Day 2 at The World Games 2022

American Kelani Lawrence, the women’s 2nd seed, got off to a great start Monday at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, as she beat Ireland’s Majella Haverty, 15-0, 15-8, 15-3. Lawrence was flawless in game one, hitting seven ace serves against the Irishwoman. To her credit, Haverty kept fighting and was close in game two, when the score was 8-7, and she had a brief lead early in game three at 2-1.

But game one put the writing on the wall, and it was just a matter of time before Lawrence came out on top. She is trying to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Malia Bailey, who was a silver medalist at The World Games in 1995 in The Hague.

Lawrence will face Mexican Samantha Salas in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, as Salas defeated Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-9, 15-14, 15-11, on Monday. The loss denies Amaya a second World Games medal, as she was the silver medalist nine years ago in her hometown of Cali, Colombia.

American Rhonda Rajsich’s quest to win a third medal at The World Games remains on track, as she beat Ireland’s Aisling Hickey, 15-1, 15-2, 15-7. Rajsich’s next match will be against Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who was a straight game winner over Canadian Michèle Morissette, 15-6, 15-8, 15-4, in what will be a battle of former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Women’s Singles World Champions.

Andres Acuña of Costa Rica, the men’s 2nd seed, also won his first match in three straight games against Korean Gunhee Lee, 15-7, 15-4, 15-6. He’ll play Juan Jose Salvatierra of Guatemala, who eked out a victory over Felipe Camacho of Costa Rica, 15-14, 15-14, 15-13.

Third seed Mario Mercado of Colombia beat 14th seed Ken Cottrell of Ireland, 15-2, 15-7, 15-7, and will play Jose Daniel Ugalde in the quarterfinals, as Ugalde came out on top of an all Ecuador showdown with Juan Francisco Cueva, 15-11, 15-13, 15-9.

You can watch the action from Birmingham via the IRF YouTube channel, or catch up on the action if you missed it the first time.

2022 World Games - Birmingham, Alabama

Men’s Singles - Round of 16 - Sunday & Monday July 10 & 11

1) Alejandro Landa (USA) d. 16) Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-8, 15-9, 15-4
8) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 9) Diego Garcia (Argentina), 15-14, 15-14, 12-15, 15-8

5) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. 12) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-7, 15-13
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. 13) Lee Connell (Canada), 15-14, 15-5, 15-12

3) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 14) Ken Cottrell (Ireland), 15-2, 15-7, 15-7
6) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 11) Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 15-11, 15-13, 15-9

7) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. 10) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-14, 15-14, 15-13
2) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 15) Lee Gunhee (South Korea), 15-7, 15-4, 15-6

Men’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Tuesday July 12

1) Alejandro Landa (USA) v. 8) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - 11 AM
5) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) v. 4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 5 PM

3) Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. 6) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - 9 AM
2) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) v. 7) Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) - 3 PM

Women’s Singles - Round of 16 - Sunday & Monday July 10 & 11

1. Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 16) Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 15-1, 15-5, 15-6
9) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 8) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-7, 15-8, 15-13

5. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. 12. Micaela Meneses (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-13, 15-11
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 13) Sumin Lee (South Korea), 15-8, 15-4, 15-2

3) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 14) Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-1, 15-2, 15-7
6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 11) Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-6, 15-8, 15-4

7) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 10) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-9, 15-14, 15-11
2) Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. 15) Majella Haverty (Ireland), 15-0, 15-8, 15-3

Women’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Tuesday July 12

1. Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Noon
4) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 5. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - 10 AM

3) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 4 PM
2) Kelani Lawrence (USA) v. 7) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - 6 PM

 Follow the bouncing ball….