Day 2 at 2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships

Day two of action at the 2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships in Santa Cruz, Bolivia saw some more tie-breakers. For the second day, USA veteran Rhonda Rajsich needed five games to win, and this time came back from 0-2 down against Canadian Michèle Morissette to win 11-15, 11-15, 15-11, 15-10, 11-7. She’ll play Guatemala’s Gabriela Martinez on Monday in what will be the last group match for both of them with the winner to win the group.

The marquee match in Men’s Singles Sunday was Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso against Costa Rican Andres Acuña, and it lived up to the billing, as the first three games were each decided by one point with the Costa Rican winning two of them. But Moscoso won the fourth game to force a tie-breaker, and then also won that, taking the match 14-15, 15-14, 11-15, 15-8, 11-9.

We noted yesterday on Twitter - yes! we’re on Twitter: @racquetballblog - that Chile’s Carla Muñoz was undefeated in three matches Saturday - singles, doubles and mixed doubles - and at the end of Sunday, she’s still undefeated, although needed to play progressively more games as the day went along.

In singles, Muñoz beat Mexican Angela Ortega in three straight games, 15-10, 15-10, 15-6. In doubles, she and Paula Manilla defeated Cristina Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme of Colombia, in four games, 15-12, 3-15, 15-14, 15-13. Then in Mixed Doubles, Muñoz and Rodrigo Salgado Jr. faced down match point in game four, as they came back from 2-1 down to beat Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Juliette Parent, 15-7, 8-15, 9-15, 15-14, 11-7.

Group play wraps up Monday, and the final results will be used to seed players for the medal round that will begin on Tuesday.

Matches will be streamed by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF), so check out the IRF Facebook page or the IRF YouTube channel.

XXXIII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia - April 9-16, 2022

Women's Singles

Group 1

María José Vargas (Argentina) d. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia), 15-9, 14-15, 15-9, 15-8
María José Vargas (Argentina) v. Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - Monday

Standings: 1. María José Vargas (Argentina) 1-0, 2. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) 1-1, 3. Cristina Amaya (Colombia) 0-1

Group 2

Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia), 15-3, 15-1, 15-4
Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) - Monday

Standings: 1. Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) 1-0, 1. Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) 1-0, 3. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) 0-2

Group 3

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 15-10, 15-6, 15-5
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) - Monday

Standings: 1. Natalia Mendez (Argentina) 1-0, 2. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) 1-1, 3. Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) 0-1

Group 4

Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Angela Ortega (Mexico), 15-10, 15-10, 15-6
Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-10, 15-1, 15-3

Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. Kelani Lawrence (USA) - Monday
Juliette Parent (Canada) v. Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Monday

Standings: 1. Carla Muñoz (Chile) 2-0, 2. Kelani Lawrence (USA) 1-1, 2. Angela Ortega (Mexico) 1-1, 4. Juliette Parent (Canada) 0-2

Group 5

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 11-15, 11-15, 15-11, 15-10, 11-7
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 12-15, 15-14, 15-7, 15-9

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - Monday
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) v. Michèle Morissette (Canada) - Monday

Standings: 1. Rhonda Rajsich (USA) 2-0, 1. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) 2-0, 3. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) 0-2, 3. Michèle Morissette (Canada) 0-2

Men's Singles

Group 1

Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 14-15, 15-14, 11-15, 15-8, 11-9
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Monday

Standings: 1. Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) 1-0, 2. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) 1-1, 3. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) 0-1

Group 2

Alejandro Landa (USA) d. Ramón De León (Dominican Republic), 15-5, 15-9, 15-9
Alejandro Landa (USA) v. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) - Monday

Standings: 1. Alejandro Landa (USA) 1-0, 1. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) 1-0, 3. Ramón De León (Dominican Republic) 0-2

Group 3

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-11, 15-11
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) d. Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina), 15-9, 15-2, 15-4

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - Monday
Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - Monday

