Acuña defeats Waselenchuk to win in Colorado

Andrés Acuña defeated Kane Waselenchuk, 15-14, 15-6, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) World Singles and Doubles Open Championship on the weekend, in what was a battle of the #1 and #2 players on the IRT in Waselenchuk and Acuña, respectively.

Thus, Acuña’s win was an upset by the rankings, and also because Waselenchuk came in having not lost a game en route to the final, yielding only 6.5 points on average per game across the four matches he’d played.

Yet in the final, Waselenchuk looked like he was feeling all of his almost 44 years of age, as he wasn’t moving or reacting as well as he had earlier in the tournament.

That said, he came back in the first game from deficits of 5-1, 10-6, and 14-12. Both players had three opportunities to win game one, but on Acuña’s third opportunity, he hit a winning backhand shot to capture the first game.

In game two, Acuña also took the lead early at 8-1. Waselenchuk was able to narrow the gap to two at 8-6, but that was as close as he’d get, as Acuña went on to win game two, 15-6, and the match in two straight games.

There was some discussion among The Racquetball Blog staff and consultants about what this loss means for Waselenchuk. The consensus was that while Father Time is undefeated, Waselenchuk still has a lot in the tank. If you’d have bet against him across his career, you’d have lost a lot of money, so we certainly aren’t doing that now. But Waselenchuk has limits, like everyone else, and he seemed to have reached one of those limits on Sunday.

Still Waselenchuk was close to winning that first game, and if he does, maybe the match outcome is different. Of course, he didn’t, so that is mere speculation.

The next IRT main event will be the Track Town Open in Eugene, Oregon, September 25-28, and we would not be surprised if Waselenchuk was in the final and even if he won it.

If you missed any of the action from Colorado, check out the IRT YouTube channel.

2025 World Singles and Doubles Open Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado - September 4-7

IRT Final

2) Andrés Acuña d. 1) Kane Waselenchuk, 15-14, 15-6

Semi-finals

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 5) Eduardo Portillo, 15-7, 15-12
2) Andrés Acuña d. 14) Gerson Miranda Martinez, 7-15, 15-13, 11-3

Quarterfinals

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 9) Adam Manilla, 15-2, 15-0
5) Eduardo Portillo d. 4) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-8, 14-15, 11-6

14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 6) Rodrigo Montoya, forfeit
2) Andrés Acuña d. 11) Javier Mar, 15-9, 15-5

Round of 16

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 17) Conrrado Moscoso, 15-5, 15-14
9) Adam Manilla d. 8) Alan Natera, 12-15, 15-10, 11-10

5) Eduardo Portillo d. 21) Sam Bredenbeck, 15-4, 15-1
4) Jake Bredenbeck d. 20) Jhonatan Flores, 15-7, 15-9

14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 5) Andree Parrilla, forfeit
6) Rodrigo Montoya d. 22) Kadim Carrasco, 15-6, 13-15, 11-3

11) Javier Mar d. 10) Jordy Alonso, 15-8, 15-0
2) Andrés Acuña d. 15) Diego Garcia, 15-5, 15-6

Round of 32

1) Kane Waselenchuk d. 32) Brady Yelverton - 15-9, 15-3
17) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE

9) Adam Manilla d. 41) Mauricio Zelada, 15-9, 15-7
8) Alan Natera d. 25) DJ Mendoza - 15-6, 15-7

5) Eduardo Portillo d. 37) Jeff Stark, 15-4, 15-6
21) Sam Bredenbeck d. 12) Jaime Martell, 15-12, 15-9

20) Jhonatan Flores d. 13) Diego Gastelum, 15-6, 15-9
4) Jake Bredenbeck d. 29) Migel Angel Arteaga Guzman, 15-2, 15-3

5) Andree Parrilla d. 30) Cody Elkins, 15-10, 15-3
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. 19) Cole Sendrey, 15-1, 15-12

22) Kadim Carrasco d. 11) Thomas Carter, 15-13, 15-6
6) Rodrigo Montoya d. 27) Juan Salvatierra, 15-7, 15-9

