2026 Central American & Caribbean Games - Individual Results

The 2026 Central American & Caribbean Games (CACGs) began a week ago in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and the racquetball competition started last Saturday. Six countries are competing: Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, as well as the host Dominican Republic. The team competition is still in process, but the five individual competitions - men’s and women’s singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles - have concluded.

Mexico won four of the five individual events with Costa Rica preventing a Mexican sweep by winning Mixed Doubles.

Alexandra Herrera was a double gold medalist, as she won gold in Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles with Montserrat Mejia. Herrera defeated Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez in the singles final, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9. It was Martinez’s 3rd silver medal in singles at the CACGs. In doubles, Herrera and Mejia defeated Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez in the final, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6, which was a repeat of the 2023 final. Thus, this is the 2nd consecutive title for Herrera and Mejia, and it’s the 4th consecutive silver medal for Martinez and Rodriguez.

In men’s play, Mexican Rodrigo Montoya beat team-mate Eduardo Portillo in singles, 11-4, 11-4, 11-6, which was a reversal of the 2023 CACGs final, when Portillo defeated Montoya. Portillo and Andree Parrilla won doubles by beating Guatemalans Christian Aldana and Juan Salvatierra in the final, 11-1, 12-10, 11-8. Mexico has won every men’s doubles title at the CACGs going back to 1990.

Montoya had a chance at a second gold medal, as he and Jessica Parrilla were in the Mixed Doubles final, but they lost to Costa Ricans Andrés Acuña and Larissa Faeth, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9. This is just the second time Mixed Doubles has been part of the CACGs, and Mexico were the defending champions.

Other matches of note. Costa Rican teen-ager Larissa Faeth defeated Mexican Montserrat Mejia, 11-7, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, in the quarterfinals of Women’s Singles, which is probably the largest upset of the tournament. Also, Guatemalans Christian Aldana and Juan Salvatierra coming back from 2-1 down to defeat the Costa Rican brothers Andrés and Sergio Acuña, 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, in the Men’s Doubles semi-final was another significant upset.

Racquetball was first included in the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1990. Since then, Mexico has won gold in singles at all but two games: 1993 and 1998. Fabian Balmori of Venezuela won Men’s Singles in both those years, while the Women’s Singles titles went to Claudine Garcia of the Dominican Republic in 1993 and Anna Maldonado of Puerto Rico in 1998. Mexico has won gold in Men’s and Women’s Doubles at every Central American and Caribbean Games.

XXV Central American & Caribbean Games
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - July 25 - August 1, 2026

Women’s Singles - Final

Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 11-6, 12-10, 11-9

Semi-finals

Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 11-9, 11-8, 11-4
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 12-10, 11-7, 11-2

Quarterfinals

Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-4, 11-5, 11-1
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) d. Mariana Tobon Gordon (Venezuela), 7-11, 11-7, 11-0, 11-3

Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Montserrat Mejia (Mexico), 11-7, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Andrea Reyes Perez (Guatemala), 12-10, 11-7, 11-2

Women’s Doubles - Final

Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 11-8, 11-4, 11-6

Semi-finals

Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-2, 11-3, 11-2
Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Maria Cespedes & Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 11-4, 13-11, 11-2

Men’s Singles - Final

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Eduardo Portillo (Mexico), 11-4, 11-4, 11-6

Semi-finals

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Ramon de Leon (Dominican Republic), 8-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8
Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica), 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8

Quarterfinals

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6
Ramon de Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica), 17-15, 11-9, 11-2

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-2, 11-8, 11-4
Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Hector Sierra Mansilla (Guatemala), 11-4, 11-4, 13-11

Men’s Doubles - Final

Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Christian Aldana & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-1, 12-10, 11-8

Semi-finals

Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Luis Perez & Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), 11-4, 11-4, 11-4
Christian Aldana & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Andrés Acuña & Sergio Acuña (Costa Rica), 11-6, 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-5

Mixed Doubles - Final

Andrés Acuña & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. Rodrigo Montoya & Jessica Parrilla (Mexico), 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9

Semi-finals

Andrés Acuña & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. Ana Cardentey & Maykel Moyet Suarez (Cuba), 14-12, 12-10, 11-2
Rodrigo Montoya & Jessica Parrilla (Mexico) d. Christian Aldana & Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 9-11, 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8

Follow the bouncing ball….

Acuña wins group on Day 2 of XX IRF World Championships

Andres Acuña of Costa Rica won Group B in Men’s Singles at the 20th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships, as he defeated Shai Manzuri, 15-2, 15-9, Tuesday, successfully following his win over Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico on Monday. Winning Group B mans Acuña will be the 2nd seed the medal round that begins on Thursday.

Colombian Christina Amaya also has a chance to win her group, as she came back to defeat American Rhonda Rajsich, 13-15, 15-5, 11-5, in Group D of Women’s Singles. Amaya plays Argentina’s Natalia Mendez on Wednsday in the last group match for both of them.

Canadian Lee Connell had one of the most epic comebacks in a game that you could ever see. He was down 13-0 in game one against Guatemalan Juan Salvatierra, but came back to win it, 15-14, saving two game points along the way. Sadly for Connell, he couldn’t maintain that level of play throughout the match as Salvatierra came back to win it, 14-15, 15-11, 11-6.

In other news, Pedro Castro of Chile damaged his Achilles’ tendon on Monday, but the IRF ruled that Chile could substitute another player in Castro’s spot - both in singles and in doubles. That player is Rafael Gatica, who lost in singles on Tuesday to Set Cubillos, 15-6, 15-5.

No live streaming of matches yet, so it seems that won’t happen until the medal round, which will begin on Thursday. Check with the IRF website or their social media outlets (IRF on Facebook and @IRFRacquetball on Twitter) for updates.

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

Men's Singles

Group A

Monday

Alejandro Landa (USA) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-7

Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE

Tuesday

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-14, 3-15, 11-5

Alejandro Landa (USA) - BYE

Wednesday

Alejandro Landa (USA) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica)

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Group B

Monday

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico), 15-5, 15-4

Tuesday

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Shai Manzuri (Argentina), 15-2, 15-9

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE

Wednesday

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Shai Manzuri (Argentina)

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE

Group C

Monday

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador), 11-15, 15-2, 11-2

Kim Mingyu (South Korea) - BYE

Tuesday

Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Kim Mingyu (South Korea), 15-9, 15-14

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE

Wednesday

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Kim Mingyu (South Korea)

Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) - BYE

Group D

Monday

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. Francis Guillemette (Canada), 15-4, 15-2
Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-1, 15-0

Tuesday

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-1, 15-0
Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Francis Guillemette (Canada), 9-15, 15-3, 11-4

Wednesday

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) v. Diego Garcia (Argentina)
Francis Guillemette (Canada) v. Eoin Tynan (Ireland)

Group E

Monday

Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-8
Lee Gunhee (South Korea) d. Ken Cottrell (Ireland), 15-14, 15-13

Tuesday

Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Ken Cottrell (Ireland), 15-5, 15-0
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Lee Gunhee (South Korea), 15-5, 15-3

Wednesday

Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Lee Gunhee (South Korea)
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Ken Cottrell (Ireland)

Group F

Monday

Mario Mercado (Bolivia) d. Lee Connell (Canada), 15-9, 15-7
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-4, 15-9

