Sotomayor dominates at WRT 2013 Chile Open

Veronica Sotomayor dominated the women's division of the 2013 Chile Open on the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) in Vina del Mar, Chile, defeating each of the other four women in the draw in two straight games, including convincing wins over Cristina Amaya, 15-5, 15-9, and Maria Paz Muñoz, 15-6, 15-1.

Amaya finished second with three wins and a loss.

Cecilia Cerquetti of Argentina was the surprise 3rd place finisher with one win and three losses. We say a surprise, as we haven't heard of Cerquetti before, yet her results clearly indicate she's a good player. She defeated Muñoz, 15-7, 15-7, and almost beat Jessica Parrilla, losing 15-14, 15-11.

We know both Muñoz and Parrilla are good players, so we have to assume the same about Cerquetti if she's going toe-to-toe with them. It's interesting to have a new player on the scene, especially as Cerquetti comes from Argentina, which hasn't developed a strong woman player, aside from Véronique Guillemette, who is a transplanted Canadian.

Word is that Cerquetti is a left-handed player, and has a squash background. She's been on the Argentine National Squash Team representing her country at the 2010 South American Games, 2011 Pan Am Games and 2012 Women's World Team Squash Championships.

Muñoz and Parrilla finished 4th and 5th, respectively, with one win and three losses each.

The next WRT event is Flagstaff Open, June 20-23 in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

2013 Chile Open
Vina del Mar, Chile

Women's Singles (wins-losses)

1st - Veronica Sotomayor (4-0)
2nd - Cristina Amaya (3-1)
3rd - Cecilia Cerquetti (1-3)
4th - Maria Paz Munoz (1-3)
5th - Jessica Parrilla (1-3)

Match results

Jessica Parrilla d. Cecilia Cerquetti, 15-14, 15-11
Veronica Sotomayor d. Maria Paz Munoz, 15-6, 15-1

Cecilia Cerquetti d. Maria Paz Munoz, 15-7, 15-7
Veronica Sotomayor d. Cristina Amaya, 15-5, 15-9

Veronica Sotomayor d. Cecilia Cerquetti, 15-3, 15-6
Cristina Amaya d. Jessica Parrilla, 11-15, 15-5, 11-8

Maria Paz Munoz d. Jessica Parrilla, 15-12, 15-10
Cristina Amaya d. Cecilia Cerquetti, 15-5, 15-12

Veronica Sotomayor d. Jessica Parrilla, 15-4, 15-10
Cristina Amaya d. Maria Paz Munoz, 15-4, 15-14

Follow the bouncing ball….

Landa a double winner at WRT 2013 Chile Open

Alejandro Landa was a double winner at the 2013 Chile Open on the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) in Vina del Mar, Chile, as he won both the singles and doubles finals on Saturday. Landa, the #1 seed, defeated Polo Gutierrez in the singles final, 5-15, 15-12, 11-9, and teamed up with Gutierrez to win the doubles final against the Ecuadoran team of Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios, 15-7, 15-7.

Alvarez and Rios were surprise finalists, as they were seeded 6th in the draw, and upset 2nd seeded American team of Anthony Herrera and David Horn, 12-15, 15-5, 11-4, in the semi-finals.

Landa and Gutierrez beat Sebastian Franco and Felipe Camacho, 15-11, 15-5, in the other semi-final.

The next WRT event is Flagstaff Open, June 20-23 in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

2013 Chile Open
Vina del Mar, Chile

Singles Final

1) Alejandro Landa d. 3) Polo Gutierrez, 5-15, 15-12, 11-9

Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Alejandro Landa & Polo Gutierrez d. 4) Sebastian Franco & Felipe Camacho, 15-11, 15-5
6) Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios d. 2) Anthony Herrera & David Horn, 12-15, 15-5, 11-4

Doubles - Final

1) Alejandro Landa & Polo Gutierrez d. 6) Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios, 15-7, 15-7

Follow the bouncing ball….

World Racquetball Tour - 2013 Chile Open - Doubles results

The Ecuadoran team of Jose Daniel Alvarez and Fernando Rios caused the biggest upset in the doubles division of the 2013 Chile Open, a World Racquetball Tour (WRT) event in Vina del Mar, Chile, as they beat the 3rd seeded team of Alejandro Cardona and Gilberto Mejia, 15-6, 10-15, 11-10, in the quarter finals on Friday.

They'll next play the 2nd seeded American team of Anthony Herrera and David Horn, who beat Canadians Pedro Castro and Kurtis Cullen, 11-15, 15-3, 11-7, in their quarter final match.

But Alvarez and Rios weren't the only team to win in the quarters by 11-10 in the tie-breaker, as the top seeds Alejandro Landa and Polo Gutierrez had to do that against 8th seeds Salvador Ortiz and Manolo Sandoval, winning 15-4, 6-15, 11-10.

Landa and Gutierrez will play 4th seeds Sebastian Franco and Felipe Camacho, who defeated 5th seeds Kadim Carresco and Felipe Mercado, 15-10, 9-15, 11-9, as all four doubles quarter final matches went tie-breaker.

The doubles semi-finals will be at 11 AM Saturday with the final to go at 4 PM on Saturday. All times are Eastern daylight time.

2013 Chile Open
Vina del Mar, Chile

Doubles - 16s

1) Alejandro Landa & Polo Gutierrez - BYE
8) Salvador Ortiz & Manolo Sandoval d. 9) Santiago Canedo & Francisco Troncoso, 15-3, 15-14

5) Kadim Carresco & Felipe Mercado d. 12) Mauricio Suarez Lopez & Rogelio Medina, 15-9, 15-0
4) Sebastian Franco & Felipe Camacho - BYE

3) