2022 IRT John Pelham Memorial Tournament of Champions - Preview

The International Racquetball Tour (IRT) returns to Portland, Oregon for first time in three years for the 2022 John Pelham Memorial Tournament of Champions. However, it might be the smallest field of the season with just 24 players in action. The field has probably been impacted by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships, which begins this weekend in Guatemala City, where there will be a U21 division for the first time. Thus, some younger players, who have played IRT events this season, may have opted to go to Guatemala rather than Portland.

A small field is fine if the top players are there, but there are just 6 of the top 10 and 9 of the top 20 in Portland. Alan Natera is the 10th seed, although he’s currently ranked 24th. Andree Parrilla is top seed with Eduardo Portillo as the 2nd seed, and they have both won this season - Portillo for the first time. Also, Alejandro Landa and Samuel Murray, who are the 3rd and 4th seeds, have won IRT events in past seasons. Thus, it is a tournament of champions.

Speaking of IRT champions, Charlie Pratt is in the field. The Oregon native and US National Team member won this event back in 2017. Pratt is seeded 16th, so may face Parrilla in the Round of 16. Also, Mario Mercado, who won his first IRT event last season, is in Portland, where he was runner up to Pratt five years ago.

Rodrigo Montoya hasn’t won an IRT event, but he’s won three IRF World Championships: Men’s Singles in 2018, Men’s Doubles in 2021 and Mixed Doubles this year. We’re sure Montoya would like to add an IRT title to his resumé. He’s seeded 7th, so may face Portillo in the quarterfinals.

Season to date

Five players have won IRT events this season: Daniel De La Rosa and Conrrado Moscoso have both won twice with Kane Waselenchuk, Parrilla and Portillo all winning once. De La Rosa won the last IRT event in Florida and Moscoso won the two prior to that, but neither of them are in Portland. Moscoso bowed out of the Florida event due to injury, and may still be feeling the effects of that. Waselenchuk’s absence is due to an achilles injury suffered in September.

If someone other than Parrilla and Portillo win this weekend, it would be the first time since 2017-18 that six players have won events in an IRT season. That season both Pratt and Parrilla won for the first time. Parrilla’s win this season was just his second on tour.

The rankings are not likely to change much regardless of what happens in Portland. Here’s how they stand now.

1. Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - 3333.65
2. Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - 2696.25
3. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - 2652.51
4. Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - 2273.16

5. Alejandro Landa (USA) - 2051.04
6. Samuel Murray (Canada) - 2021.05
7. Rocky Carson (USA) - 1891.01
8. Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 1838

9. Kane Waselenchuk (Canada) - 1792.16
10. Mario Mercado (Colombia) - 1629.15
11. Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - 1487
12. Adam Manilla (USA) - 1356

De La Rosa should finish #1 for the second straight season. He’s the first Mexican to be #1 on the IRT at season’s end. Also, Parrilla will finish #2, which is a career best for him; he’s been 4th the last three seasons.

Moscoso should be #3, although if Portillo wins in Portland, that may change. Regardless, they’ll both be on career highs. Moscoso was 7th last season and Portillo 5th, which were personal bests.

Landa and Murray could flip positions based on what happens this weekend, and Bredenbeck could pass Carson, who’s not in Portland. Similarly, Mercado may pass Waselenchuk, but Montoya probably won’t, so he’ll likely not crack the top 10. But if Montoya wins this weekend, maybe he could squeak into the top 10.

It does look like Carson and Waselenchuk will add to their career top 10 totals. Carson has 22 top tens, and this year will make 23, which is the record, and three more than Cliff Swain’s 20. Waselenchuk will pass Alvaro Beltran for 3rd on the all time list, as they are currently tied for 3rd with 18 top 10s each.

Daniel De La Rosa will have his 10th top 10 finish, which ties him for 8th all time with John Ellis, Jack Huczek, Shane Vanderson and Mike Yellen.

Note that in 2021 the IRT switched from seasons that ran from September to May - bridging two years - to seasons that go by the calendar year - January to December. If you missed that change, you’re not alone, as it slipped past the attention of most of The Racquetball Blog staff.

We’re not sure why the IRT made this change. It’s a bit easier to talk about seasons and years when they are the same, which is what you get with seasons running from January to December. But many team seasons (e.g., NBA, NHL, and most European soccer leagues) run across across two calendar years, and the PGA switched their golf season from a calendar year to a season that went across two seasons a couple years ago. So, there isn’t consensus on which is better.

You can see some of the season ending IRT action from Portland via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The Round of 32 goes Thursday afternoon from 3 PM. The Round of 16 begins Friday at 10 AM, and the quarterfinals will be Friday from 5 PM. The semi-finals are 11 AM and noon on Saturday, and the final Saturday night at 6 PM. All times Pacific.

2022 IRT John Pelham Memorial Tournament of Champions
December 1-4, 2022 - Portland, Oregon

Round of 32 - Thursday

1) Andree Parrilla - BYE
16) Charlie Pratt v. 17) Anthony Martin - 4 PM

9) Thomas Carter - BYE
8) Adam Manilla - BYE

5) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE
12) Erick Cuevas Fernandez v. 21) Sunji Spencer - 3 PM

13) Sam Bredenbeck v. 20) Connor Laffey - 4 PM
4) Samuel Murray - BYE

3) Alejandro Landa - BYE
14) Rodrigo Mendoza v. 19) Matthew Majxner - 6 PM

11) Robert Collins v. 22) Ty Hedalen - 6 PM
6) Mario Mercado - BYE

7) Rodrigo Montoya - BYE
10) Alan Natera v. 23) Jorge Carlos Thomas - 5 PM

15) Jim Douglas v. 18) Michael Leduc - 5 PM
2) Eduardo Portillo - BYE Follow the bouncing ball….

USA Racquetball reveals financial difficulties

USA Racquetball (USAR) today issued a statement that partially detailed the dire financial straits the organization is in. We had speculated the USAR may have money troubles, when they made the appointment of Mike Grisz as the Executive Director, and that he would be working pro bono (i.e., without salary).

Today USAR stated they have restructured operations based on projected revenues, including memberships, which are approximately 5,000 or half what they were prior to the pandemic. Annual membership revenue is said to be down $125,000. The restructuring leaves USAR with one paid employee, and volunteers taking up the slack. That’s not a good situation.

Moreover, the operations of the USAR’s national championships, which is one of their most important activities, ran at a loss of $170,000 in 2022. That deficit combined with reduced revenues has put USAR in dire straits.

Thus, the USAR is making an appeal for financial donations in hopes of raising $100,000 by year end to give themselves a fresh start for 2023.

The importance of a National Sport Organization (NSO) cannot be overstated. It is the NSO that provides overview and guidance to a sport, especially in terms of rules of play, national championships, national teams, player ranking, and coach training. These provide the framework for a sport.

Without a strong NSO a sport’s profile within a country diminishes, because there would be no one carrying the torch for the sport. And internationally the country may miss competitions if there is no way to select players to represent the country, let alone support those players to go to an event. 2023 is a Pan American Games year, and the number of players a country can send to the Pan Am Games will be determined by how well a country does at the Pan American Championships in the spring. Thus, it’s important to have a strong showing at the Pan Am Championships, so that you can send as many players as possible to the Pan Am Games.

But USAR has struggled to send teams to international competitions - especially the Pan American Championships, which is an annual competition - even before its current financial situation. How are they going to do so in 2023? The US Olympic Committee may provide support for going to the 2023 Pan Am Games, which will be in Santiago, Chile, as it’s a multi-sport event second in size only to the Summer Olympics, but you have to qualify players to compete there.

Many players view the Pan Am Games as racquetball's Olympics, as it's the largest event that includes racquetball. While Pan Ams are not a global event, the best racquetball countries are in the Americas, so the Pan Am Games generally have the best racquetball players competing for gold.

Hopefully, the USAR’s appeal will be successful, and they can get to a more financially stable position. Racquetball originated in the United States, and the USA was the leading country for much of its history. They are still one of the leading countries, which makes the USAR’s predicament all the more poignant.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - Wins for Parrilla, Lawrence, Carter and Mercado & Mehta

Andree Parrilla won the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Monterrey International Open on the weekend. He defeated Jordy Alonso, 15-6, 15-5, in the final. In the semi-finals, Parrilla, the IRT’s #2 player, beat Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-9, 15-3, while Alonso needed a tie-breaker to defeat Erick Trujillo, 15-5, 13-15, 11-8.

In Lombard, Illinois, Kelani Lawrence beat Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-8, to win Women’s Open on the weekend at the Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot. In the semi-finals, Lawrence defeated Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-5, while Centellas beat Annie Roberts, 15-3, 15-6.

In Men’s Open, Thomas Carter beat Mario Mercado, 15-5, 15-2, which was an upset by the seeding: Carter was the 2nd seed and Mercado 1st, and perhaps a surprise too, as Mercado is ranked 10th on the IRT, while Carter is 16th. Carter reached the final by defeating Rodrigo Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-7, in one semi-final, while Mercado beat Jeremy Dixon, 15-2, 15-2, in the other.

Mercado did win Men’s Open Doubles with Alok Mehta. They needed three games to defeat Eugene Coyle and Eric Mathews, 15-8, 12-15, 11-9, in the final, and they also went the distance to get past Dixon and Rodriguez in the semi-finals, 10-15, 15-6, 11-8. Coyle and Mathews didn’t need three games to win their semi, but did win by the narrowest of margins against Carter and George Pappas, 15-14, 15-14.

Closing out 2022

Looking ahead three big events will happen in December to close out 2022. On the first weekend of the month the IRT will play their Tournament of Champions in Portland, Oregon, December 1-4, which will close out their 2022 season. The IRT switched to seasons that follow the calendar year in 2021 from seasons that would bridge two calendar years (e.g., 1999-2000).

The 2022 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships also start on the first weekend of December in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and they will run to the second Saturday of the month, so December 3 to 10. This will be the first World Juniors with the U21 division.

That second weekend will also see the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) in action at the Christmas Classic, December 9-11, in Severna Park, Maryland. It’s perhaps the longest running women’s pro event, and very much a racquetball Christmas tradition.

2022 IRT Monterrey International Open, November 16-19, 2022
Monterrey, Mexico

IRT Final

1) Andree Parrilla d. 3) Jordy Alonso, 15-6, 15-5

Semi-finals

1) Andree Parrilla d. 4) Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-9, 15-3
3) Jordy Alonso d. 2) Erick Trujillo, 15-5, 13-15, 11-8.

Quarterfinals

1) Andree Parrilla d. 8) Christian Longoria, 15-10, 15-7
4) Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. 5) Diego Gastelum, 15-14, 10-15, 11-10

3) Jordy Alonso d. 6) Oscar Nieto, 15-5, 15-11
2) Erick Trujillo d. 10) Sebastian Hernández, 15-14, 14-15, 11-4

2022 Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Women’s Open Final

2) Kelani Lawrence d. 1) Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-8

Semi-finals

1) Valeria Centellas d. 5) Annie Roberts, 15-3, 15-6
2) Kelani Lawrence d. 3) Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-5

Men’s Open - Final

2) Thomas Carter d. 1) Mario Mercado, 15-5, 15-2

Semi-finals

1) Mario Mercado d. 5) Jeremy Dixon, 15-2, 15-2
2) Thomas Carter d. 3) Rodrigo Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-7

Men’s Open Doubles - Final

1) Mario Mercado & Alok Mehta d. 2) Eugene Coyle & Eric Mathews, 15-8, 12-15, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Mario Mercado & Alok Mehta d. 4) Jeremy Dixon & Rodrigo Rodriguez, 10-15, 15-6, 11-8
2) Eugene Coyle & Eric Mathews d. 6) Thomas Carter & George Pappas, 15-14, 15-14

Follow the bouncing ball….

Mejia comes back to win the 2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot

Montserrat Mejia won the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot in Lombard, Illinois Sunday in one of the more remarkable performances you’ll ever see. Mejia defeated LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera in the final, 2-15, 15-12, 11-5.

Herrera did win the Turkey Shoot doubles title, as she and Samantha Salas beat Erika Manilla and Natalia Mendez in two close games, 15-13, 15-13, in the final.

It was unknown what sort of form Mejia would be in today, as she was hit by Erika Manilla’s racquet as Manilla was taking a shot in the tie-breaker of their doubles match Saturday night. She immediately went down, and although Mejia did continue to play after taking 15 minutes of injury time, she was not moving very much. The incident was entirely her fault, and Mejia was assessed an avoidable hinder on the play.

That lack of movement carried over into game one of the final, as Mejia was not nearly as spry as she usually is. Mejia is an all round player, and if she can’t move, then it takes a big part of her game away.

Herrera also played very well in game one, and was full measure for the 15-2 score, as she didn’t skip any shots in game one.

Then game two started slowly. After 20 rallies it was just 4-2 for Herrera. Mejia may have gained some confidence from that, as she won the next five rallies - helped by two drive ace serves (one to the left and one to the right) - to lead 7-4.

Mejia didn’t stop there, as she ran the score to 12-4. Her 12th point was another drive serve ace to the left side, which was to the lefthanded Herrera’s forehand. Herrera hit a forehand winner on the next rally, and then put together a string of points of her own.

Herrera changed her serve to a straight lob on the left side, which was to Mejia’s backhand. That helped her get within two at 12-10.

Mejia extended her lead again by getting to 14-11 with a forehand overhead reverse pinch from deep in the court. Herrera fought off the first game point with a solid forehand shot.

She followed that up with one her patented forehand pinch shots to the front left corner, which made the score 14-12. But Herrera made an unforced error on the next rally, as she skipped a forehand shot.

That gave Mejia her second game point, and she converted it with a backhand pinch winner. Thus, they were going to a tie-breaker, which nobody saw coming after game one.

More surprise in the breaker, as Mejia won the first eight rallies. The first got her the serve, and the next seven got her a 7-0 lead. Those seven included two more skips by Herrera and two more drive serve aces by Mejia.

Herrera called a timeout at that point, but she probably should have called one before that, as a 7 point lead in a game to 11 is a big difference to overcome. Coming out of the timeout, Herrera did get on the board, and worked her way to within three at 8-5. Mejia got the serve back with a winning backhand return off a lob serve on the left side. Her 9th point came on the next rally, as Herrera skipped another forehand shot. Herrera called her second timeout.

When play resumed, Mejia hit a forehand winner over to the right side to reach match point at 10-5. They exchanged four sideouts before Mejia won the match on her 3rd match point, as Herrera skipped another forehand shot.

It’s Mejia’s 2nd LPRT title after her win at the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in June 2021 in what was her 4th LPRT final. The difference in today's final was Mejia started to make shots in game two and three, as she rekilled some balls that Herrera left up, and served very well, getting 8 aces in the match. Herrera also made some errors later in the match that she wasn't making earlier in it, or that she normally makes.

In doubles, Herrera and Salas were playing together for just the second LPRT event in their respective careers. The last time was in 2014, when they reached the final of the Christmas Classic, losing to Rhonda Rajsich and Maria Jose Vargas. Thus, they have been finalists both times they've played together and won half of those finals.

The Christmas Classic is the next event on the LPRT schedule. It’ll take place next month, December 9-11, in Severna Park, Maryland. If you missed any of the action from Illinois, check it out via the LPRT YouTube channel. There were some excellent matches over the weekend, including today’s two finals.

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Final - Sunday

5) Montserrat Mejia d. 2) Alexandra Herrera, 2-15, 15-12, 11-5

Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas d. 3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez, 15-13, 15-13

Follow the bouncing ball….

Mejia defeats Longoria in semi-finals at LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot

Montserrat Mejia defeated Paola Longoria - the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Saturday in the semi-finals of the LPRT Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot in Lombard, Illinois. Mejia won in three games, although she almost got it done in two straight. But Longoria fought off a match point in game two to force a tie-breaker, which Mejia won, taking the match, 15-12, 14-15, 11-3.

Meija will play LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera in the final on Sunday, as Herrera beat Erika Manilla in the other semi-final, 15-7, 15-4.

At least that’s the plan. But in the doubles semi-finals, Mejia - playing with Longoria - was hit by Manilla - playing with Natalia Mendez - early in the third game of their match. Manilla was hitting a forehand shot on the right side, and Mejia moved forward in anticipation of covering the shot, but did not clear the path of Manilla’s swing. Thus, she took a racquet in the back, and immediately went down.

Mejia stayed down for awhile, and took the full 15 minutes possible of injury time. But when play resumed she was not moving much at all, so Longoria was taking most of the shots.

How fit Mejia will be for the singles final on Sunday is anyone’s guess, but we’re pretty sure that she won’t be 100%. There was even speculation that she might not play the final, but that decision will need to wait until the morning.

In their singles semi-final, an upset did not look to be on the cards for Mejia early on against Longoria, as the LPRT #1 went up 6-0 and 10-4 in game one. But Mejia came all the way back, tying the score at 12-12, which led to a Longoria timeout. That timeout wasn’t successful, as Mejia got the next three points to end the game 15-12.

The storyline in game two was similar, as Longoria was up 6-2 and 11-4. However, Mejia again came back, and tied it at 11-11. She didn’t stop there, and got to match point at 14-11 with a drive serve ace to the left side.

Longoria fought off that match point with a forehand cross court return off a drive serve to the right side. She followed that up with four points on as many rallies to come back and win the game 15-14. Mejia called a timeout at 14-14, but to no avail.

Often a match that has two close games has a blowout in the tie-breaker, and so it was in this match. Yet it was Mejia, not Longoria, who came out on top, as she went up 7-0 in the breaker.

Longoria did call a timeout at 4-0, and got some points and sideouts down the stretch, but that early lead put the writing on the wall. Mejia wrote the last chapter of the match by closing out game three, 11-3.

Longoria was her own worst enemy, as she made several unforced errors that were very uncharacteristic. Indeed, she made bad skips that gave Mejia her 10th and 11th points in the breaker. The first was a forehand in the front court, as she tried to take the ball early after Mejia had hit it into the back wall to keep it in play, and the second was also a forehand but in the back right corner as the ball came off the back wall.

Longoria may have been hindered - and Mejia helped - because she and Brenda Laime played a long match in the quarterfinals that went to a tie-breaker (Mejia’s quarterfinal was a straight game win over Sheryl Lotts). Laime beat Longoria earlier this season, so you know she wanted to get some revenge today, and may have been more emotionally invested in that match than if she’d played any other opponent.

In the first two games, Longoria had significant leads, only to see Laime come back and make it close. Indeed, in game one, Laime pulled out the win, but wasn’t able to repeat the trick in game two.

Then in the tie-breaker, Laime goes up 4-1, and we’re thinking “maybe she’s going to pull off another upset.” However, Longoria wins 9 unanswered points using a lob kiss serve to the left side that Laime wasn’t attacking to lead 10-4, and we’re thinking “well, that’s probably that.”

However, Laime digs in, and fights off the first match point, and then scores three points to make it 10-7. Longoria called a timeout at 10-6, but to no avail. However, she did get the serve back at 10-7, yet she didn’t convert her second match point. Or her third.

Longoria took another timeout prior to serving her fourth match point, but that wasn’t successful either. Laime gets an eighth point on an avoidable call against Longoria, but then again gives up the serve.

On her fifth match point, Longoria finally finishes off the match with a forehand wide angle cross court that Laime can’t retrieve, and makes a big exclamation that seemed to be more relief than joy.

Manilla and Mendez are into their second consecutive LPRT Doubles final, and are coming off a win at the US Open. Their win over Longoria and Mejia could be said to be partially due to Mejia’s injury after being hit by Manilla. But (a) Mejia was in error by putting herself in the path of Manilla’s swing, which was assessed as an avoidable hinder, and (b) the injury came early in the tie-breaker (Longoria and Mejia were leading 3-1), which could have gone Manilla and Mendez’s way even without the injury to Mejia.

In that match, the first game was close with ties at 7-7, 10-10 and 12-12. Manilla and Mendez actually led at 12-10, only to see Longoria and Mejia get five consecutive points to win it.