11) Javier Mar d. 26) Edwin Galicia, 15-6, 15-3
10) Jordy Alonso d. 42) Anthony Martin, 15-7, 15-12

15) Diego Garcia d. 18) Robert Collins, 15-6, 15-11
2) Andrés Acuña d. 31) Jose Caceres, 15-4, 15-9

Round of 64

1) Kane Waselenchuk - BYE
32) Brady Yelverton d. 33) Parker Bremner, 15-2, 15-3

17) Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
Empty

9) Adam Manilla - BYE
41) Mauricio Zelada d. 24) Jim Douglas, 15-2, 15-6

25) DJ Mendoza d. 40) Dylan Pruitt, 9-15, 15-13, 11-10
8) Alan Natera - BYE

5) Eduardo Portillo - BYE
37) Jeff Stark d. 28) Esteban Reque, forfeit

21) Sam Bredenbeck - BYE
12) Jaime Martell - BYE

13) Diego Gastelum - BYE
20) Jhonatan Flores - BYE

29) Migel Angel Arteaga Guzman d. 36) Marcel Luensmann, 15-14, 15-4
4) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE

5) Andree Parrilla - BYE
30) Cody Elkins d. 35) Travis Mettenbrink, 15-14, 15-13

19) Cole Sendrey - BYE
14) Gerson Miranda Martinez - BYE

11) Thomas Carter - BYE
22) Kadim Carrasco d. 43) Victor Camacho, 15-6, 13-15, 11-10

27) Juan Salvatierra d. 38) Ty Hedalen, 15-8, 15-11
6) Rodrigo Montoya - BYE

11) Javier Mar - BYE
26) Edwin Galicia d. 39) Tyler Thielen, 15-3, 15-3

42) Anthony Martin d. 23) Blase Zera, 15-3, 15-4
10) Jordy Alonso - BYE

15) Diego Garcia - BYE
18) Robert Collins - BYE

31) Jose Caceres d. 34) Sebastian Chevaile Sanchez, 15-7, 15-11
2) Andrés Acuña - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

Vargas wins singles, Longoria & Moscoso Mixed Doubles in Colorado

Maria José Vargas won the first event of the 2025-26 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) season, as she defeated Paola Longoria, 15-8, 11-15, 11-0, in the final of the World Singles and Doubles Open Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Longoria did win the Mixed Doubles event, however, as she and Conrrado Moscoso came back from a game down to defeat surprise finalists Rocky Carson and Michelle Key, 9-15, 15-4, 11-5.

In the singles final, Vargas led for much of the first two games. She got the lead in game one at 2-1, and went on to win 15-8, hitting a drive serve ace to the right side to win it. Then in game two, Vargas led 5-1, and 11-8, but Longoria came back to tie it at 11-11.

Vargas called a timeout at that point, but to no avail, as Longoria got four straight points to close out game two, 15-11, and force a tie-breaker.

It was all Vargas in the breaker. She took a 4-0 lead, and Longoria called timeout. Vargas extended that lead to 8-0, and Longoria called another timeout. Neither of those timeouts led to any points, and Vargas got to match point with a drive Z serve ace to the left side. She won it, when Longoria skipped a forehand shot on the next rally.

In the semi-finals, Longoria needed three games to defeat 5th seed Natalia Mendez, 15-10, 2-15, 11-1, while Vargas beat 3rd seed Montserrat Mejia in two close games, 15-13, 15-13.

In the Mixed Doubles final, Carson and Key had a clearer plan of attack than Longoria and Moscoso, and it was almost enough to carry the day. They played a front and back formation with Key up front and Carson in back, while Longoria and Moscoso played a more common left-right formation with Longoria on the right and Moscoso on the left. There were more times when Longoria and Moscoso were both going for the same ball than Carson and Key did.

Longoria and Moscoso did have more experience together than Carson and Key, as they won this event two years ago, while Carson and Key hadn’t played together before. But both are veterans, and they made an impressive run to the final.