Tuesday

Mario Mercado (Bolivia) d. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile), 15-0, 15-8
Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Lee Connell (Canada), 14-15, 15-11, 11-6

Wednesday

Mario Mercado (Bolivia) v. Juan Jose Salvatierra (Guatemala)
Lee Connell (Canada) v. Rodrigo Salgado (Chile)

Group G

Monday

Luis Aguilar (Bolivia) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 10-15, 15-13, 11-1
Javier Martinez (Guatemala) d. Pedro Castro (Chile), 12-15, 1-8, injury forfeit

Tuesday

Luis Aguilar (Bolivia) d. Javier Martinez (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-9
Set Cubillos (Colombia) d. Rafael Gatica (Chile), 15-6, 15-5

Wednesday

Luis Aguilar (Bolivia) v. Rafael Gatica (Chile)
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Javier Martinez (Guatemala)

Women's Singles 

Group A

Monday

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Miceala Meneses (Bolivia), 15-8, 15-6

Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) - BYE

Tuesday

Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Miceala Meneses (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-10

Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE

Wednesday

Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador)

Miceala Meneses (Bolivia) - BYE

Group B

Monday

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Kelani Lawrence USA), 11-15, 15-7, 11-5

Lee Sumin (South Korea)

Tuesday

Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. Lee Sumin (South Korea), 15-7, 15-4

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE

Wednesday

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Lee Sumin (South Korea)

Kelani Lawrence USA) - BYE

Group C

Monday

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12
Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 15-9, 15-3

Tuesday

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador), 15-6, 15-8
Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 15-4, 15-2

Wednesday

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) v. Majella Haverty (Ireland)
Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Maria Jose Muñoz (Ecuador)

Group D

Monday

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-10, 15-11
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland)

Tuesday

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-2, 15-5
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 13-15, 15-5, 11-5

Wednesday

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. Cristina Amaya (Colombia)
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Aisling Hickey (Ireland)

Group E

Monday

Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-6, 15-3
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Merynanyelly Delagdo (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-11

Tuesday

Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-7
Merynanyelly Delagdo (Dominican Republic) d. Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-12, 15-3

Wednesday

Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Juliette Parent (Canada)
Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Merynanyelly Delagdo (Dominican Republic)

Group F

Monday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-2, 15-3
Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 15-13, 9-15, 11-2

Tuesday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 15-2, 15-1
Michèle Morissette (Canada) d. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia), 15-2, 15-12

Wednesday

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia)
Michèle Morissette (Canada) v. Ayako Hanashi (Japan)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Four gold for Bolivia & Costa Rica wins gold at home at 2019 IRF World Junior Championships

Bolivia swept gold in the Girl’s Doubles divisions and won one of the Boy’s divisions also on Saturday at the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San José, Costa Rica. Bolivia won every final that they had a team in.

Five of the six finals were won in two straight games. But they saved the best for last, and it was a crowd pleaser too, as the Men’s U18 final was between the home country’s 9th seeded Costa Rica team of Pablo Freer and Tomas Sanchez and the 6th seeded Esteban De Janon and Juan Flores of Ecuador. That match went to a tie-breaker with Freer and Sanchez coming out on top, 8-15, 15-6, 11-0, to win gold on home soil. Freer cracked out several drive serves in the breaker to help his team to the win.

In Boy’s U16, Bolivians Hector Barrios and Adrian Jaldin defeated the USA’s Nikhil Prasad and Timothy Hansen, 15-11, 15-10, and Irish luck ran out in the Boy’s U14 final, as Mexicans Luis Renteria and Jorge Gutierrez beat Ireland’s Daniel Hanrahan and Keelan O’Gorman, 15-4, 15-6.

In girls’ action, Bolivians Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas completed Bolivia’s gold medal sweep by winning Girl’s U18 over 3rd seeds Marifer Gutierrez and Anna Rivera of Mexico, 15-6, 15-8. The Bolivians sweep got started in Girl’s U14 with 2nd seeds Valeria Miranda and Krystin Salinas of Bolivia defeating Gisele Nieto and Angela Ortega of Mexico, 15-8, 15-11, and it continued when Bolivians Micaela Meneses and Camila Rivero captured gold in U16, as they beat 2nd seeds Guadalupe Griffin and Ximena Martinez of Mexico, 15-5, 15-4.

The IRF streamed some of the finals via its Facebook page), and the matches are archived there, so if you missed some of the action - or want to see it again - check it out on Facebook.

31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019

U18 Boy's Doubles

Final - Saturday

9) Pablo Freer & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) d. 6) Esteban De Janon & Juan Flores (Ecuador), 8-15, 15-6, 11-0

U16 Boy's Doubles

Final - Saturday

2) Hector Barrios & Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) d. 5) Nikhil Prasad & Timothy Hansen (USA), 15-11, 15-10

U14 Boy's Doubles

Final - Saturday

3) Luis Renteria & Jorge Gutierrez (Mexico) d. 8) Daniel Hanrahan & Keelan O’Gorman (Ireland), 15-4, 15-6

U18 Girl's Doubles

Final - Saturday

1) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 3) Marifer Gutierrez & Anna Rivera (Mexico), 15-6, 15-8

U16 Girl's Doubles

Final - Saturday

1) Micaela Meneses & Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. 2) Guadalupe Griffin & Ximena Martinez (Mexico), 15-5, 15-4

U14 Girl's Doubles

Final - Saturday

2) Valeria Miranda & Krystin Salinas (Bolivia) d. 1) Gisele Nieto & Angela Ortega (Mexico), 15-8, 15-11

Follow the bouncing ball….

Four Gold for Bolivia, one for Costa Rica & the USA at 2019 IRF World Junior Championships

Bolivians swept gold in boy’s singles at the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San José, Costa Rica, and they also captured gold in one girl’s divisions. The results are confirmation of Bolivia’s strength as a racquetball super-power.

Gerson Miranda of Bolivia was top seed in Boy’s U18, and he lived up to that seeding by beating Costa Rican Tomas Sanchez in the final, 15-7, 15-6.

The other two Boy’s finals went to a tie-breaker. In the U16 final, 2nd seed Hector Barrios of Bolivia upset the top seed Sebastian Longoria of Mexico, 15-4, 13-15, 11-7, and in Boy's U14, the top seed Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) came back from a game down to defeat Nikhil Prasad of the USA, 8-15, 15-11, 11-4.

Bolivian Angelica Barrios got the better of her team-mate Valeria Centellas in the Girl’s U18 final, winning 15-10, 15-13, and earning Bolivia its 4th gold medal.

Costa Rican Maricruz Ortiz denied Bolivia a fifth gold medal, as she came back against Bolivian Micaela Meneses to win gold in Girl’s U16, 11-15, 15-2, 11-10. We thought that would be a close match, as Ortiz and Meneses were impressive in their earlier matches, and it lived up to the billing.

Heather Mahoney won the USA’s only gold medal, as she defeated Mexican Angela Ortega, 15-10, 15-10, in the Girl’s U14 final.

The IRF streamed some of the finals via its Facebook page), and the matches are archived there, so if you missed some of the action - or want to see it again - check it out on Facebook.