Game two was streaky. Manilla and Mendez were up 7-2, and then down 9-7. Then they won 15-9. Does the stretch of that game, Manilla was hitting hard Z serves to Mejia on the right side, and she was having trouble returning them. Thus, Manilla and Mendez were the team with momentum going into the breaker.

They got the first point of the breaker, but then lost serve as Manilla was hit by the ball. Longoria and Mejia got three points to lead 3-1, and then the injury happened.

When play resumed, Longoria and Mejia actually extended their lead, despite the fact that Mejia wasn’t moving very much. Yet Longoria can play pretty well by herself, and it may have taken a bit of time for Manilla and Mendez to recognize exactly how incapacitated Mejia was.

Once they recognized that it gave them a new game plan of what shots to play, and more freedom to play them. For example, Mendez hit a backhand pinch shot from deep for their 9th point, and it was a good shot, but she likely hit it knowing that Longoria was in the back court and Mejia was not going to be in position to cover it, so there was no pressure on Mendez. Easier to hit good shot with no pressure.

Manilla and Mendez will play Herrera and Samantha Salas in the final Sunday, as Herrera and Salas beat 5th seeds Carla Muñoz and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-8, 15-1, in the other semi-final.

You can watch the action from Illinois live via the LPRT YouTube channel. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to go at 1 PM Sunday. All times CST.

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Brenda Laime, 13-15, 15-10, 11-8
5) Montserrat Mejia d. 13) Sheryl Lotts, 15-11, 15-2

3) Erika Manilla d. 11) Samantha Salas, 15-13, 15-11
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 10) Kelani Lawrence, 15-3, 15-11

Semi-finals - Saturday

5) Montserrat Mejia d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-12, 14-15, 11-3
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 3) Erika Manilla, 15-7, 15-4

Final - Sunday

2) Alexandra Herrera v. 5) Montserrat Mejia - Noon

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas d. 5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-8, 15-1
3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez d. 2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia, 12-15, 15-8, 11-7

Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas v. 3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Four of eight R16 matches were upsets at LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot

Four of the eight Round of 16 matches on Friday at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot in Lombard, Illinois were upsets with 13th seed Sheryl Lotts pulling off the biggest upset, as she defeated 4th seed Natalia Mendez, 15-8, 14-15, 11-9. The win puts Lotts into the quarterfinals Saturday morning against 5th seed Montserrat Mejia, who beat 12th seed Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-8.

The top three seeds were winners Friday. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria beat 16th seed Nancy Enriquez, 15-1, 15-2, and LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera defeated 15th seed Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-4. In the quarterfinals, Longoria will face 9th seed Brenda Laime, who defeated 8th seed Angelica Barrios, 15-7, 12-15, 11-6, and Herrera plays 10th seed Kelani Lawrence, who held on to beat 7th seed Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 14-15, 11-7.

Finally, 3rd seed Erika Manilla defeated 14th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-6, 15-5, and will play 11th seed Samantha Salas in the quarters, as Salas upset 6th seed Jessica Parrilla, 15-13, 12-15, 11-8.

There was one upset in the quarterfinals of doubles at the Turkey Shoot on Friday, as 5th seeds Carla Muñoz and Maria Renee Rodriguez beat 4th seeds Valeria Centellas and Jessica Parrilla in two straight games, 15-4, 15-7. Muñoz and Rodriguez will face top seeds Alexandra Herrera and Samantha Salas in the semi-finals Saturday night, as Herrera and Salas were also straight game winners Friday, defeating 8th seeds Nancy Enriquez and Sheryl Lotts, 15-12, 15-9.

Third seeds Erika Manilla and Natalia Mendez - the current US Open LPRT doubles champions - also won in two games over 6th seeds Kelani Lawrence and Linda Tyler, 15-11, 15-5. Manilla and Mendez will play 2nd seeds Paola Longoria and Montserrat Mejia, who came back too win a three game match against 7th seeds Angelica Barrios and Brenda Laime, winning 9-15, 15-14, 11-2. The second game of that match was one of the most dramatic you will ever see.

Barrios and Laime were ahead early in game two at 4-1. But Longoria and Mejia then got 11 unanswered points to lead 12-4. They got to game point at 14-9, as Mejia cracked out a drive serve on the right side for an ace.

Cue the comeback.

Barrios and Laime came all the way back to tie Longoria and Mejia at 14-14, as Barrios - playing the left side - hit a backhand wide angle cross court shot that went off the right wall and spliting her opponents. Laime was forced into skipping a forehand shot on the next rally giving the serve back to Longoria and Mejia.

After a great Barrios backhand put Longoria and Mejia half down, a hinder was called on the next rally, as Mejia completely blocked Barrios from getting to the ball. Could that have been an avoidable? Maybe, although the Barrios would have been taking the ball early and probably high, but she had the right to do that, so calling an avoidable wouldn't have been wrong, though it would have been harsh.

Regardless, Barrios hit another winner on the ensuing rally, as she rekilled the ball with a forehand shot down the left side, which got her side back into the service box. She backed that up that winner with another - this time a backhand shot down the line - that could have won the match, but Longoria and Mejia successfully appealed that the serve that started that 7 shot rally was short.

Under LPRT rules any play can be appealed even after the rally is over. That can’t be done in international play, as International Racquetball Federation (IRF) rule is that only the last shot or play in a rally can be appealed, so if you want to make an appeal, you have to stop play immediately, rather than continue on to the end of the rally and then appeal.

Given a second chance, Longoria took advantage, and hit winners on the next two rallies. A forehand reverse pinch on the first one, and then a backhand down the line that Barrios dove to try to keep in play, but was judged to have not gotten to the ball before it bounced twice.

You might have thought Barrios would have sagged after that, but on the next rally Mejia hit a drive Z to her, and Barrios returned by taking it early, and rolled it out of the front left corner with her backhand.

On the 10th game (or match) point - combined for both teams - Mejia hit a forehand wide angle shot from the left side of the court that Barrios and Laime weren’t able to keep in play, as they both seemed to go for it at the backwall.

You can watch the action from Illinois live via the LPRT YouTube channel. The singles quarters will be 11 AM and noon on Saturday with the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:30 PM. The doubles semis are at 6:30 and 7:30 PM Saturday night. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to go at 1 PM Sunday. All times CST.