In the semi-finals, Carson and Key, who were seeded 15th, upset 3rd seeds Alexandra Herrera and Eduardo Portillo, 15-12, 14-15, 11-5. Their quarterfinal may have been even more impressive, as they came back from a game down to defeat former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champions Rodrigo Montoya and Samantha Salas, 6-15, 15-7, 11-4.

For their part, Longoria and Moscoso won a back and forth quarterfinal match against 9th seeds Gerson Miranda Martinez and Vargas, 15-6, 4-15, 11-3, and then narrowly defeated 4th seeds Javier Mar and Montserrat Mejia, 15-14, 14-15, 11-9, in the semis to reach the final.

If you missed any of the action, several matches, including the finals, were live streamed on the LPRT YouTube channel.

2025 World Singles and Doubles Open Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado - September 4-7, 2025

Singles Final - Sunday

2) Maria José Vargas d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-8, 11-15, 11-0

Singles Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 5) Natalia Mendez, 15-10, 2-15, 11-1
2) Maria José Vargas d. 3) Montserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-13

Mixed Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso d. 15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key, 9-15, 15-4, 11-5

Mixed Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso d. 4) Javier Mar & Montserrat Mejia, 15-14, 14-15, 11-9
15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key d. 3) Alexandra Herrera & Eduardo Portillo, 15-12, 14-15, 11-5

Mixed Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso d. 9) Gerson Miranda Martinez & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-6, 4-15, 11-3
4) Javier Mar & Montserrat Mejia d. 12) Adam Manilla & Erika Manilla, 15-7, 15-10

3) Alexandra Herrera & Eduardo Portillo d. 6) Andrés Acuña & Valeria Centellas, 15-9, 15-13
15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key d. 7) Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas, 6-15, 15-7, 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball….

Top three LPRT seeds into the semis in Colorado

Three of the top four Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) seeds are into the semi-finals at the World Singles and Doubles Open Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, site of the first LPRT event of the 2025-26 season. Top seed Paola Longoria, 2nd seed Maria José Vargas and 3rd seed Montserrat Mejia are into the semis, but 4th seed Alexandra Herrera is not, as she lost to 13th seed Carla Muñoz in the Round of 16, 5-15, 15-12, 11-7.

However, in the quarterfinals, Muñoz lost to 5th seed Natalia Mendez, 15-10, 15-2, which sets up a semi-final with top seed Longoria, who beat 8th seed Samantha Salas, 15-2, 15-3, in the quarters. Salas got the first three points of game two, and then Longoria scored 15 unanswered points.

In the other quarterfinals, Vargas defeated 7th seed Cristina Amaya, 15-8, 15-4, and Mejia beat 6th seed Brenda Laime, 15-4, 15-5.

Among the other matches, Naomi Ros’s loss to Longoria is notable, as the young American took a game off what many people consider to the best women’s player of all time. Longoria won their Round of 16 match, 15-3, 11-15, 11-3.

They are also playing Mixed Doubles in Colorado, and there was a big upset in the Round of 16, as American veterans Rocky Carson and Michelle Key, the 15th seeds, defeated the 2nd seeded Chilean team of Carla Muñoz and Alan Natera, 15-10, 15-7. Carson and Key will next face the former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championship team of Rodrigo Montoya and Samantha Salas in the quarterfinals.

In another upset, the brother/sister combination of Adam and Erika Manilla, the 12th seeds, beat 5th seeds Natalia Mendez and Andree Parrilla, 15-8, 15-5, to set up a quarterfinal match against 4th seeds Javier Mar and Montserrat Mejia, who defeated 13th seeds Edwin Galicia and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-8, 15-11, in the Round of 16.

The LPRT is live streaming matches from Colorado, so check out the LPRT YouTube channel. Times below are MDT.

