 PM
6) Daniel De La Rosa v. 11) Jake Bredenbeck - 6 PM

7) Samuel Murray v. 10) Rodrigo Montoya - 6 PM
2) Alejandro Landa v. 18) Adam Manilla - 6 PM

IRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Justus Benson & Robert Collins d. 9) Juan Salvatierra & Christian Wer, 15-7, 15-2

5) Eduardo Garay & Mario Mercado - BYE
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo - BYE

3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
6) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

7) Andres Acuña & Adam Manilla d. 10) Edwin Galicia & Javier Martinez, 15-1, 15-0
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray - BYE

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Justus Benson & Robert Collins - 8 PM
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo v. 5) Eduardo Garay & Mario Mercado - 8 PM

3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 6) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - 9 PM
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray v. 7) Andres Acuña & Adam Manilla - 9 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Early round results from 35th Annual KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout

Only one significant upset in the first two rounds of play at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois. Juan Salvatierra claimed the 6th qualifying spot by defeating Justus Benson in two close games, 15-12, 15-13. Salvatierra will now play Jake Bredenbeck in the Round of 32 with the winner to play Daniel De La Rosa in the Round of 16.

Salvatierra-Benson was the closest two game match of the Round of 64, but there was a tie-breaker also. Kyle Ulliman came back from a game down to defeat Edwin Galicia, 10-15, 15-12, 11-6. Ulliman will play Rodrigo Montoya in the 32s.

Shamrock Shootout action can be seen via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The Round of 32 begins Friday morning at 10 and 11 PM with the Round of 16 at 5 and 6 PM. The quarterfinals will be Saturday from 10 & 11 AM with the semi-finals at 5:30 and 6:30 PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday. The doubles Round of 16 and quarterfinals are Friday with the semi-finals Saturday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM and the final Saturday night at 8:30 PM. All times Central.

2020 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 128 - Thursday

Andres Acuña - BYE
Javier Martinez d. Zachary Williams, 15-12, 15-9

Anthony Martin - BYE
Jaime Martell - BYE

Scott McClellan - BYE
Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. Anthony Cosmano, 15-4, 15-4

Jeremy Dixon d. Ferd Samson, 15-2, 15-6
Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

Robert Collins - BYE
Christian Wer d. Victor Migilore, 14-15, 15-5, 11-9

Juan Salvatierra d. Blase Zera, 15-10, 15-4
Justus Benson - BYE

Kyle Ulliman - BYE
Edwin Galicia d. Zach Pellowski, 15-1, 15-4

Nadeem Sarifuddin d. Jim Douglas, 15-12, 10-15, 11-2
Adam Manilla - BYE

Round of 64 - Thursday

Q1 - Andres Acuña d. Javier Martinez, 15-3, 15-2
Q8 - Jaime Martell d. Anthony Martin, 15-4, 15-3

Q5 - Scott McClellan d. Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-5, 15-5
Q4 - Sam Bredenbeck d. Jeremy Dixon, 15-14, 15-4

Q3 - Robert Collins d. Christian Wer, 15-8, 15-1
Q6 - Juan Salvatierra d. Justus Benson, 15-12, 15-13

Q7 - Kyle Ulliman d. Edwin Galicia, 10-15, 15-12, 11-6
Q2 - Adam Manilla d. Nadeem Sarifuddin, 15-4, 15-2

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
16) Sebastian Fernandez v. 17) Andres Acuña - 10 AM

9) Mario Mercado v. 24) Jaime Martell - 10 AM
8) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

5) Andree Parrilla - BYE
12) Gerardo Franco v. 21) Scott McClellan - 10 AM

13) Thomas Carter v. 20) Sam Bredenbeck - 10 AM
4) Alvaro Beltran - BYE

3) Rocky Carson - BYE
14) Eduardo Garay v. 19) Robert Collins - 11 AM

11) Jake Bredenbeck v. 22) Juan Salvatierra - 11 AM
6) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE

7) Samuel Murray - BYE
10) Rodrigo Montoya v. 23) Kyle Ulliman - 11 AM

15) Javier Mar v. 18) Adam Manilla - 11 AM
2) Alejandro Landa - BYE

IRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Justus Benson & Robert Collins v. 9) Juan Salvatierra & Christian Wer - 2 PM

5) Eduardo Garay & Mario Mercado - BYE
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo - BYE

3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
6) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

7) Andres Acuña & Adam Manilla v. 10) Edwin Galicia & Javier Martinez - 3 PM
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

35th Annual KWM Gutterman IRT Shamrock Shootout - Preview

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) returns to action this weekend with the 35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois. It’s been over a month since the players were last in action, when IRT Kane Waselenchuk won his 6th title of the season, defeating Mario Mercado in the final. Both of Waselenchuk and Mercado are in the field of 39 players. Mercado is also of of the 20 players in the IRT doubles draw with partner Eduardo Garay.

Ten of the top 11 IRT players will be in Lombard, so it’s a strong field. Waselenchuk, racquetball’s unicorn, will be the one to beat. Alvaro Beltran, the last person to defeat Waselenchuk, is seeded 4th, so could have a chance to do so in the semi-finals. IRT #2 Alejandro Landa and #3 Rocky Carson are on path to face off in the other semi.

Who could upset that apple cart? IRT #5 Andre Parrilla and 8th seed Eduardo Portillo - who coincidentally play doubles together - are two players who are tough to be when they are rolling. Also, Daniel De La Rosa, seeded 6th, but the winner in Sioux Falls in January, has played well this season, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the final on Sunday.

In doubles, Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa are the team to beat with Landa and Samuel Murray as the 2nd seeds, Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya are the 3rd seeds, and Parrilla and Portillo the 4th seeds.

Shamrock Shootout action can be seen via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. There will be two rounds of matches on Thursday starting at 2 PM. The Round of 32 begins Friday morning at 10 and 11 PM with the Round of 16 at 5 and 6 PM. The quarterfinals will be Saturday from 10 & 11 AM with the semi-finals at 5:30 and 6:30 PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday. The doubles Round of 16 and quarterfinals are Friday with the semi-finals Saturday afternoon at 1 and 2 PM and the final Saturday night at 8:30 PM. All times Central.

35th Annual IRT KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout, March 12-15, 2020
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 128 - Thursday

Andres Acuña - BYE
Javier Martinez v. Zachary Williams - 2 PM

Anthony Martin - BYE
Jaime Martell - BYE

Scott McClellan - BYE
Erick Cuevas Fernandez v. Anthony Cosmano - 2 PM

Ferd Samson v. Jeremy Dixon - 3 PM
Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

Robert Collins - BYE
Christian Wer v. Victor Migilore - 2 PM

Juan Salvatierra v. Blase Zera - 3 PM
Justus Benson - BYE

Kyle Ulliman - BYE
Edwin Galicia v. Zach Pellowski - 3 PM

Jim Douglas v. Nadeem Sarifuddin - 3 PM
Adam Manilla - BYE

Round of 64 - Thursday

Q1 - Andres Acuña v. Javier Martinez or Zachary Williams - 5 PM
Q8 - Anthony Martin v. Jaime Martell - 5 PM

Q5 - Scott McClellan v. Erick Cuevas Fernandez or Anthony Cosmano - 5 PM
Q4 - Sam Bredenbeck v. Ferd Samson v. Jeremy Dixon - 6 PM

Q3 - Robert Collins v. Christian Wer or Victor Migilore - 5 PM
Q6 - Justus Benson v. Juan Salvatierra or Blase Zera - 6 PM

Q7 - Kyle Ulliman v. Edwin Galicia or Zach Pellowski - 6 PM
Q2 - Adam Manilla v. Jim Douglas v. Nadeem Sarifuddin - 6 PM

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
16) Sebastian Fernandez v. Q1 - 10 AM