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Nancy Enriquez, 15-1, 15-2
9) Brenda Laime d. 8) Angelica Barrios, 15-7, 12-15, 11-6

5) Montserrat Mejia d. 12) Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-8
13) Sheryl Lotts d. 4) Natalia Mendez, 15-8, 14-15, 11-9

3) Erika Manilla d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-6, 15-5
11) Samantha Salas d. 6) Jessica Parrilla, 15-13, 12-15, 11-8

10) Kelani Lawrence d. 7) Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 14-15, 11-7
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 15) Cristina Amaya, 15-4, 15-4

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 9) Brenda Laime - Noon
5) Montserrat Mejia v. 13) Sheryl Lotts - Noon

3) Erika Manilla v. 11) Samantha Salas - 11 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 10) Kelani Lawrence - 11 AM

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas d. 8) Sheryl Lotts & Nancy Enriquez, 15-12, 15-9
5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 4) Valeria Centellas & Jessica Parrilla, 15-4, 15-7

3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez d. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Linda Tyler, 15-11, 15-5
2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia d. 7) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime, 9-15, 15-14, 11-2

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas v. 5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7:30 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia v. 3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez - 6:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

No upsets in first rounds at LPRT Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot

No upsets in the first rounds at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot in Lombard, Illinois. Indeed, there weren’t even any tie-breakers.

The closest match was between Colombians Cristina Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme with Amaya winning 15-10, 15-12. Also, young American Annie Roberts put in a good effort against Guatemalan Maria Renee Rodriguez, but lost 15-9, 15-9.

You can watch the action from Illinois live via the LPRT YouTube channel. Singles play continues Friday afternoon at 3 PM with the Round of 16 with the doubles quarterfinals Friday night from 6 PM. The singles quarters will be 11 AM and noon on Saturday with the semi-finals at 4:30 and 5:30 PM. The doubles semis are at 6:30 and 7:30 PM Saturday night. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to go at 1 PM Sunday. All times CST.

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Nancy Enriquez d. 17) Linda Tyler, 15-3, 15-6

9) Brenda Laime d. 24) Denisse Maldonado, 15-1, 15-1
8) Angelica Barrios - BYE

5) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
12) Valeria Centellas d. 21) Sunshine Arterburn, 15-1, 15-0

13) Sheryl Lotts d. 20) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-0, 15-7
4) Natalia Mendez - BYE

3) Erika Manilla - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 19) Annie Roberts, 15-9, 15-9

11) Samantha Salas d. 22) Lexi York, 15-7, 15-3
6) Jessica Parrilla - BYE

7) Carla Muñoz - BYE
10) Kelani Lawrence d. 23) Martina Katz, 15-11, 15-1

15) Cristina Amaya d. 18) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-10, 15-12
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria v. 16) Nancy Enriquez - 5 PM
8) Angelica Barrios v. 9) Brenda Laime - 5 PM

5) Montserrat Mejia v. 12) Valeria Centellas - 3 PM
4) Natalia Mendez v. 13) Sheryl Lotts - 3 PM

3) Erika Manilla v. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 3 PM
6) Jessica Parrilla v. 11) Samantha Salas - 4 PM

7) Carla Muñoz v. 10) Kelani Lawrence - 4 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 15) Cristina Amaya - 4 PM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Sheryl Lotts & Nancy Enriquez d. 9) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-8, 15-8

5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
4) Valeria Centellas & Jessica Parrilla - BYE

3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez - BYE
6) Kelani Lawrence & Linda Tyler d. 11) Martina Katz & Stephanie Synhorst, 15-9, 15-7

7) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime d. 10) Annie Roberts d. Lexi York, 15-2, 15-6
2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas v. 8) Sheryl Lotts & Nancy Enriquez - 7 PM
4) Valeria Centellas & Jessica Parrilla v. 5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM

3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez v. 6) Kelani Lawrence & Linda Tyler - 6 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia v. 7) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot - Preview

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is back in action this weekend at the Platt Hill Nursery 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot in Lombard, Illinois. There are 24 players in the field led by LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who is coming off winning her 12th US Open title last month.

Also in Illinois are the US Open LPRT Doubles champions: Erika Manilla and Natalia Mendez, who will be playing doubles together again this weekend. They are the 3rd seeds, and unsurprisingly the top seeds are two all Mexican teams. But curiously it’s not the two teams you’d expect, although it is the four players you’d expect.

This weekend Longoria will be playing with Montserrat Mejia, rather than Samantha Salas, her usual doubles partner, who she’s won three International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships with. Mejia usually plays with Alexandra Herrera, the LPRT’s #2 singles player. But this week Herrera and Salas have teamed up, and they are the top seeds in doubles with Longoria and Mejia as the 2nd seeds.

You can watch the action from Illinois live via the LPRT YouTube channel. Singles play begins Friday morning with the Round of 32, followed by the first round of doubles at noon. The singles Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday afternoon with the quarterfinals of doubles going off at 6 and 7 PM Friday evening. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to go at 1 PM Sunday. All times CST.

2022 LPRT 30th Anniversary Turkey Shoot, November 18-20, 2022
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Linda Tyler d. 16) Nancy Enriquez - 11 AM

9) Brenda Laime v. 24) Denisse Maldonado - 11 AM
8) Angelica Barrios - BYE

5) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
12) Valeria Centellas v. 21) Sunshine Arterburn - 9 AM

13) Sheryl Lotts v. 20) Stephanie Synhorst - 9 AM
4) Natalia Mendez - BYE

3) Erika Manilla - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Annie Roberts - 9 AM

11) Samantha Salas v. 22) Lexi York - 10 AM
6) Jessica Parrilla - BYE

7) Carla Muñoz - BYE
10) Kelani Lawrence v. 23) Martina Katz - 10 AM

15) Cristina Amaya v. 18) Maria Paz Riquelme - 10 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Sheryl Lotts & Nancy Enriquez v. 9) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - Noon

5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
4) Valeria Centellas & Jessica Parrilla - BYE

3) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez - BYE
6) Kelani Lawrence & Linda Tyler v. 11) Martina Katz & Stephanie Synhorst - Noon

7) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime v. 10) Annie Roberts v. Lexi York - Noon
2) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

Iwaasa & Lambert win at 1st Racquetball Canada Selection Event

Coby Iwaasa and Frédérique Lambert won the Men’s and Women’s titles, respectively, at Racquetball Canada’s first National Team Selection Event of the season on the weekend in Brossard, Québec. Iwaasa had a walkover win in the final against Samuel Murray, as Murray’s knee injury from last month is still bothering him. He was able to play through the first rounds, but didn’t want to push it against Iwaasa in the final.

Lambert won the Women’s title by defeating Michèle Morissette, 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, in the final. She defeated Danielle Ramsay in one semi-final, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5, while Morissette beat Juliette Parent, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-4, in the other. Racquetball Canada has adopted the match format used by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF): best of 5 games with each game to 11 and the winning margin must be at least two points with each rally resulting in a point (rally scoring).

In the Men’s semi-finals, Iwaasa beat Trevor Webb, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3, and Murray defeated Lee Connell, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6.

These results are the first results that will count towards selecting Team Canada for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile next October. They will be combined with the results from the second National Team Selection Event that will be held in Grand Prairie, Alberta in February, as well as the 2023 Canadian Racquetball Championships to be held in Winnipeg in May, to select the Pan Am Games team.

Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event #1
November 11-12, 2022 - Brossard, Québec

Men's Open

Final

2) Coby Iwaasa d. 1) Samuel Murray, forfeit

3rd Place

3) Trevor Webb d. 5) Lee Connell, 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Samuel Murray d. 4) Lee Connell, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6
2) Coby Iwaasa d. 3) Trevor Webb, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3

Quarterfinals

1) Samuel Murray d. 8) Francis Guillemette, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6
4) Lee Connell d. 5) Tanner Prentice, 11-9, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9

3) Trevor Webb d. 6) Michael Leduc, 14-12, 11-4, 11-9
2) Coby Iwaasa d. 10) Mitchell Brayley, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6

Women's Open

Final

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 3) Michèle Morissette, 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7

3rd place

2) Juliette Parent d. 4) Danielle Drury, 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 4) Danielle Drury, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5
3) Michèle Morissette d. 2) Juliette Parent, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-4

Quarterfinals

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 8) Chloe Jauvin, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3
4) Danielle Drury d. 5) Marjolaine Parent, 12-10, 15-9, 11-4
3) Michèle Morissette d. 6) Cassie Prentice, 11-6, 11-4, 14-12
2) Juliette Parent d. 7) Ofelia Wilscam, 12-10, 11-3, 11-1

Follow the bouncing ball….

Weekend Round Up - Wins for Cuevas Fernandez, Scott & Gastelum

There was an Erick versus Erick battle in the U21 division of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida on the weekend, as Erick Cuevas Fernandez battled Erick Trujillo in the final. Cuevas Fernandez came out on top, but had to come from a game down to defeat Trujillo, 9-15, 15-3, 11-9.

In the semi-finals, Cuevas Fernandez beat Cole Sendrey, 15-98 [sic], 15-14, and Trujillo defeated Carlos Ramirez, 15-1, 15-10.

The Women’s Open division in Sarasota had some notable players. Hollie Scott won the division by defeating Veronica Sotomayor, 15-6, 5-15, 11-9, in the final. Scott beat Maricruz Ortiz, 15-9, 15-3, in one semi-final, while Sotomayor defeated Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-11, 15-3, in the other.

Lastly, the Men’s Open division had a surprise winner in Diego Gastelum, who was seeded 16th. He benefited from two forfeits along the way, including one by 2nd seed Alan Natera in the final, as well as one by top seed Andrés Acuña in the Round of 16.

However, Gastelum did beat Guatemala international Edwin Galicia, 15-12, 15-10, in the semi-finals, which was an impressive result, as Galicia was one of the players who impressed us at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in the summer.

Upcoming events

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) will be in action later this month at the LPRT Turkey Shoot Pro-Am in Lombard, Illinois, November 18-20. The next IRT main event will be the Tournament of Champions in Portland, Oregon, December 1-4, although the Monterrey International Open - a lower tier IRT event - happens in Monterrey, Mexico, November 16-19.

Also, we are less than a month away from the 2022 IRF World Junior Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, which begins December 2 and runs to December 10.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, November 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

IRT U21 Final

2) Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. 1) Erick Trujillo, 9-15, 15-3, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Erick Trujillo d. 5) Carlos Ramirez, 15-1, 15-10
2) Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. 3) Cole Sendrey, 15-98 [sic], 15-14

Quarterfinals

1) Erick Trujillo d. 9) Bairon Rosil, 15-5, 15-4
5) Carlos Ramirez d. 4) Diego Gatelum, 15-11, 15-13

3) Cole Sendrey d. 6) Assuan Castaneda, 15-7, 15-9
2) Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. 7) Juan Herrera II, 15-5, 15-7

Women’s Open - Final

1) Hollie Scott d. 2) Veronica Sotomayor, 15-6, 5-15, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Hollie Scott d. 4) Maricruz Ortiz, 15-9, 15-3
2) Veronica Sotomayor d. 3) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-11, 15-3

Quarterfinals

1) Hollie Scott - BYE
4) Maricruz Ortiz d. Laura Brandt, 15-1, 15-2

3) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. Sahne Diaz, 14-15, 15-5, 11-6
2) Veronica Sotomayor d. 7) Estefania Perez Picon, 15-1, 15-0

Men’s Open - Final

16) Diego Gastelum d. 2) Alan Natera, forfeit

Semi-finals

16) Diego Gastelum d. 5) Edwin Galicia, 15-12, 15-10
2) Alan Natera d. 6) Christian Longoria, 15-8, 8-15, 11-8

Quarterfinals

16) Diego Gastelum d. 9) Esteban Reque, 15-2, 15-6
5) Edwin Galicia d. 4) Alejandro Herrera, 15-10, 15-3

6) Christian Longoria d. 3) Rodrigo Rodriguez, 15-14, 15-7
2) Alan Natera d. 7) Juan Salvatierra, 11-15, 15-6, 11-0

Follow the bouncing ball….

De La Rosa wins 2022 IRT Dovetail Open

Daniel De La Rosa won the 2022 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida on Sunday by defeating Rodrigo Montoya, 15-5, 15-3, in the final. The win further solidifies De La Rosa as the #1 player on the IRT, and it’s his 2nd win of 2022.

Montoya fought hard in the final, but didn’t get many points, so the score was very lop sided. De La Rosa was up 4-0 and 9-1 in game one, as he won 15-5. In game two, Montoya got the first two points, but only scored one in the rest of the game, as De La Rosa overcame that small deficit to win, 15-3, and take the match in two straight games.

But Montoya and Javier Mar won the IRT Doubles title in Sarasota. The win was by default, as Conrrado Moscoso was unable to play after he had a nasty fall yesterday during his singles semi-final against Montoya. Moscoso was going backward for a shot, and tripped over Montoya's foot, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on the back wall.

While Moscoso wasn't diagnosed with a concussion last night, he was still unfit to play today, leading to the default win for Mar and Montoya.

The next IRT main event will be the Tournament of Champions in Portland, Oregon, December 1-4. But the Monterrey International Open is in two weeks, November 16-19 in Monterrey, Mexico.

If you missed any of the 2022 IRT Dovetail Open matches, you can check out the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, November 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

Final - Sunday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 11) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-5, 15-3

Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso, forfeit

Follow the bouncing ball….

De La Rosa and Montoya will face off in final of 2022 IRT Dovetail Open

Daniel De La Rosa, the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), is in his 3rd final of 2022, as he defeated Andrés Acuña, 15-10, 15-13, in the semi-finals of the Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida. De La Rosa will play 11th seed Rodrigo Montoya in the final Sunday.

Montoya advanced to the final after IRT #2 Conrrado Moscoso had to withdraw from their semi-final match early in game one with Montoya leading 4-2. Montoya hit a backhand ceiling ball from the back left corner, and Moscoso backpedaled to hit the next shot, but tripped over Montoya, who was getting up from the floor. The contact was slight, but enough to cause Moscoso to fall backwards and he hit his head on the back wall.

Moscoso was seeking to win a third straight IRT event after capturing his first US Open title last month, and following that up with a win at the Golden State Open in California. He also won Men’s Singles at the 2022 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in August, so Moscoso is the most in form player at the moment.

While it was suspected that he suffered a concussion as a result of his fall, the IRT released a statement - - indicating that medical professionals assessment of Moscoso was that he did not have a concussion, and that he should rest over night.

Earlier in the day, Moscoso and Alejandro Landa won their doubles semi-final match against Acuña and Alan Natera, 15-7, 15-11, so it’s possible that he could be fit to play in the doubles final on Sunday. His condition will be re-assessed in the morning to determine that.

If Moscoso does play the doubles final, he’ll again face Montoya, as Montoya and Javier Mar defeated Kadim Carrasco and De La Rosa, 15-10, 9-15, 11-4, in the other semi-final.

You can see the 2022 IRT Dovetail Open matches via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The singles final will be Sunday at 11 AM with the doubles final to follow at noon. All times Eastern.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, November 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 8) Jake Bredenbeck, 14-15, 15-8, 11-7
12) Andrés Acuña d. 4) Eduardo Portillo, forfeit illness

11) Rodrigo Montoya d. 3) Andree Parrilla, 15-14, 15-10
2) Conrrado Moscoso d. 7) Rocky Carson, 15-12, 15-5

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 12) Andrés Acuña, 15-10, 15-13
11) Rodrigo Montoya d. 2) Conrrado Moscoso, 4-2, injury default

Final - Sunday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 11) Rodrigo Montoya - 11 AM

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso d. 8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera, 15-7, 15-11
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa, 15-10, 9-15, 11-4

Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso - Noon

Follow the bouncing ball….

Acuña & Montoya win at 2022 IRT Dovetail Open

Two upsets in the Round of 16 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida Friday, as 11th and 12th seeds Rodrigo Montoya and Andrés Acuña, respectively, won their matches in the Round of 16. Twelfth seed Acuña beat fifth seed Alejandro Landa, 15-5, 15-7, and 11th seed Rodrigo Montoya defeated 6th seed Samuel Murray, 15-11, 15-6.

In the quarterfinals Saturday morning, Acuña will play 4th seed Eduardo Portillo who defeated Jaime Martell in two straight games, 15-9, 15-14. Montoya will be up against 3rd seed Andree Parrilla who was a winner over 14th seed Thomas Carter, 15-11, 15-8.

Curiously, the only matches in the Round of 16 that went to a tie-breaker involved the top two seeds. IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa held off 16th seed Javiar Mar, 15-2, 11-15, 11-5, and will play Jake Bredenbeck in the quarterfinals. In the Round of 16, Bredenbeck beat 9th seed Mario Mercado, 15-4, 15-14.

Also, IRT #2 Conrrado Moscoso came back from a game down to defeat 15th seed Eduardo Garay, 13-15, 15-5, 11-1. Moscoso will play Rocky Carson in the quarterfinals, as 7th seed Carson beat Adam Manilla, 15-12, 15-8.

In doubles, all the matches were won in two relatively close games with one match ending in an upset. It was the biggest team that fell, as top seeds Murray and Parrilla lost to Acuña and Alan Natera, 15-11, 15-13. Next up for Acuña and Natera is the new team of Landa and Moscoso who won their match in the 16s over the Bredenbeck brothers, Jake and Sam, 15-9, 15-12.

You can see the 2022 IRT Dovetail Open matches via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. The semi-finals will be at 6 and 7 PM Saturday with the final coming up on Sunday at 11 AM. The doubles semi-finals will be Saturday afternoon, and final Sunday at noon. All times Eastern.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, November 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 16) Javier Mar, 15-2, 11-15, 11-5
8) Jake Bredenbeck d. 9) Mario Mercado, 15-4, 15-14

12) Andrés Acuña d. 5) Alejandro Landa, 15-5, 15-7
4) Eduardo Portillo d. Jaime Martell, 15-9, 15-14

3) Andree Parrilla d. 14) Thomas Carter, 15-11, 15-8
11) Rodrigo Montoya d. 6) Samuel Murray, 15-11, 15-6

7) Rocky Carson d. 10) Adam Manilla, 15-12, 15-8
2) Conrrado Moscoso d. 15) Eduardo Garay, 13-15, 15-5, 11-1

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 8) Jake Bredenbeck - 10 AM

4) Eduardo Portillo v. 12) Andrés Acuña - 11 AM

3) Andree Parrilla v. 11) Rodrigo Montoya - 1 PM
2) Conrrado Moscoso v. 7) Rocky Carson - Noon

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera d. 1) Samuel Murray & Andree Parrilla, 15-11, 15-13
4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso d. 5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck, 15-13, 15-10

3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa d. 6) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo, 15-9, 15-12
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 7) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay, 15-12, 15-11

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso v. 8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera - 3 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa - 4 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Martell wins at 2022 IRT Dovetail Open

Jaime Martell upset 13th seed Sebastian Franco, 15-8, 15-9, in the Round of 32 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida, and he was the only lower seed to win in the 32s. Martell will play 4th seed Eduardo Portillo in the Round of 16 Friday afternoon.

Javier Mar won the only Round of 32 match to go to a tie-breaker, as he held off Erick Trujillo, 15-11, 14-15, 11-1. Mar, the 16th seed, will play IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa in the Round of 16.

You can see the 2022 IRT Dovetail Open matches via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. Play continues Friday with the Round of 16 this afternoon. The quarterfinals and semi-finals are Saturday and the final will be Sunday at 11 AM. The doubles quarterfinals will be Friday evening and the semi-finals Saturday afternoon, and final Sunday at noon. All times Eastern.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, November 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
16) Javier Mar d. Erick Trujillo, 15-11, 14-15, 11-1

9) Mario Mercado d. Rodrigo Rodriguez, 15-8, 15-10
8) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE

5) Alejandro Landa - BYE
12) Andrés Acuña d. Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-5, 15-13

Jaime Martell d. 13) Sebastian Franco, 15-8, 15-9
4) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Thomas Carter d. Christian Longoria, 15-13, 15-9

11) Rodrigo Montoya d. Rodrigo Mendoza, 15-5, 15-9
6) Samuel Murray - BYE

7) Rocky Carson - BYE
10) Adam Manilla d. Edwin Galicia, 15-8, 15-1

15) Eduardo Garay d. Kadim Carrasco, 15-12, 15-11
2) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa v. 16) Javier Mar - 3 PM
8) Jake Bredenbeck v. 9) Mario Mercado - 3 PM

5) Alejandro Landa v. 12) Andrés Acuña - 3 PM
4) Eduardo Portillo v. Jaime Martell - 3 PM

3) Andree Parrilla v. 14) Thomas Carter - 4 PM
6) Samuel Murray v. 11) Rodrigo Montoya - 4 PM

7) Rocky Carson v. 10) Adam Manilla - 4 PM
2) Conrrado Moscoso v. 15) Eduardo Garay - 4 PM

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Samuel Murray & Andree Parrilla v. 8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera - 6 PM
4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso v. 5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - 6 PM

3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa v. 6) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo - 7 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 7) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay - 7 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

2022 IRT Dovetail Open - Round of 128 & 64 + Doubles R16

A new month brings a new International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event: The Dovetail Open begins today in Sarasota, Florida, where 38 players are in action, including IRT #1 Daniel De La Rosa. But the most in form player is IRT #2 Conrrado Moscoso, who arrives in Florida having won back to back IRT events, including the US Open.