2025 World Singles and Doubles Open Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado - September 4-7, 2025

Singles Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Samantha Salas, 15-2, 15-3
5) Natalia Mendez d. 13) Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-2

3) Montserrat Mejia d. 6) Brenda Laime, 15-4, 15-5
2) Maria José Vargas d. 7) Cristina Amaya, 15-8, 15-4

Singles Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 5) Natalia Mendez - 12:15 PM
2) Maria José Vargas v. 3) Montserrat Mejia - 10:15 AM

Singles Round of 16

1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Naomi Ros, 15-3, 11-15, 11-3
8) Samantha Salas d. 9) Valeria Centellas, 8-15, 15-11, 11-10

5) Natalia Mendez d. 21) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-5, 15-9
13) Carla Muñoz d. 4) Alexandra Herrera, 5-15, 15-12, 11-7

3) Montserrat Mejia d. 19) Juliette Parent, 15-3, 15-1
6) Brenda Laime d. 11) Lexi York, 9-15, 15-4, 11-2

7) Cristina Amaya d. 10) Sheryl Lotts, 15-13, 15-8
2) Maria José Vargas d. 18) Camila Rivero, 15-8, 15-1

Singles Round of 32

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Naomi Ros d. 17) Michelle Key, 15-7, injury forest

9) Valeria Centellas d. 24) Alondra Yañez, 15-0, 15-0
8) Samantha Salas d. 25) Larissa Faeth, 15-0, 15-5

5) Natalia Mendez - BYE
21) Rhonda Rajsich d. 12) Stephanie Synhorst, 9-15, 15-11, 11-3

13) Carla Muñoz d. 20) Chanis Leon, 15-3, 15-9
4) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

3) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
19) Juliette Parent d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-13, 12-15, 11-3

11) Lexi York d. 22) Erica Williams, 15-6, 15-0
6) Brenda Laime - BYE

7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Sheryl Lotts d. 23) Bri Millet, 15-3, 15-1

18) Camila Rivero d. 15) Annie Sanchez, 15-12, 15-8
2) Maria José Vargas - BYE

Mixed Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso v. 9) Gerson Miranda Martinez & Maria Jose Vargas - 8 PM
4) Javier Mar & Montserrat Mejia v. 12) Adam Manilla & Erika Manilla - 7 PM

3) Alexandra Herrera & Eduardo Portillo v. 6) Andrés Acuña & Valeria Centellas - 8 PM
7) Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas v. 15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key - 8 PM

Mixed Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso d. 16) Sam Bredenbeck & Lexi York, 15-7, 15-6
9) Gerson Miranda Martinez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 8) Brenda Laime & Jaime Martell, 15-11, 15-10

12) Adam Manilla & Erika Manilla d. 5) Natalia Mendez & Andree Parrilla, 15-8, 15-5
4) Javier Mar & Montserrat Mejia d. 13) Edwin Galicia & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-8, 15-11

3) Alexandra Herrera & Eduardo Portillo d. 14) Sheryl Lotts & Dylan Pruitt, 15-12, 15-11
6) Andrés Acuña & Valeria Centellas d. 11) Jake Bredenbeck & Juliette Parent, 15-10, 15-3

7) Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas d. 10) Jordy Alonso & Cristina Amaya, 15-12, 15-11
15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key d. 2) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera, 15-10, 15-7

Mixed Doubles - Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Conrrado Moscoso - BYE
16) Sam Bredenbeck & Lexi York d. 17) Robert Collins & Annie Sanchez, 15-6, 15-9

9) Gerson Miranda Martinez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
8) Brenda Laime & Jaime Martell - BYE

5) Natalia Mendez & Andree Parrilla - BYE
12) Adam Manilla & Erika Manilla d. 21) Diego Gastellum & Camila Rivero, 10-15, 15-1, 11-3

13) Edwin Galicia & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 20) Thomas Carter & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-9, 15-11
4) Javier Mar & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

3) Alexandra Herrera & Eduardo Portillo - BYE
14) Sheryl Lotts & Dylan Pruitt d. 19) Cole Sendry & Stephanie Synhorst, 15-9, 15-14

11) Jake Bredenbeck & Juliette Parent - BYE
6) Andrés Acuña & Valeria Centellas - BYE

7) Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas - BYE
10) Jordy Alonso & Cristina Amaya - BYE

15) Rocky Carson & Michelle Key d. 18) DJ Mendoza & Naomi Ros, 11-115, 15-8, 11-5
2) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….