9) Mario Mercado v. Q8 - 10 AM
8) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

5) Andree Parrilla - BYE
12) Gerardo Franco v. Q5 - 10 AM

13) Thomas Carter v. Q4 - 10 AM
4) Alvaro Beltran - BYE

3) Rocky Carson - BYE
14) Eduardo Garay v. Q3 - 11 AM

11) Jake Bredenbeck v. Q6 - 11 AM
6) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE

7) Samuel Murray - BYE
10) Rodrigo Montoya v. Q7 - 11 AM

15) Javier Mar v. Q2 - 11 AM
2) Alejandro Landa - BYE

IRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Justus Benson & Robert Collins v. 9) Juan Salvatierra & Christian Wer - 2 PM

5) Eduardo Garay & Mario Mercado - BYE
4) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo - BYE

3) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
6) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

7) Andres Acuña & Adam Manilla v. 10) Edwin Galicia & Javier Martinez - 3 PM
2) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - Wins for Waselenchuk, Portillo, Muñoz and Manilla & Riffel, Goth & Hansen

There were two Tier 4 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) events on the weekend. Kane Waselenchuk, the #1 player on the IRT, won the 2020 Pueblo Athletic Club Shootout in Pueblo, Colorado, where he defeated IRT #11 Rodrigo Montoya in the final, 15-9, 15-6. In the semi-finals, Waselenchuk beat Adam Manilla, 15-7, 15-6, and Montoya defeated Erik Garcia, 15-7, 15-5.

They played doubles in Pueblo also, as Manilla and Nicholas Riffel capturing the title with a win over Garcia and David Horn, 15-12, 15-9. In the semis, Manilla and Riffel defeated Luis Martinez and Montoya, 15-0, 15-4, and Garcia and Horn beat Nick Blanchard and C. J. Sanders, 15-12, 15-7.

The 2020 Arcsserve Series - Hall of Fame Tournament took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Eduardo Portillo defeated Jake Bredenbeck, 12-15, 15-8, 11-0. In the semi-finals, Portillo beat Justus Benson, 15-2, 15-3, and in all Bredenbeck battle, Jake Bredenbeck got the better of his younger brother Sam Bredenbeck, 15-5, 15-8.

The Bredenbecks teamed up in doubles, and were the top seeds. However, they lost to the veteran team of John Goth and Blake Hansen, 15-6, 15-11. In the semi-finals, Goth and Hansen needed a tie-breaker to get past Portillo and Andrew Gleason, 15-7, 9-15, 11-6, while the Bredenbecks beat Benson and Brad Hansen, 15-2, 15-9.

Finally, at the 2020 Boston Open, Carla Muñoz won Women’s Open by defeating Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-2, 11-9, in the final. In the semis, Muñoz defeated Maria Riquelme, 11-3, 11-0, and Rodriguez defeated Sheryl Lotts, 11-9, 11-9.

This week, the IRT will be in action with one of their traditional events: the 35th Annual KWM Gutterman Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois. Thirty nine IRT players have registered, so it’s sure to be a great event.

2020 Pueblo Athletic Club Shootout, IRT Tier 4, March 6-8, 2020
Pueblo, Colorado

IRT Final

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 2) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-9, 15-6

Semi-finals

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 4) Adam Manilla, 15-7, 15-6
2) Rodrigo Montoya d. 6) Erik Garcia, 15-7, 15-5

Quarterfinals

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 9) Matt Melster, 15-1, 15-4
4) Adam Manilla d. 5) Nicholas Riffel, 15-13, 15-3

6) Erik Garcia d. 3) David Horn, 14-15, 15-6, 3-0, injury forfeit
2) Rodrigo Montoya d. 10) Andrew Clarke, 15-3, 15-6