31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019

U18 Girl's Singles

Final - Saturday

3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. 1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-13

U16 Girl's Singles

Final - Saturday

5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia), 11-15, 15-2, 11-10

U14 Girl's Singles

Final - Saturday

2) Heather Mahoney (USA) d. 8) Angela Ortega (Mexico), 15-10, 15-10

U18 Boy's Singles

Final - Saturday

1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-6

U16 Boy's Singles

Final - Saturday

2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. 1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico), 15-4, 13-15, 11-7

U14 Boy's Singles

Final - Saturday

1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) d. 2) Nikhil Prasad (USA), 8-15, 15-11, 11-4

Follow the bouncing ball….

Parrilla wins twice, Acuña & Camacho take doubles at 2019 Costa Rica Open

Andree Parrilla played 8 matches last weekend at the 2019 Costa Rica Open - a Tier 2 event on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), and he won all of them, taking both the IRT title as well as the Men's Open title. He defeated Alvaro Beltran in the IRT final, 11-15, 15-9, 11-2, and beat Mario Mercado in the Men's Open final, 15-8, 15-7.

In the IRT semi-finals, both Parrilla and Beltran were upset winners, as they took out the top two seeds. Parrilla beat 2nd seed Alejandro Landa, 15-8, 15-11, and Beltran knocked off top seed Rocky Carson, 15-10, 2-15, 11-2. In the Open semi-finals, Parrilla beat David Horn, 15-6, 15-8, and Mario Mercado knocked off 2nd seed Andres Acuña, 7-15, 15-13, 11-8.

Parrilla's toughest match in Open was his first match in the Round of 16, when he played Rodrigo Montoya, winning 15-14, 15-12. Mercado also had a tough route to the final, as he was the 6th seed and needed three breakers to get there. In the 16s he defeated Alejandro Landa, 15-12, 11-15, 11-8, and also needed three games to fend off Alan Natera, 15-13, 5-15, 11-3, before facing Acuña in the semis.

Acuña was also a winner on the weekend, as he and Felipe Camacho won Men's Open Doubles by squeaking out a tie-breaker against Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya, 6-15, 15-13, 11-10. In the semi-finals, Acuña and Camacho defeated Horn and Mercado, 13-15, 15-13, 11-9, while Mar and Montoya knocked off the top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Alejandro Landa, 11-15, 15-10, 11-7.

2019 IRT Costa Rica Open
May 15-18, 2019 - San Jose, Costa Rica

IRT Division - Final

3) Andree Parrilla d. 4) Alvaro Beltran, 11-15, 15-9, 11-2

Semi-finals

4) Alvaro Beltran d. 1) Rocky Carson, 15-10, 2-15, 11-2
3) Andree Parrilla d. 2) Alejandro Landa, 15-8, 15-11

Quarterfinals

1) Rocky Carson d. 9) Andres Acuña, 15-6, 15-4
4) Alvaro Beltran d. 5) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-13, 1-15, 11-10

3) Andree Parrilla d. 11) Ernesto Ochoa, 15-9, 13-15, 11-7
2) Alejandro Landa d. 10) Javier Mar, 15-14, 15-13

Men's Open - Final

1) Andree Parrilla d. 6) Mario Mercado, 15-8, 15-7

Semi-finals

1) Andree Parrilla d. 4) David Horn, 15-6, 15-8
6) Mario Mercado d. 2) Andres Acuña, 7-15, 15-13, 11-8

Quarterfinals

1) Andree Parrilla d. 25) Felipe Alonso, 15-6, 15-3
4) David Horn d. 21) Ernesto Ochoa, 15-14, 15-14

6) Mario Mercado d. 19) Alan Natera, 15-13, 5-15, 11-3
2) Andres Acuña d. 7) Gabriel Garcia, forfeit

Open Doubles - Final

2) Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho d. 4) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya, 6-15, 15-13, 11-10

Semi-finals

4) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 1) Alvaro Beltran & Alejandro Landa, 11-15, 15-10, 11-7
2) Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho d. 4) David Horn & Mario Mercado, 13-15, 15-13, 11-9

Follow the bouncing ball….

Final team standings from 2018 IRF World Championships

The Team Standings from the 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships held earlier this month in San José, Costa Rica are now available, and we have them for you. We’d previously reported the top 4 of the Men’s, Women’s and Overall Team standings, and we’d wondered about the difference between the USA and Bolivia in the overall standings, as the USA was 2nd in Men’s and 6th in Women’s while Bolivia was 4th in Men’s and 3rd in Women’s with the USA coming out ahead in the Overall standings - 2nd versus 3rd.

It turns out that the points weren’t that close between those 2nd and 3rd place finishes, as the USA was 66 points ahead of Bolivia. There were some other close point differences though. There was only 20 points between 3rd and 5th on the Men’s side with Colombia in 3rd on 216 points, Bolivia 4th with 212 and Canada 5th with 196.

Also, in the Overall standings Guatemala is just two points ahead of Colombia - 414 to 412 - on the strength of their women’s showings, including Gabriela Martinez’s gold medal performance in Women’s Singles.

2018 IRF World Championships
San José, Costa Rica - August 10-18

Final Team Standings

Men's Team

1 Mexico - 432
2 USA - 392
3 Colombia - 216
4 Bolivia - 212
5 Canada - 196
6 Argentina - 126
7 Dominican Republic - 110
8 Costa Rica - 108
9 Ecuador - 90
10 Japan - 84
11 Guatemala - 82
12 Venezuela - 64
13 South Korea - 56
14 Chile - 48
15 Ireland - 40
16 India - 35
17 Puerto Rico - 18
18 Switzerland - 5

Women's Team

1 Mexico - 352
2 Guatemala - 332
3 Bolivia - 268
4 Argentina - 248
5 Colombia - 196
6 USA - 154
7 South Korea - 110
8 Canada - 84
9 Japan - 82
10 Chile - 74
11 Dominican Republic - 64
12 Ecuador - 56
13 Ireland - 48
14 Costa Rica & Venezuela - 10

Overall

1 Mexico - 784
2 USA - 546
3 Bolivia - 480
4 Guatemala - 414
5 Colombia - 412
6 Argentina - 374
7 Canada - 280
8 Dominican Republic - 174
9 Japan & South Korea - 166
11 Ecuador - 146
12 Chile - 122
13 Costa Rica - 118
14 Ireland - 88
15 Venezuela - 74
16 India - 35
17 Puerto Rico - 18
18 Switzerland - 5

Follow the bouncing ball....

Results Summary for 2018 IRF World Championships

Here’s a rundown of all the results from the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships that took place in San José, Costa Rica last week. Mexico was the top medalling nation with four: two gold and two silver. That helped them finish as the top team in both Men’s and Women’s competitions as well as Overall.

The USA had three medals, which was second most, and they were all in the men’s divisions, so they finished second in the Men’s Team standings, and second in the Overall Team standings, which we’re surprised at, as the USA women’s results were poor and Bolivia finished in the top four in both women’s and men’s team totals. Thus, we would have guessed Bolivia would be ahead of the USA in the Overall standings, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

(note: the IRF via their Facebook page has released only the top 4 team finishers and done so by simply listing them; no point totals are given).

