Singles draws for the 20th IRF World Championships

There will be two rounds of singles in the medal round Thursday at the 20th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The top two seeds in both Women’s and Men’s Singles are from four different countries, which might be a first for that. Paola Longoria of Mexico and Alejandro Landa of the USA are the top seeds in Women’s and Men’s Singles, respectively, while Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas and Costa Rica’s Andres Acuña are the respective 2nd seeds.

They all have byes in Round of 32 of medal play Thursday. But there are some interesting matches in the 32s, including a battle of two veterans Shai Manzuri from Argentina and Canada’s Francis Guillemette with the winner to face Landa in the Round of 16.

We wrote about how Mexican Rodrigo Montoya’s loss in the group stage of play to Acuña meant that he would be in an odd spot in the draw given he’s the defending Men’s Singles World Champion. Montoya will play Canadian Lee Connell - a never say die kind of player - in the 32s Thursday with the winner of the match to face American Jake Bredenbeck in the 16s.

In Women’s Singles, Colombia Cristina Amaya will take on home country favourite Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala in the Round of 16 (they both have byes in the 32s), and that should be a good match. Other potentially good matches in the 16s are American Kelani Lawrence against Chilean Carla Muñoz as well as Rhonda Rajsich versus 2nd seed Maria Jose Vargas, although both of the Americans need to win a match in the 32s for those potential matches to happen.

Look for live streaming of medal round matches via the IRF website or their social media outlets (IRF on Facebook and @IRFRacquetball on Twitter) and YouTube.

20th IRF World Championships
November 29-December 6 - Guatemala City, Guatemala

Men's Singles

Alejandro Landa (USA) - BYE
Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. Francis Guillemette (Canada) - 9 AM

Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile) - 9 AM
Javier Martinez (Guatemala) v. Eoin Tynan (Ireland) - 9 AM

Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Diego Garcia (Argentina) v. Set Cubillos (Colombia) - 9 AM

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. Lee Gunhee (South Korea) - 9 AM
Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Lee Connell (Canada) - 9 AM

Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) v. Rafael Gatica (Chile) - 9 AM
Mario Mercado (Bolivia) - BYE

Luis Aguilar (Bolivia) - BYE
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Ken Cottrell (Ireland) - 9 AM

Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) v. Kim Mingyu (South Korea) - 9 AM
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYR

Women's Singles 

Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador) v. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) - 10 AM

Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
Michèle Morissette (Canada) - BYE

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) v. Majella Haverty (Ireland) - 10 AM

Lee Sumin (South Korea) v. Ayako Hanashi (Japan) - 10 AM
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - BYE
Miceala Meneses (Bolivia) v. Juliette Parent (Canada) - 10 AM

Kelani Lawrence USA) v. Aisling Hickey (Ireland) - 10 AM
Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE

Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - BYE

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Merynanyelly Delagdo (Dominican Republic) - 10 AM
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE

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