IRT Doubles Final

2) Adam Manilla & Nicholas Riffel d. 1) Erik Garcia & David Horn, 15-12, 15-9

Semi-finals

1) Erik Garcia & David Horn d. 4) Nick Blanchard & C. J. Sanders, 15-12, 15-7
2) Adam Manilla & Nicholas Riffel d. 3) Luis Martinez & Rodrigo Montoya, 15-0, 15-4

2020 Arcsserve Series - Hall of Fame Tournament, IRT Tier 4, March 6-8, 2020
Minneapolis, Minnesota

IRT Final

1) Eduardo Portillo d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck, 12-15, 15-8, 11-0

Semi-finals

1) Eduardo Portillo d. 4) Justus Benson, 15-2, 15-3
2) Jake Bredenbeck d. 3) Sam Bredenbeck, 15-5, 15-8

IRT Doubles Final

2) John Goth & Blake Hansen d. 1) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck, 15-6, 15-11

Semi-finals

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck d. 5) Justus Benson & Brad Hansen, 15-2, 15-9
2) John Goth & Blake Hansen d. 6) Andrew Gleason & Eduardo Portillo, 15-7, 9-15, 11-6

2020 Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Women’s Open Final

1) Carla Muñoz d. 3) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-2, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Carla Muñoz d. 4) Maria Riquelme, 11-3, 11-0
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 2) Sheryl Lotts, 11-9, 11-9

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria a double winner at 2020 LPRT Boston Open

Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), won both singles and doubles on Sunday at the 2020 LPRT Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts. In the singles final, Longoria defeated Samantha Salas, 15-8, 15-3, and then she teamed up with Salas to win the doubles final over Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-10, 15-12. Longoria has won seven of the eight singles finals this LPRT season, and six of the eight doubles finals with Salas her partner for five of those wins.

In the singles final, Salas started strong, and had leads at 7-3 and 8-4. When Longoria got within one at 8-7, Salas took a timeout. But that didn’t slow Longoria down, as she continued to pile up the points. Salas took another timeout when Longoria had a 12-8 lead.

But again that didn’t have the desired effect, as Longoria continued to put up the points often hitting a drive Z serve to the left side to start the rallies. The last point came when Salas skipped a backhand serve return, and she seemed clearly frustrated as she left the court.

Nonetheless, Salas took the first two points of game two. However, Longoria tied it at 3-3, and then held Salas off the board, as she scored twelve unanswered points to win game two, 15-3, and take the match in two straight games.

In the doubles final, Longoria and Salas found themselves down early in game one to Mendez and Vargas, who took leads of 5-0 and 8-3.

Cue the comeback.

Longoria and Salas went from 8-3 down to up 9-8 and then 12-9. When the score was 13-10, Mendez and Vargas called a timeout, which did lead to a winning rally, but that was only half down for their opponents, who won the next two rallies to take the game, 15-10. Salas closed it out with a forehand cross court shot.

Early in game two, it looked like Longoria and Salas would roll to the victory, as they went up 7-1 and 10-4. But Mendez and Vargas came back to tie it at 11-11. Then they took the lead 12-11. Longoria and Salas called a timeout.

A Longoria backhand winner got her side the serve back, and she tied it at 12-12 with a forehand shot down the left side. Mendez and Vargas did get the serve back at that point, but they failed to score before Longoria and Salas took the serve back.

Salas got her side to match point at 14-12 with a forehand cross court winner, but again Mendez and Vargas got the serve back after a weird rally, where Longoria served to Mendez on the left side. Mendez returned it with a pinch, and walked to the service box, although Longoria hit the ball to the right side, where it seemed to bounce at least twice before Vargas reached it. Yet Mendez’s and Longoria’s shots happened in slow motion, as if they both thought the serve was short.

Much discussion ensued, and we’re not sure what exactly was called on the play. Yet the result was a sideout, so Mendez and Vargas got another chance to score. However, again they could not capitalize on the opportunity.

On their 3rd match point, Longoria hit a backhand cross court for the match winner, making the final 15-12.

If you missed any of the Boston Open action, check out the matches on the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The LPRT will next be in action in San Antonio for the Battle at the Alamo, April 17-19, 2020.

2020 LPRT Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria d. 3) Samantha Salas, 15-8, 15-3

Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-10, 15-12

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria & Salas win semi-finals at 2020 LPRT Boston Open

Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), defeated Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-1, in the semi-finals of the 2020 Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts Saturday to advance to Sunday’s final. Riveros, the 13th seed, was a surprise semi-finalist, but her glass slipper was broken by Longoria, who will play in her 8th LPRT final in as many events this season. She’s won seven of those finals.

Samantha Salas, LPRT #3, will be Longoria's opponent in Sunday's final, as she came back to defeat LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas, 13-15, 15-14, 11-3, in the other semi-final, which was a crazy match. Salas led 10-1 in game one, but lost it, 15-13. Vargas was up 14-11 in game two, but failed to convert her two match point opportunities, as Salas came back to win 15-14.

Then, as often seems to happen after two close games, the tie-breaker wasn’t close. Salas got up 6-2 and then 9-4, when Vargas made an appeal without any appeals left, which meant she was assessed a technical, making the score 9-3. Salas hit forehand winners on the next two rallies to end it, 11-3.

Afterwards, Salas said it’s “always a battle against Maria,” and she was “really happy” to win, after playing well in the match. Salas has been working on her backhand technique with her coach Jim Winterton, and it’s “paying off,” as she’s into her first final this season.

In the doubles semi-finals, Longoria and Salas teamed up to beat Jessica Parrilla and Erin Rivera, 15-2, 15-3. They’ll face Vargas and Natalia Mendez, who were winners over Kelani Lawrence and Sheryl Lotts, 15-5, 15-11.

You can watch the Boston Open finals live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page) on Sunday. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final at 1. All times eastern.

2020 LPRT Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 13) Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-1
3) Samantha Salas d. 2) Maria Jose Vargas, 13-15, 15-14, 11-3

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria v. 3) Samantha Salas - Noon

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera, 15-2, 15-3
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Sheryl Lotts, 15-5, 15-11

Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Riveros into semi-finals at 2020 LPRT Boston Open

Adriana Riveros, the 13th seed, has yet to drop a game, as she’s rolled into the semi-finals at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2020 Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts. In the quarterfinals, Riveros defeated 5th seed Rhonda Rajsich in two straight games, 15-13, 15-10. She’s in the semi-finals for the first time this season, and only the second time in her career. The first was four years ago, when she lost in the semi-finals to Rajsich in Cincinnati.

But in the semis she’ll play LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who has beaten Riveros in all seven of their LPRT matches. Perhaps #8 will be the charm for Riveros. Longoria advanced to the semis with a win over 9th seed Jessica Parrilla in the quarters, 15-6, 15-3.

The other semi-final will see LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas play #3 Samantha Salas. Vargas beat 10th seed Brenda Laime, 15-1, 15-9, in the quarters, while Salas defeated 11th seed Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-6. In their 12 LPRT matches, Salas holds an 8-4 advantage over Vargas, but Vargas has won their last two meetings.

You can watch the Boston Open action live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). On Saturday, the singles semi-finals will be 4 and 5 PM with the doubles semis to follow at 6 and 7 PM. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final at 1. All times eastern.

2020 LPRT Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Jessica Parrilla, 15-6, 15-3
13) Adriana Riveros d. 5) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-13, 15-10

3) Samantha Salas d. 11) Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-6
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 10) Brenda Laime, 15-1, 15-9

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 13) Adriana Riveros - 5 PM
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 3) Samantha Salas - 4 PM

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 7 PM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Sheryl Lotts - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Round of 16 at 2020 LPRT Boston Open

Three upsets in the Round of 16 at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) 2020 Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts with the biggest being 13th seed Adriana Riveros’s win over 4th seed Natalia Mendez, 15-8, 15-10. Riveros will next play 5th seed Rhonda Rajsich in the quarterfinals Saturday, as Rajsich held off 12th seed Ana Laura Flores, 15-12, 6-15, 11-8, in the 16s.

Eleventh seed Carla Muñoz came back to upset 6th seed Nancy Enriquez, 10-15, 15-5, 11-7. She’ll play 3rd seed Samantha Salas in the quarters, as Salas battled back against young Valeria Centellas, the 14th seed, to win 3-15, 15-11, 11-4. The match was all Centellas until the middle of game two, when Salas tied the game at 10-10. Then momentum flipped, and it was all Salas.

While other higher seeds had trouble in the 16s, LPRT #1 Paola Longoria beat 16th seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-7, 15-2. She’ll play 9th seed Jessica Parrilla in the quarters, which will be a rematch of last weekend’s Mexico National Team Selection Event final that was won by Longoria. In the 16s, Parrilla outlasted 8th seed Masiel Rivera, 15-1, 13-15, 11-8.

Finally, LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas had little trouble in advancing, as she beat 18th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-6, 15-2. Vargas will play 10th seed Brenda Laime in the quarters on Saturday, as Laime had a forfeit win over 7th seed Cristina Amaya. There was a photo on Instagram recently of Amaya in a hospital bed after she broke her left wrist in a bicycle accident. We were surprised to see her in the draw at all, actually, as the Instragram post suggests she needs 6 weeks recuperation. That could put her participation in next month's 2020 Pan American Championships in jeopardy.

We wish Amaya the best with her recovery.

In doubles, 9th seeds Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez came out strong against top seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas, going up 10-2 in game one. But it turned into a case of “Whatever you can do, we can do better” as Longoria and Salas stormed back to win the game 15-10, shutting their opponents out the rest of the way. Game two was close early, with Longoria and Salas leading until Martinez and Rodriguez tied it at 6-6.

But once again Longoria and Salas put the hammer down, and held Martinez and Rodriguez to just one more point, as they won the game 15-7, and match in two straight games. They’ll play either Nancy Enriquez and Ana Laura Flores or Jessica Parrilla and Erin Rivera in the semi-finals Saturday night.

The other semi-final will be 2nd seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas versus 6th seeds Kelani Lawrence and Sheryl Lotts. In the quarterfinals, Mendez and Vargas defeated 7th seeds Valeria Centellas and Carla Muñoz, 15-8, 15-11, while Lawrence and Lotts upset 3rd seeds Brenda Laime and Masiel Rivera, 15-5, 15-12.

You can watch the Boston Open action live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). On Saturday, the singles quarterfinals will be at 10 AM and 11 AM, and the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM. The doubles semis will be Saturday night at 6 and 7 PM. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 1. All times eastern.

2020 LPRT Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Sheryl Lotts, 15-7, 15-2
9) Jessica Parrilla d. 8) Masiel Rivera, 15-1, 13-15, 11-8

5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 12) Ana Laura Flores, 15-12, 6-15, 11-8
13) Adriana Riveros d. 4) Natalia Mendez, 15-8, 15-10

3) Samantha Salas d. 14) Valeria Centellas, 3-15, 15-11, 11-4
11) Carla Muñoz d. 6) Nancy Enriquez, 10-15, 15-5, 11-7

10) Brenda Laime d. 7) Cristina Amaya, forfeit
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 18) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-6, 15-2

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 9) Jessica Parrilla - 11 AM
5) Rhonda Rajsich v. 13) Adriana Riveros - 11 AM

3) Samantha Salas v. 11) Carla Muñoz - 10 AM
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 10) Brenda Laime - 10 AM

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 9) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-7
4) Nancy Enriquez & Ana Laura Flores v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 7 PM

6) Kelani Lawrence & Sheryl Lotts d. 3) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera, 15-5, 15-12
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 7) Valeria Centellas & Carla Muñoz, 15-8, 15-11

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Nancy Enriquez & Ana Laura Flores or 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 7 PM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Sheryl Lotts - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….