Standings: 1. Carlos Keller (Bolivia) 2-0, 2. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) 1-1, 2. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) 1-1, 4. Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina) 0-2

Group 4

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile), 11-15, 15-2, 15-4, 15-8
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-4, 15-6

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Monday
Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) v. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) - Monday

Standings: 1. Jake Bredenbeck (USA) 2-0, 1. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) 2-0, 3. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) 0-2, 3. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) 0-2

Group 5

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-8, 15-11, 15-12
Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-5, 15-11, 15-4

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Trevor Webb (Canada) - Monday
Diego Garcia (Argentina) v. Mario Mercado (Colombia) - Monday

Standings: 1. Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) 2-0, 2. Diego Garcia (Argentina) 1-1, 2. Mario Mercado (Colombia) 1-1, 4. Trevor Webb (Canada) 0-2

Group 6

Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Diego Gatica (Chile), 15-6, 15-7, 15-7
Elias Nieto (Mexico) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-13, 15-6, 15-4

Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Elias Nieto (Mexico) - Monday
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Diego Gatica (Chile) - Monday

Standings: 1. Samuel Murray (Canada) 2-0, 1. Elias Nieto (Mexico) 2-0, 3. Diego Gatica (Chile) 0-2, 3. Set Cubillos (Colombia) 0-2

Women's Doubles

Group 1

Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-5, 15-10, 15-9
Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia), 8-15, 15-11, 15-13, 12-15, 11-8

Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) - Monday
Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada) - Monday

Standings: 1. Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) 2-0, 2. Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) 1-1, 2. Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) 1-1, 4. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada) 0-2

Group 2

Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia), 15-12, 3-15, 15-14, 15-13
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala), 15-0, 15-9, 15-10

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Monday
Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) v. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) - Monday

Standings: 1. Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) 2-0, 1. Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) 2-0, 3. Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) 0-2, 3. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) 0-2

Men's Doubles

Group 1

Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Set Cubillos & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 15-9, 15-9, 15-8
Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck (USA) - Monday

Standings: 1. Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck (USA) 1-0, 1. Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller (Bolivia) 1-0, 3. Set Cubillos & Mario Mercado (Colombia) 0-2

Group 2

Andres Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Diego Garcia & Tomàs Oyhanart (Argentina), 14-15, 15-6, 15-4, 13-15, 11-4
Elias Nieto & Erick Trujillo (Mexico) v. Andres Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - Monday

Standings: 1. Elias Nieto & Erick Trujillo (Mexico) 1-0, 1. Andres Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) 1-0, 3. Diego Garcia & Tomàs Oyhanart (Argentina) 0-2

Group 3

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-8, 15-13
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile), 15-10, 15-10, 15-13

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Monday
Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) v. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Monday

Standings: 1. Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) 2-0, 1. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) 2-0, 3. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) 0-2, 3. Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) 0-2

Mixed Doubles

Group 1

Micaela Meneses & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Merynanyelly Delgado & Ramón De León (Dominican Republic), 15-8, 15-9,15-10
Valeria Centellas & Diego Garcia (Argentina) v. Micaela Meneses & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - Monday

Standings: 1. Valeria Centellas & Diego Garcia (Argentina) 1-0, 1. Micaela Meneses & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) 1-0, 3. Merynanyelly Delgado & Ramón De León (Dominican Republic) 0-2

Group 2

Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Gabriela Martinez & Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 15-13, 15-8, 15-13
Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Alejandro Landa & Erika Manilla (USA) - Monday

Standings: 1. Alejandro Landa & Erika Manilla (USA) 1-0, 2. Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas (Mexico) 1-0, 3. Gabriela Martinez & Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) 0-2

Group 3

Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-9, 14-15, 15-13
Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-7, 8-15, 9-15, 15-14, 11-7

Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada) - Monday
Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Monday

Standings: 1. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) 2-0, 2. Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia) 1-1, 2. Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada) 1-1, 4. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) 0-2

Follow the bouncing ball….