The next IRF event will be the Senior World Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 28-September 2, then the World Junior Championships will be held in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, November 3-10.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles

GOLD - Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
SILVER - Charlie Pratt (USA)
BRONZE - David Horn (USA) & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Women's Singles

GOLD - Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
SILVER - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
BRONZE - Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) & Natalia Mendez (Argentina)

Men's Doubles

GOLD - Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
SILVER - Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA)
BRONZE - Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) and Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)

Women's Doubles

GOLD - Valeria Centellas & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia)
SILVER - Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) and Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)

Medal Table

1. Mexico - 2 gold, 2 silver, 0 bronze = 4 medals
2. USA - 0, 2, 1 = 3
3. Bolivia - 1, 0, 1 = 2
3. Guatemala - 1, 0, 1 = 2
5. Argentina - 0, 0, 2 = 2
5. Colombia - 0, 0, 2 = 2
7. Canada - 0, 0, 1 = 1

Men's Team Standings

1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Colombia
4. Bolivia

Women's Team Standings

1. Mexico
2. Guatemala
3. Bolivia
4. Argentina

Overall Team Standings

1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Bolivia
4. Guatemala

Follow the bouncing ball....

Post Worlds Thoughts

The 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships ended on Saturday in San José, Costa Rica, and the 19th Worlds were remarkable in many ways. Let’s review them.

On Court

This was the third World Championships with gold medalists from three different countries. This year players from Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico won gold. This first happened in 2006, when gold was taken home by players from Canada, Mexico and the USA, then again in 2014, when gold went to Colombia, Mexico and the USA.

This a far cry from the years when the USA swept gold at Worlds. That’s happened five times: 1981 - the first World Championships - 1992, 1996, 2004 and 2008. And for the first nine World Championships gold only went to the USA or Canada.

But this year no Canadian or USA women reached the podium for the first time ever. If you needed any proof of how the balance of power has changed in racquetball, there it is.

Gabriela Martinez’s win in Women’s Singles was the first by a teenage woman. The other Women’s Singles World Champions all won for the first time in their 20s except for Cheryl Gudinas (USA), who was 33 when she won for the first time in 2000.

Martinez isn’t the only player to win singles as a teenager though, as Jack Huczek (USA) won his first Men’s Singles World Championship at 19 in 2002. But Huczek’s birthday is in January and Martinez’s in August, so she won at a younger age.

However, Martinez wasn’t the youngest gold medalist in San José. Valeria Centellas of Bolivia, half of the team that won Women’s Doubles (partnering Yasmine Sabja), won Girl’s U16 Doubles last year at the World Junior Championships, so she has to be younger than Martinez, who turned 19 earlier this month. Centellas could be the youngest Worlds gold medalist ever.

In Men’s Singles, Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico wasn’t only the second World Champion from Mexico (after Alvaro Beltran in 2000), he is the second World Champion born on June 4. Egan Inoue (USA) who won two World Championships (in 1986 & 1990) was also born on June 4. Furthermore two other Men’s Singles World Champions were also born in June: Andy Roberts (USA) and Sherman Greenfeld (Canada).

Off Court

The IRF has improved how international events operate in recent years. They’ve implemented a referee development program, so no athletes need to referee at either senior or junior events. That’s great.

Also, they have implemented live streaming of matches at events, so those of us who are not at the event can follow the action. Those matches are also available for re-watching after the fact, in case you want to see it all again - “how did he win that match?!?” - or just enjoy some great racquetball on line.

But the IRF is also APPALLING in some of the ways that it communicates, or rather fails to communicate, what is happening or going to happen at their events. Case one: last week the results of the quarterfinals were not available on line promptly after the matches were over. Those results were not even up the next morning!

When this situation was related to an IRF official, he seemed unconcerned. We related this story to a racquetball enthusiast who responded “how is it possible for us to be a legitimate sport if we can’t even manage this?” Good question.

But, hey, why talk about last week, when we can talk about today? The IRF’s biggest event - their World Championships - just happened and you’d think their website would be shouting the names of the new champions. And you would be wrong.

The IRF website states who will be in the finals, although only surnames are used and it’s not clear who is in which final. If anyone is thinking "well, we know which of those players is playing which event," you are part of the problem here, because the website needs to speak to everyone who comes by, and perhaps especially people who aren't so familiar with the game, because you want to bring them into the game. Make it clear! Moreover, according to the website the finals are apparently happening on “Friday,” when they actually happened on Saturday. The little graphic listing the matches looks good, but it's failing to communicate all the relevant information.

A great aspect of the internet is that information can be communicated quickly and efficiently. IRF communications too often fail on both counts. Case two: consider that if you were looking for information on the World Championships two weeks ago - that is, prior to it happening - and you went to the IRF site to find out who was playing for each country, let alone the draws, you would not be able to find that information. Indeed, it wouldn’t have been obvious that the most important IRF event was going to be happening the following week from their website. That’s atrocious.

Case three: apparently there was a team competition at Worlds, although it’s just a by-product of the individual events with countries getting points for how well their players do in each event. But can you see the results of the team competition on the IRF website today, two days after the event wrapped up? No, you cannot.

The failure to communicate is also frustrating, because it’s not that difficult to accomplish. But it requires planning, and the people to do it, although the people wouldn’t have to be on site. Someone would need to get the results to the person promptly though, perhaps by text message, and then that individual could update the website with the results. Also, writing promotional releases for events isn’t too difficult, if there’s enough lead time so adequate planning can be done to accomplish the task.

The IRF seems to be failing to recognize the importance of communicating its results, and it needs to make better plans for how to communicate results in the future.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Bolivia & Mexico win doubles at 2018 IRF World Championships

Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia are the first women racquetball World Champions from South America as they captured gold in Women’s Doubles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. The Bolivians defeated Mexicans Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera, 8-15, 15-14, 11-2, in the final.

While there were new champions on the women’s side, Mexican Alvaro Beltran won his 4th Men’s Doubles World Championship, as he and Daniel De La Rosa came back from a game down to defeat racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA, 10-15, 15-9 11-2. It marks the first time Carson is without a gold medal at Worlds since 2006, as he won gold in Men’s Singles at the last five events. Beltran has now won Men’s Doubles in three of the last four World Championships.

If you missed the finals, you can view them again via the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Doubles - Final

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA), 10-15, 15-9, 11-2

Women's Doubles - Final

7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico), 8-15, 15-14, 11-2

Follow the bouncing ball....

Martinez & Montoya win singles at 2018 IRF World Championships

Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala upset the three time defending Women’s Singles World Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico to win her 1st Women’s Singles Championship Saturday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. With the win, Martinez, 19, becomes the youngest Women’s Singles Champion. Previously, Christie Huczek (née Van Hees) was youngest at 21. Longoria won her first title at 23. She is also the first woman from outside North America to win an IRF World Championship.

Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico won the Men’s Singles World Championship by defeating USA’s Charlie Pratt, 15-14, 15-9. Montoya is the second Mexican Men’s Singles World Champion after Alvaro Beltran, who won it in 2000.

In the Women’s Singles final, Martinez came out with her left arm wrapped, as she hurt it in the Women’s Doubles semi-finals on Friday. In fact, Guatemala forfeited that semi-final in the third game, when Martinez couldn’t continue to play. So there was some concern as to whether Martinez would be able to play in singles final.