That said, there have been five different winners from the seven IRT tournaments this year, so perhaps there will be another different winner this weekend. Moscoso’s wins were also on back to back weekends, so he could have captured lightning in a bottle for those two weeks, and it’s fair to ask is that lightning still in the bottle?

Overall, it’s a strong field of players, as 19 of the top 23 IRT players will compete this weekend, including IRT #3 Andree Parrilla and #4 Eduardo Portillo, who have both won IRT events this season, as has De La Rosa. Two absences are due to injury. Kane Waselenchuk confirmed what many suspected: he tore his Achilles tendon in September at the Capital Classic in Maryland, and Alvaro Beltran dislocated his left elbow and broke his arm last weekend at the 3WallBall Outdoor World Championships. So those veteran players will be out of action for some time.

In early action, two players won twice on Thursday to make Friday’s Round of 32. Christian Longoria - younger brother of Paola Longoria - held on to upset Alan Natera, 15-7, 11-15, 11-5. He’ll play Thomas Carter in the 32s with the winner to face Parrilla in the Round of 16.

Also, Rodrigo Mendoza beat Juan Salvatierra, 15-9, 8-15, 11-5, to claim the 6th qualifying spot, which puts him against Rodrigo Montoya in the 32s Friday morning. Samuel Murray - IRT #6 - will face the winner of Mendoza and Montoya in the 16s Friday afternoon.

In doubles, Murray and Parrilla are the top seeds, and they are coming off a win last month at the Golden State Open. Javier Mar and Montoya are the second seeds, with two new teams seeded 3rd and 4th.

De La Rosa usually plays with Beltran. Indeed, they are the current International Racquetball Federation World Champions, but with Beltran’s injury De La Rosa has teamed up with Kadim Carrasco, and they are the 3rd seeds.

Seeded 4th is the team of Alejandro Landa and Conrrado Moscoso, who are the two most recent IRF World Champions in Men’s Singles: Moscoso won the title this year and Landa last year.

Two other notable doubles teams are brothers Jake and Sam Bredenbeck, who are seeded 5th, and will take on Landa and Moscoso in the quarterfinals, and 6th seeds Rocky Carson and Eduardo Portillo, who have been a successful partnership. They could give give Carrasco and De La Rosa trouble in the quarters.

You can see the 2022 IRT Dovetail Open matches via the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page. Play has already begun with the Round of 128, and will continue Thursday afternoon with the Round of 64 at 4 and 5 PM. The Round of 32 will be Friday morning with the Round of 16 in the afternoon. The final will be Sunday at 11 AM. The doubles begins Thursday night with the Round of 16, then the quarterfinals will be Friday evening and the semi-finals Saturday afternoon, and final Sunday at noon. All times Eastern.

2022 IRT Dovetail Open, Novemer 3-6, 2022
Sarasota, Florida

Round of 128 - Thursday

Erick Trujillo - BYE
Diego Gastelum d. Carlos Ramirez, 15-11, 15-12

Rodrigo Rodriguez - BYE
Sam Bredenbeck - BYE

Erick Cuevas Fernandez - BYE
Marcelo Vargas d. Cole Sendrey, 15-7, 15-7

Alex Xamudio d. David Lopez Sosa Erikson, 15-9, 15-12
Jaime Martell - BYE

Alan Natera - BYE
Christian Longoria d. Alejandro Herrera, 15-10, 8-15, 11-4

Rodrigo Mendoza d. Lincoln Andres-Beck, 15-10, 15-10
Juan Salvatierra - BYE

Edwin Galicia - BYE
Jim Douglas - BYE

Esteban Reque d. Fabian Cuesta, 14-15, 15-7, 11-4
Kadim Carrasco - BYE

Round of 64 - Thursday

Q1 - Erick Trujillo d. Diego Gastelum, 15-3, 15-10
Q8 - Rodrigo Rodriguez d. Sam Bredenbeck, 15-12, 10-15, 11-5

Q5 - Erick Cuevas Fernandez d. Marcelo Vargas, 12-15, 15-12, 11-8
Q4 - Jaime Martell d. Alex Xamudio, 15-4, 15-6

Q3 - Christian Longoria d. Alan Natera, 15-7, 11-15, 11-5
Q6 - Rodrigo Mendoza d. Juan Salvatierra, 15-9, 8-15, 11-5

Q7 - Edwin Galicia d. Jim Douglas, 15-0, 15-2
Q2 - Kadim Carrasco d. Esteban Reque, 15-3, 15-4

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
16) Javier Mar v. Erick Trujillo - 11 AM

9) Mario Mercado v. Rodrigo Rodriguez - 11 AM
8) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE

5) Alejandro Landa - BYE
12) Andrés Acuña v. Erick Cuevas Fernandez - 11 AM

13) Sebastian Franco v. Jaime Martell - 11 AM
4) Eduardo Portillo - BYE

3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
14) Thomas Carter v. Christian Longoria - Noon

11) Rodrigo Montoya v. Rodrigo Mendoza - Noon
6) Samuel Murray - BYE

7) Rocky Carson - BYE
10) Adam Manilla v. Edwin Galicia - Noon

15) Eduardo Garay v. Kadim Carrasco - Noon
2) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Samuel Murray & Andree Parrilla - BYE
8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera d. Adam Manilla & Erick Trujillo, 15-8, 15-6

5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck d. 12) Erick Cuevas Fernandez & Carlos Ramirez, 15-6, 14-15, 11-4
4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
6) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo d. 11) Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra, 15-9, 15-7

7) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay d. 10) Mario Mercado & Marcelo Vargas, 15-5, 15-6
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Samuel Murray & Andree Parrilla v. 8) Andrés Acuña & Alan Natera - 6 PM
4) Alejandro Landa & Conrrado Moscoso v. 5) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck - 6 PM

3) Kadim Carrasco & Daniel De La Rosa v. 6) Rocky Carson & Eduardo Portillo - 7 PM
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya v. 7) Sebastian Franco & Eduardo Garay - 7 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….