Day 1 at 2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships

The 2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships got underway Saturday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and already there have been some notable results, including several tie-breakers. This is the first international event using rally scoring with a five game match format: four games to 15 with a tie-breaker to 11, and the first four games are win by one point while the breaker is win by two. Some matches have already gone to extra points in the breaker.

In Women’s Singles, USA veteran Rhonda Rajsich needed extra points to get by Costa Rica’s Maricruz Ortiz, coming from a game down to win, 11-15, 15-9, 15-9, 7-15, 13-11. Merynanyelly Delgado of the Dominican Republic went extra points with Andrea Reyes of Guatemala, holding on to win 15-12, 15-14, 6-15, 11-15, 12-10.

Both matches in Group 4 of Women’s Singles went to a tie-breaker, though no extra points. In what might be considered an upset Chile’s Carla Muñoz came back to defeat USA’s Kelani Lawrence, 8-15, 15-10, 11-15, 15-13, 11-8, and Mexican Angela Ortega also came back from 2-1 down to defeat Canadian Juliette Parent, 15-10, 14-15, 15-13, 10-15, 11-8.

In Men’s Singles, Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico needed five games to get past Argentina’s Diego Garcia, 12-15, 15-11, 11-15, 15-12, 11-8.

But perhaps the most dramatic match of the day came in Mixed Doubles, which is being contested at the Pan Am Championships for the first time. Americans Alejandro Landa and Erika Manilla squeaked past Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Edwin Galicia, 10-15, 15-7, 12-15, 15-11, 17-15. The fifth game was to 11, but with win by two they played twelve (12!) more points than the maximum within the 11 limit (11-9). Wow!

Also the two matches in Group C of Mixed Doubles both went to a breaker. Chileans Carla Muñoz and Rodrigo Salgado Jr. caused an upset by beating Colombians Cristina Amaya and Mario Mercado, 14-15, 15-13, 12-15, 15-7, 11-6, while Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Juliette Parent came back from two games down to defeat Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Maricruz Ortiz, 14-16, 6-15, 15-13, 15-12, 11-9.

All in all it was an exciting day of racquetball in Santa Cruz, and bodes well for the rest of the week.

The format of the event is to have three matches in group play with the results used to seed the players for the medal round.

Matches will be streamed by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF), so check out the IRF Facebook page or the IRF YouTube channel.

XXXIII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia - April 9-16, 2022

Women's Singles

Group 1

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Cristina Amaya (Colombia), 15-14, 15-10, 12-15, 15-12
María José Vargas (Argentina) v. Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - Sunday
María José Vargas (Argentina) v. Cristina Amaya (Colombia) - Monday

Group 2

Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) d. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia), 15-9, 15-7, 15-7
Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) - Sunday
Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) - Monday

Group 3

Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Andrea Reyes (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-14, 6-15, 11-15, 12-10
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - Sunday
Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) - Monday

Group 4

Angela Ortega (Mexico) d. Juliette Parent (Canada), 15-10, 14-15, 15-13, 10-15, 11-8
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Kelani Lawrence (USA), 8-15, 15-10, 11-15, 15-13, 11-8

Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Sunday
Kelani Lawrence (USA) v. Juliette Parent (Canada) - Sunday

Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. Kelani Lawrence (USA) - Monday
Juliette Parent (Canada) v. Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Monday

Group 5

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 11-15, 15-9, 15-9, 7-15, 13-11
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Michèle Morissette (Canada), 15-8, 15-10, 11-15, 15-8

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Michèle Morissette (Canada) - Sunday
Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Sunday

Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - Monday
Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) v. Michèle Morissette (Canada) - Monday

Men's Singles

Group 1

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-7, 15-12, 15-10
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - Sunday
Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Monday

Group 2

Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) d. Ramón De León (Dominican Republic) - 15-13, 13-15, 15-8, 15-1
Alejandro Landa (USA) v. Ramón De León (Dominican Republic) - Sunday
Alejandro Landa (USA) v. Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) - Monday