Thus, it wasn’t a surprise when Longoria took a 6-0 lead in game one. She maintained the lead throughout that game, although Martinez got within four at 12-8 before Longoria closed it out, 15-8. But if you take the first six points at the start away, then they were pretty even.

Game two started similarly to game one, as Longoria took a 4-1 lead. But Martinez slowly built up the points from there. She got six points to lead 7-4. Longoria called a time out, and then closed the lead to 7-6. However, Martinez held Longoria at 6, as she went on to win game two, 15-6, helped by two ace serves and a couple of skips by Longoria late in the game.

They were back and forth earth in the tie-breaker, and tied at 4-4. Then Martinez scored six unanswered points, including three ace serves, to reach match point at 10-4. Longoria called her second timeout at that point, and then got the serve back with a backhand serve return winner.

She hit a service winner to make it 10-5, and it looked like the comeback was on. A Longoria forehand made it 10-6. However, Martinez snuffed out the comeback with a great backhand pinch shot.

On the first match point, Longoria had a set up off the back wall that she played with her forehand. But it skipped. With that unforced error, Martinez dethroned the three time Champion and claimed her first Women’s Singles Championship.

The Men’s Singles final went back and forth. Montoya was ahead early in the game, 8-3, and then Pratt found his stride and looked to be in control as he went ahead 11-10. However, Montoya had a resurgence, and scored four point to get to game point at 14-11.

But Pratt denied Montoya game point not once, but twice, and then proceeded to tie the game at 14-14. It looked like he won the game with an ace drive serve to the left side, but Montoya appealed that it was short and the line judges agreed, overturning the call.

Montoya then got the serve back with a forehand shot that went cross court from left to right. On his 3rd game point, the referee called a two bounce get on Pratt, but he appealed that he had got the ball before it bounced twice and the line judges agreed.

Clearly, it was going to take something special to win this game, and Montoya provided that on the next rally, as he dove to the right side in the front court and hit a roll out winner to take the first game 15-14.

Like game one, game two was streaky. Pratt went up 4-0, and then Montoya scored eight points to lead 8-4. Pratt tied it at 8-8. Again Montoya responded with four more points to lead 12-8. He was able to close it out from there, hitting a forehand pinch shot to get his first match point at 14-9. Montoya drove serve to the left side, and it looked to be a comfortable opportunity to return the ball, but Pratt skipped it with his backhand, which was a sad ending to a good match.

In the singles finals, neither Longoria or Pratt played poorly, though perhaps neither played their absolute best. However, Martinez and Montoya, respectively, were just a little bit better, and when the competition is close - as it usually is in a World Championship final - that’s all that is needed.

If you missed the matches, you can see them at the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

Men's Singles - Final - Saturday

4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 3) Charlie Pratt (USA), 15-14, 15-9

Women's Singles - Final - Saturday

6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 1) Paola Longoria (Mexico), 8-15, 15-6, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball....

Doubles semi-finals at 2018 IRF World Championships

The top seeded Mexican teams are through to the finals in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico won their semi-final in Men’s Doubles against Bolivans Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso, 15-14, 15-8, and their team-mates Alexandra Herrera and Monserrat Mejia beat Colombians Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros, 15-8, 15-4, in their semi-final.

Beltran and De La Rosa look to have the more difficult final, as they will face racquetball legends Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik of the USA. Carson and Monchik defeated Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, 15-12, 15-2, in the semis. If Carson wins, he’ll become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Doubles at Worlds after fellow American Todd O’Neill and Beltran. Carson has five titles in singles. Beltran is the defending champion in doubles, which is one of his three doubles titles to go with one singles title.

Herrera and Mejia will play Bolivians Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja, who are surprise finalists, as they entered the medal round as the 7th seeds. In their semi-final match against the Guatemalan team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, Martinez picked up a left elbow injury. She tried to continue on, but in the middle of the third game found that it was too much, so the final score line was 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit, in favor of Bolivia. Thus, Centellas and Sabja have a chance to become to the first South American team to win Women’s Doubles at Worlds.

Martinez’s left arm injury happened at 10-7 down in game two. She continued to play after taking an injury timeout, but then in the middle of game three, Martinez doubled over, and it was over for her. The seemed to pick up the injury after a dive, although she didn’t stay down, so it didn’t seem to be serious. Then in game three, it became more painful when she wasn’t even about to play the ball, which is a bad sign.

Martinez is in the Women’s Singles final versus Mexican Paola Longoria, and we hope that she’ll be able to play in that.

Look for both finals to be live streamed via the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-8
3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-12, 15-2

Men's Doubles - Final - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) - 1 PM MDT

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-8, 15-4
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-7, 6-4, injury forfeit

Women's Doubles - Final - Saturday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - Noon MDT

Follow the bouncing ball....

Singles semi-finals at 2018 IRF World Championships

Mexico will have a chance to sweep gold in Men’s and Women’s Singles on Saturday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, as they have a player in both finals. Three time Women’s Singles Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico will have a chance to make it four, as she defeated Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals, 6-15, 15-2, 11-7. Longoria’s team-mate Rodrigo Montoya will have chance to win Men’s Singles, as he defeated David Horn of the USA in the semis, 15-9, 15-8.

In the Women’s Singles final, Longoria will play Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in what will be a repeat of the 2016 World Championship final that Longoria won. Martinez beat Natalia Mendez of Argentina, 15-8, 15-3, in the other semi-final. Longoria, who is now 29, used to be the younger than her opponents at previous World Championships, but she was the oldest player in the semi-finals, and is a decade older than Martinez.

Charlie Pratt of the USA will be Montoya’s opponent in the Men’s Singles final, as Pratt defeated Sebastian Franco of Colombia, 15-8, 15-13, in what was a battle of two players who won their first International Racquetball Tour (IRT) events this past season. The loss ends the Franco’s bid to become the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.

All of the finals will be live streamed on Saturday from 10 AM MDT via the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 1) David Horn (USA). 15-9, 15-8
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-8, 15-13

Men's Singles - Final - Saturday

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)

Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 6-15, 15-2, 11-7
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 15-8, 15-3

Women's Singles - Final - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Doubles quarterfinal results from the 2018 IRF World Championships

The top seeds in Men’s and Women’s Doubles are through to semi-finals at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, but the 2nd seeds did not fare as well, as they lost on both the men’s and women’s sides. Mexican teams are seeded #1 in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles, and both won their respective quarterfinal matches Thursday.

Men’s top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico defeated the Dominican Republic team of Luis Perez and Ramon De Leon, 15-11, 15-11. But 2nd seeds Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri of Argentina lost to Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, in the quarters.

Similarly in Women’s Doubles a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera are the top seeds and beat Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 15-12, 15-10. However, the 2nd seeded USA team of Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich were upset by the 7th seeds Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, 15-12, 15-10.

Mexico will play the 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia in the semi-finals, as Colombia defeated 5th seeds Jin Seok and Mi Ok An of South Korea, 15-10, 15-9. Bolivia will be up against 3rd seeds Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who won by the largest margin of all the quarterfinal matches, beating the Argentina team of Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 15-2, 15-8.