Group 3

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina), 15-8, 15-7, 15-12
Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) d. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 6-15, 15-10, 15-10, 15-9

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - Sunday
Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) v. Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina) - Sunday

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - Monday
Tomás Oyhanart (Argentina) v. Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica) - Monday

Group 4

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico), 15-6, 15-3, 15-4
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile), 15-9, 15-5, 15-8

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) - Sunday
Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) - Sunday

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Monday
Abraham Mercado (Puerto Rico) v. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) - Monday

Group 5

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Diego Garcia (Argentina), 12-15, 15-11, 11-15, 15-12, 11-8
Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Trevor Webb (Canada), 15-5, 15-7, 15-11

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Mario Mercado (Colombia) - Sunday
Trevor Webb (Canada) v. Diego Garcia (Argentina) - Sunday

Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Trevor Webb (Canada) - Monday
Diego Garcia (Argentina) v. Mario Mercado (Colombia) - Monday

Group 6

Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Set Cubillos (Colombia), 15-9, 15-12, 15-11
Elias Nieto (Mexico) d. Diego Gatica (Chile), 15-6, 15-8, 13-15, 15-8

Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Diego Gatica (Chile) - Sunday
Elias Nieto (Mexico) v. Set Cubillos (Colombia) - Sunday

Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Elias Nieto (Mexico) - Monday
Set Cubillos (Colombia) v. Diego Gatica (Chile) - Monday

Women's Doubles

Group 1

Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA), 15-10, 15-14, 10-15, 15-14
Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) d. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada), 15-10, 15-1, 15-7

Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada) - Sunday
Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) v. Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - Sunday

Alejandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Micaela Meneses & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia) - Monday
Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Alexis Iwaasa & Cassie Prentice (Canada) - Monday

Group 2

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia), 15-6, 15-10, 15-11
Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala), 15-12, 15-12, 15-7

Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) v. Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Sunday
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) - Sunday

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. Paula Manilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Monday
Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme (Colombia) v. Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala) - Monday

Men's Doubles

Group 1

Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck (USA) d. Set Cubillos & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 14-16, 15-12, 15-9, 15-9
Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Set Cubillos & Mario Mercado (Colombia) - Sunday
Kadim Carrasco & Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck (USA) - Monday

Group 2

Elias Nieto & Erick Trujillo (Mexico) v. Diego Garcia & Tomàs Oyhanart (Argentina), 15-11, 15-3, 15-8
Andres Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) v. Diego Garcia & Tomàs Oyhanart (Argentina) - Sunday
Elias Nieto & Erick Trujillo (Mexico) v. Andres Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - Monday

Group 3

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile), 15-14, 15-8, 14-15, 15-5
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 15-3, 15-9, 15-10

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Sunday
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) - Sunday

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - Monday
Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile) v. Geovani Mendoza & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - Monday

Mixed Doubles

Group 1

Valeria Centellas & Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado & Ramón De León (Dominican Republic), 15-12, 15-6, 15-10
Micaela Meneses & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Merynanyelly Delgado & Ramón De León (Dominican Republic) - Sunday
Valeria Centellas & Diego Garcia (Argentina) v. Micaela Meneses & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - Monday

Group 2

Alejandro Landa & Erika Manilla (USA) d. Gabriela Martinez & Edwin Galicia (Guatemala), 10-15, 15-7, 12-15, 15-11, 17-15
Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Gabriela Martinez & Edwin Galicia (Guatemala) - Sunday
Rodrigo Montoya & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Alejandro Landa & Erika Manilla (USA) - Monday

Group 3

Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia), 14-15, 15-13, 12-15, 15-7, 11-6
Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada) d. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 14-16, 6-15, 15-13, 15-12, 11-9

Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Sunday
Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada) v. Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) - Sunday

Cristina Amaya & Mario Mercado (Colombia) v. Coby Iwaasa & Juliette Parent (Canada) - Monday
Rodrigo Salgado Jr. & Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Felipe Camacho & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - Monday

Follow the bouncing ball….

2022 Pan American Championships - Preview

The Pan American Racquetball Championships are being held for the first time in three years. The COVID 19 pandemic, which is still going on, resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 Pan American Championships. But the 2022 Pan American Championships will begin Saturday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia with 140 players from 12 countries in 24 divisions, as there’s also junior events. Notable is that mixed doubles will be on the program for the first time in the event’s history, as well as U21 in the junior competition. Also, this will be the first international event using rally scoring with a five game match format: four games to 15 with a tie-breaker to 11, and the first four games are win by one point while the breaker is win by two.

Matches will be streamed by the International Racquetball Federation (IRF), as well as a broadcast on Bolivian television. You can check out links for play via the IRF Facebook page or the IRF YouTube channel.

The IRF hasn’t released any player rosters, and the draws won’t be finalized until after the coaches meeting Friday afternoon, but we have some information for some of the countries.

The USA will have six players in Bolivia. Alejandro Landa, the current IRF Men’s Singles World Champion, leads the team and will try to win his 2nd Pan American Championship title in Men’s Singles. He won in 2017 while representing Mexico. Brothers Jake Bredenbeck and Sam Bredenbeck will play Men’s Doubles with Jake as the 2nd player in Men’s Singles.

Veteran Rhonda Rajsich leads the women’s side and will play singles and doubles with Erika Manilla. Rajsich and Manilla were silver medalists at Worlds last year. Manilla will play Mixed Doubles with Landa, and Kelani Bailey rounds out the team playing Women’s Singles, in which she was also a silver medalist at Worlds in 2021.

Team Canada will have its top three men’s players and some young women’s players in Bolivia. Samuel Murray, a winner on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), leads the team, and will play both Men’s Singles and Doubles. Coby Iwaasa will be Murray’s doubles partner, and the two were silver medalists at the last Pan Am Championships back in 2019. Trevor Webb will be the other Canadian Men’s Singles player.

Michèle Morissette - a 2022 World Games qualifier - leads the Canadian women in the absence of veterans Frédérique Lambert and Christine Richardson, and she’ll play Women’s Singles along with Juliette Parent, who’s just making her second appearance on Team Canada after playing at Worlds last year. Parent will also play Mixed Doubles with Coby Iwaasa. Alexis Iwaasa - Coby’s cousin - and Cassie Prentice will be the Canadian Women’s Doubles team. Prentice is making her Team Canada debut.

Some of the Bolivian players reported to be representing the host country are Conrrado Moscoso, a two time winner on the IRT, Carlos Keller, and Kadim Carrasco on the men’s side, and on the women’s side Yazmine Sabja, Micaela Meneses, Angelica Barrios. Keller is the two time defending Pan American Champion in Men’s Singles.

The format of the event is to have two days of group play followed by a medal round on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then they plan to have a team competition on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Finally, as it has been awhile since the last Pan American Championships, let’s remind you of who was on the podium in 2019.

XXXII Pan American Racquetball Championships
Barranquilla, Colombia - April 12-20, 2019

Women's Singles

GOLD - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER - María José Vargas (Argentina)
BRONZE - Maria Paz Muñoz (Ecuador) and Natalia Mendez (Argentina)

Men's Singles

GOLD - Carlos Keller (Bolivia)
SILVER - Charles Pratt (USA)
BRONZE - Alvaro Beltran (Mexico) and Andres Acuña (Costa Rica)

Women's Doubles

GOLD - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
SILVER - Valeria Centellas & Yazmine Sabja (Bolivia)
BRONZE - Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros (Colombia) and Danielle Drury & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)

Men's Doubles

GOLD - Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)
SILVER - Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada)
BRONZE - Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) and Andres Acuña & Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica)

Follow the bouncing ball….