Look for all the semi-final matches to be live streamed on Friday via the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)

5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)

3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala)

7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)

Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-11, 15-11
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)

3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 15-13
7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) or 5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)

3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada)

Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 5-15, 15-9, 11-4

5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-14, 15-11
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-1, 15-6

3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-6, 15-6

7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-8, 15-6
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-10
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 15-9

3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-2, 15-8
7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-12, 15-10

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Singles quarterfinal results at 2018 IRF World Championships

You want upsets? We got upsets! Of the eight semi-finalists in Men’s and Women’s Singles at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica only four were seeded in the top 4 in their respective draws. On the women’s side only top seed and three time defending champion Paola Longoria of Mexico won her quarterfinal match. She defeated 9th seed Adriana Riveros of Colombia, 15-7, 15-1.

Longoria will face a familiar foe in Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in the semi-finals. Vargas, seeded 20th, beat Bolivian 5th seed Yasmine Sabja, 15-2, 15-7.

If she wins, Longoria could face the same player in the final that she faced in the final two years ago, as the 2016 silver medalist Ana Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who was seeded 6th, defeated Longoria’s team-mate 3rd seed Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12. Salas, who isn't playing doubles this year, has made the podium in either singles or doubles in the last four World Championships, but this loss means she won't this year for the first time since 2008, when Salas wasn't on the Mexican team.

Martinez will play 7th seed Natalia Mendez of Argentina who upset 2nd seed Rhonda Rajsich of the USA, 15-1, 15-13. The win keeps Rajsich - a two time Women’s Singles World Champion - off the podium for the second straight World Championships. Also, Mendez and Vargas are the first two South American women from the same country to make it to the semi-finals of Women’s Singles at Worlds.

In the Men’s Singles, 10th seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia upset 2nd seed Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10, in the quarters. He’ll face the USA’s Charlie Pratt in the semi-finals, as Pratt beat Canada’s Samuel Murray, 15-2, 15-12.

In the other semi-final, it’s #1 versus #4, as top seed David Horn of the USA defeated 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-12, 15-6. Horn faces 4th seed Rodrigo Montoya from Mexico, who eked out a tie-breaker win over 5th seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, 13-15, 15-7, 11-6.

Thus, an all USA final is a possibility if Horn and Pratt win their semis. But also possible is Franco becoming only the 3rd man to win both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles at Worlds after American Todd O’Neill and Mexican Alvaro Beltran. He won the Men's Doubles World Championship in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera.

The live streaming of matches will continue Friday with the semi-finals in all divisions. Look for the action at the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) David Horn (USA) d. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-12, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 13-15, 15-7, 11-6

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada), 15-2, 15-12
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico), 15-8, 5-15, 11-10

Men's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) David Horn (USA) v. 4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico)
3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-7, 15-1
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-7

6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Samantha Salas (Mexico), 15-4, 15-12
7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-1, 15-13

Women's Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Round of 32 & 16 in Men's & Women's Singles at 2018 IRF World Championships

The Round of 32 in the medal round in Men’s and Women’s Singles is done at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica with no real surprises. Perhaps the biggest upset is Canadian veteran Jen Saunders defeating the USA’s Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 15-1, as they were seeded 22nd and 11th, respectively, and the margin of victory is surprisingly large. But Saunders is a wily veteran, while Lotts was playing at Worlds for the first time, so the outcome is not too surprising.

In the Men’s Singles Round of 16, the higher seeds won in all match but one. Tenth seed Sebastian Franco of Colombia won a narrow two game match over Carlos Keller of Bolivia, 15-14, 15-13. The only tie-breaker was in the 8/9 game, which was a rematch of a Group Stage match between 8th seed Mario Mercado of Colombia and 9th seed Coby Iwaasa of Canada that also went three game with Mercado winning 11-10. Wednesday, Mercado again came out on top, and by a wider margin: two points, not one, as the final score line was 15-13, 10-15, 11-9.

The Women’s Singles Round of 16 had three tie-breakers, although the most surprising result may have been Argentina’s Natalia Mendez’s straight game win over Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-8, 15-8, as Lambert finished 2nd on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) this season, while Mendez was 7th. However, Mendez had played Lambert tough, including a five game match at last year’s US Open, which Lambert won.

In the three game matches, 5th seed Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia came back from a game down to defeat 12th seed Carla Muñoz of Chile, 7-15, 15-4, 11-6. Similarly, Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) fought from behind to beat Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5, and in an all Colombian match, Adriana Riveros narrowly defeated team-mate Cristina Amaya, 15-6, 11-15, 11-9.

The live streaming of matches is said to take a step up in production on Thursday, when they’ll play the quarterfinals of singles as well as the opening rounds of doubles, so check it out at the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday

1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) d. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-8, 15-2

17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE

9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE

25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE

5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE

21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE

13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE

29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE

19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE

11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE

27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE

7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE

23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE

15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE

34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) d. 31) Alok Mehta (India), 15-8, 12-15, 11-9
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE

Men's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday

1) David Horn (USA) d. 32) Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-3, 15-1
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. 17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-7, 15-12

9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. 24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-11, 15-2
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4

5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 28) Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-4
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. 21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-4, 15-12

13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. 20) Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-10, 15-9
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 29) Yash Doshi (India), 15-0, 15-2

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 30) Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-3
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. 19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-8, 15-5

11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-4
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-0, 15-8

7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-1
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-4

18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. 15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-3
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-0, 15-0

Men's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) David Horn (USA) d. 16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. 9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 15-13, 10-15, 11-9

5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-6
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. 13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-1

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) d. 14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), forfeit
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-10, 15-3

10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 15-14, 15-13
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-12

Men's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) David Horn (USA) v. 8) Mario Mercado (Colombia)
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. 5) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) v. 6) Samuel Murray (Canada)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. 16) Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-0, 15-6

9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-4
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-4

5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-2, 15-7

20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-9, 15-4
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) d. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9

22) Jen Saunders (Canada) d. 11) Sheryl Lotts (USA), 15-10, 15-1
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE

7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-2, 15-2,
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. 23) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-5

15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) d. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 12-15, 15-11, 11-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Women's Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-2, 15-11
9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. 8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-6, 11-15, 11-9

5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. 12) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 7-15, 15-4, 11-6
20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 14-15, 15-1, 11-5

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 14) Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-3, 15-3
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-2, 15-5

7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-8, 15-8
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. 15) Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-7, 15-5

Women's Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia)
5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. 6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina)

Follow the bouncing ball....

Doubles draws at 2018 IRF World Championships

The doubles medal rounds will begin on Thursday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, as there are so many singles matches to go through on Wednesday. For those unfamiliar with international doubles in recent years, know that it has become kind of a crap shoot, as there are several strong teams in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles, so while it might not be true that anyone could win, there are a few strong championship contenders.

That said, top seeds Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa of Mexico are the favorites to win Men’s Doubles. But they’ll probably have to beat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso in the semi-finals, which will not be easy, and then defeat whoever comes out of the bottom half of the draw.

On the bottom half is the US team of racquetball greats Rocky Carson and Sudsy Monchik, seeded 3rd. They’ll likely be challenged by Colombians Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado in the quarterfinals, although Colombia took an injury default in their last Group Stage match. If that injury is serious, it could make it easier for the US.

If Carson and Monchik get to the semi-finals, then waiting for them will likely be either Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri, who upset the Colombians in the Group Stage en route to claiming the 2nd seed, or Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray. The Argentina win over Colombia - a team of two top 10 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) players - is proof of how doubles match outcomes are uncertain.

Women’s Doubles is even more uncertain than the men’s, as the top seeds are a young Mexican team of Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera, who beat Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas in the Mexico Team qualifying event to make it to Worlds. They were also US Open doubles finalists a couple of years back, so they are a strong team, but without the proven record of Longoria and Salas, who have won three Women’s Doubles World Championships. Mexico will have to face the winner of 8th seeds Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador and 9th seeds Frédérique Lambert and Jen Saunders of Canada in the quarterfinals, and then likely 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros of Colombia.

But the favorites to win Women’s Doubles in San José may be the Guatemala team of Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez, as they were runners up to Longoria and Herrera at this year’s Pan American Championships. Also, they were 2nd at the Central American and Caribbean Games last month after losing to Longoria and Salas in a tie-breaker.

To get to the final, Guatemala will probably have to defeat Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina and then one of Valeria Centellas and Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), Carla Muñoz and Josefa Parada (Chile) or Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich (USA).

If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) v. 16) Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
8) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 9) Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic)

5) Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) v. 12) Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan)
4) Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 13) Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland)

3) Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) v. 14) Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea)
6) Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) v. 11) Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia)

7) Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 10) Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela)
2) Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. 15) Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India)

Women's Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 9) Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada)

5) Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) v. 12) Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)
4) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 13) Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland)

3) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 11) Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)

7) Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. 10) Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile)
2) Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....

Singles draws at 2018 IRF World Championships

The medal round in Men’s and Women’s Singles begins Wednesday at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. Mexicans and USA players dominate the top 4 seeds in both the women’s and men’s draws.

In Men’s Singles, David Horn is the #1 seed with team-mate Charlie Pratt #3. Mexicans Daniel De La Rosa and Rodrigo Montoya are the #2 and #4 seeds, so there can’t be either all USA or all Mexico match until the final. That is the reward the players have for winning all their Group Stage matches. But there should be plenty of good matches prior to the final, including a potential rematch between Colombian Mario Mercado, seeded 8th, and Canadian Coby Iwaasa, seeded 9th, who met in the Group Stage with Mercado winning by an 11-10 tie-breaker.

In Women’s Singles, Mexican Paola Longoria - the 3 time defending champion, is the #1 seed with her team-mate Samantha Salas #3. Rhonda Rajsich of the USA is 2nd seed with Guatemalan Maria Renee Rodriguez 4th seed. Rodriguez’s seeding gets her a bye in the Round of 32, but she’ll likely have to face Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina in the Round of 16. Vargas is a former #2 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) and won an LPRT event this past season, so it's not the most favourable draw for Rodriguez.

If you need to get a racquetball fix on Tuesday, watch some of the Group Stage matches you missed on the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles - Round of 64 - Wednesday

1) David Horn (USA) - BYE
32) Mark Murphy (Ireland) v. 33) Alberto Rojas (Switzerland)

17) Shai Manuzi (Argentina) - BYE
16) Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - BYE

9) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
24) Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE

25) Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) - BYE
8) Mario Mercado (Colombia) - BYE

5) Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
28) Christian Wer (Guatemala) - BYE

21) Christian Chavez (Ecuador) - BYE
12) Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - BYE

13) Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
20) Kono Michimune (Japan) - BYE

29) Yash Doshi (India) - BYE
4) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE

3) Charlie Pratt (USA) - BYE
30) Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE

19) Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) - BYE
14) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE

11) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
22) Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE

27) Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) - BYE
6) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE

7) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
26) Francisco Troncoso (Chile) - BYE

23) Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) - BYE
10) Sebastian Franco (Colombia) - BYE

15) Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE
18) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE

31) Alok Mehta (India) v. 34) Johnny O’keeney (Ireland)
2) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE

Women's Singles - Round of 32 - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
16) Young Ock Lee (Korea) v. 17) Jenny Daza (Bolivia)

9) Adriana Riveros (Colombia) v. 24) Josefa Parada (Chile)
8) Cristina Amaya (Colombia) v. 25) Lilian Zea (Venezuela)

5) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 21) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic)

13) Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) v. 20) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
4) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - BYE

3) Samantha Salas (Mexico) - BYE
14) Jin Seok (South Korea) v. 19) Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic)

11) Sheryl Lotts (USA) v. 22) Jen Saunders (Canada)
6) Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE

7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 26) Donna Ryder (Ireland)
10) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica)

15) Harumi Kajino (Japan) v. 18) Aisling Hickey (Ireland)
2) Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....

Day 3 at the 2018 World Championships

Monday the Group Stage of play wrapped up at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica, and there were few surprises. Indeed across the whole day there was only one tie-breaker, which came in Group D of Women’s Singles, when Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala was pushed to three games by Aisling Hickey of Ireland before winning 11-15, 15-6, 11-7. They were tied at 7-7 in the breaker before Rodriguez was able to finish it off.

There will now be an off day on Tuesday, and then the medal round will be on Wednesday in all divisions. We’ll have those draws for you soon.

You can see some of the Group Stage matches on the IRF Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles

Group A

David Horn (USA) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-7, 15-4
Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Group B

Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-1
Daeyong Kwon (South Korea) - BYE

Group C

Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-13
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Johnny O’keeney (ireland), 15-7, 15-14

Group D

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina), 15-1, 15-10
Ryoki Kamahara (Japan) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-1, 15-1

Group E

Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-8
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-7, 15-2

Group F

Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Shai Manuzi (Argentina), 15-8, 15-2
Kono Michimune (Japan) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-10, 15-1

Group G

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-6
Christian Chavez (Ecuador) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-3, 15-3

Group H

Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-4
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-5, 15-10

Group I

Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-14, 15-3
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-1, 15-8

Women's Singles

Group A

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Jin Seok (South Korea), 15-6, 15-4
Harumi Kajino (Japan) - BYE

Group B

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-2, 15-3
Young Ock Lee (Korea) - BYE

Group C

Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz (Chile), 15-3, 15-5
Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7

Group D

Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-5, 15-3
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-15, 15-6, 11-7

Group E

Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-3, 15-5
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-1

Group F

Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Adriana Riveros (Colombia), 15-3, 15-7
Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-3

Group G

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-1
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-4, injury forfeit

Men's Doubles

Group A

Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-3, 15-6
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-9, 15-6

Group B

Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-0, 15-0 - injury forfeit
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-6, 8-1 - injury forfeit

Group C

Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-2
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-3

Group D

Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-3

Women's Doubles

Group A

Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-1, 15-6
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE

Group B

Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea), 15-10, 8-15, 11-0
Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE

Group C

Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-7, 15-4
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) - BYE

Group D

Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-4, 15-7
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-9, 15-12

Follow the bouncing ball....

Day 2 at 2018 IRF World Championships

Day 2 at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San José, Costa Rica has been somewhat less dramatic than Day 1. But there have been some close matches. For example, in Group C of Women’s Singles, Chilean Carla Muñoz defeated Bolivian Jenny Daza in a tie-breaker, 15-8, 14-15, 11-5. That win gives Muñoz a chance to win the group when she plays Samantha Salas of Mexico on Monday.

Salas beat Donna Ryder of Ireland, 15-1, 15-4, Sunday, and the winner of Group C will be seeded 3rd in the playoff round, which would mean avoiding three time defending Women’s Singles Champion Paola Longoria, who is Salas’s Mexican team-mate. Longoria had a bye Sunday.

In Group G of Women’s Singles, Natalia Mendez of Argentina is in control after beating Colombian Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-8, Sunday. But Dominican Republic’s Merynanyelly Delgado may be able to prevent Mendez from winning the group, as they will play on Monday, and on Sunday Delgado defeated Canadian Jen Saunders, 6-15, 15-12, 11-3.

No surprising results in Men’s Singles, although there were a few tie-breakers. Bolivian Carlos Keller needed three games to beat Chilean Johan Igor, 15-8, 4-15, 11-6, and Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador won a close match with Christian Wer of Guatemala, 13-15, 15-13, 11-5. Finally, Ramon De Leon of Dominican Republic defeated Daeyong Kwon of South Korea, 10-15, 15-9, 11-7.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles

Group A

Luis Perez (Dominican Republic) d. Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-5, 15-10
David Horn (USA) - BYE

Group B

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 10-15, 15-9, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) - BYE

Group C

Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 15-3, 15-1

Group D

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-4, 15-5
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-7, 15-2

Group E

Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 15-4, 15-9
Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela), 15-1, 15-3

Group F

Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-3, 15-4
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-13, 15-11

Group G

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-8, 4-15, 11-6
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-4

Group H

Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico), 15-3, 15-0
Coby Iwaasa (Canada) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-6

Group I

Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-4, 15-10
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 13-15, 15-13, 11-5

Women's Singles

Group A

Jin Seok (South Korea) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), injury forfeit - 15-0, 15-0
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE

Group B

Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 12-15, 11-4
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Group C

Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-1, 15-4
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-8, 14-15, 11-5

Group D

Sheryl Lotts (USA) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 15-11, 15-12
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-5

Group E

Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-0, 15-0
Frédérique Lambert (Canada) d. Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-11

Group F

Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-0, 15-0
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-11, 15-4

Group G

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-1, 15-8
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 6-15, 15-12, 11-3

Men's Doubles

Group A

Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-2, 15-1
Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 15-12, 11-15, 11-4

Group B

Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica), 15-4, 15-8
Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-5, 15-7

Group C

Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-5, 15-1
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecoador) d. Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela), 4-15, 15-4, 11-5

Group D

Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-9, 15-0
Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-7

Women's Doubles

Group A

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-7, 15-9
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE

Group B

Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-8, 15-8
Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - BYE

Group C

Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-12, 15-6
Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile) - BYE

Group D

Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia), 15-9, 15-2
Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-5, 15-7

Follow the bouncing ball....

Day 1 at 2018 IRF World Championships

Play began at the 19th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships on Saturday in San José, Costa Rica, and already there have been some great matches. The best might be Colombian Mario Mercado’s comeback win over Canadian Coby Iwaasa, 11-15, 15-10, 11-10, in Men’s Singles.

One of the anticipated matches in Women’s Singles went to the silver medalist from two years ago, Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, who defeated Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-9, 15-6. It was a strange match, as Vargas was up 7-1 in game one, and playing well. Then the tables totally switched, and Martinez won 29 of the next 37 points.

Also of significance, Martinez’s Guatemalan team-mate Maria Rene Rodriguez was a winner over the USA’s Sheryl Lotts, 8-15, 15-6, 11-4. The significance of the win is that Rodriguez can claim the #4 seeding by winning the group, and Lotts was her strongest opponent in the group.

But the Player of the Day was Yasmine Sabja of Bolivia, as she caused two upsets in women’s play. First in Women’s Singles, she defeated Canadian Frédérique Lambert, 15-9, 15-13, which was a surprise, as Lambert is the 2nd ranked player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT). Then in Women’s Doubles, Sabja and Valeria Centellas got the better of Canadians Lambert and Jen Saunders in Women’s Doubles, 12-15, 15-12, 11-8. A good day for Sabja coupled with a bad day for Lambert.

Surprise result in Group B of Men’s Doubles, as Argentine veterans Fernando Kurzbard and Shai Manzuri defeat Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado of Colombia, 15-11, 10-15, 11-7. The win gives Argentina the advantage in earning the 2nd seed for the playoff round, as that seeding will go to the winner of Group B.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San José via their Facebook page.

18th IRF World Championships
August 10-18, 2018
San José, Costa Rica

Men's Singles

Group A

David Horn (USA) d. Luis Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-7
Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea) - BYE

Group B

Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-3, 15-7
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Group C

Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-9
Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 15-7, 15-3

Group D

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Ryoki Kamahara (Japan), 15-4, 15-1
Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) d. Alberto Rojas (Switzerland), 15-3, 15-4

Group E

Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-4
Ricardo Gomez (Venezuela) d. Mark Murphy (Ireland), 11-15, 15-10, 11-8

Group F

Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Kono Michimune (Japan), 15-2, 15-12
Shai Manuzi (Argentina) d. Alok Mehta (India), 15-6, 151-2

Group G

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Christian Chavez (Ecuador), 15-2, 15-9
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 15-5, 15-11

Group H

Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Coby Iwaasa (Canada), 11-15, 15-10, 11-10
Aaron Booker (Puerto Rico) d. Yash Doshi (India), 15-1, 15-0

Group I

Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-10
Francisco Troncoso (Chile) d. Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-11, 15-3

Women's Singles

Group A

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 15-1, 15-3
Jin Seok (South Korea) - BYE

Group B

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Young Ock Lee (Korea), 15-2, 15-4
Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) - BYE

Group C

Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 15-3, 12-15, 11-1
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Donna Ryder (Ireland), 15-5, 15-10

Group D

Aisling Hickey (Ireland) d. Lilian Zea (Venezuela), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Sheryl Lotts (USA), 8-15, 15-6, 11-4

Group E

Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert (Canada), 15-9, 15-13
Alejandra Jiménez (Dominican Republic) d. Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-2, 15-6

Group F

Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-9, 15-6
Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-5

Group G

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Jen Saunders (Canada), 15-7, 15-3
Cristina Amaya (Colombia) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-7

Men's Doubles

Group A

Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. Edwin Galicia & Christian Wer (Guatemala), 15-9, 15-7
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Alok Mehta & Thirumurugan Thyagarajan (India), 15-7, 15-0

Group B

Fernando Kurzbard & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Sebastian Franco & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-11, 10-15, 11-7
Gabriel Garcia & Alexander Pirie (Costa Rica) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-10, 13-15, 11-4

Group C

Rocky Carson & Sudsy Monchik (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-14, 15-2
Ricardo Gomez & Luis Felipe Zea (Venezuela) d. Ken Cottrell & Eoin Tynan (Ireland), 15-4, 15-6

Group D

Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Tim Landeryou & Samuel Murray (Canada), 7-15, 15-8, 11-6
Luis Perez & Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Daeyong Kwon & Moon Gyun Kim (South Korea), 15-0, 15-11

Women's Doubles

Group A

Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-1, 10-15, 11-5
Alejandra Jimenez & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Group B

Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maiko Sato & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan), 15-10, 15-4
Jin Seok & Mi Ok An (South Korea) - BYE

Group C

Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Carla Muñoz & Josefa Parada (Chile), 15-6, 15-4
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE

Group D

Valeria Centellas & Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Frédérique Lambert & Jen Saunders (Canada), 12-15, 15-12, 11-8
Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-6, 15-1

Follow the bouncing ball....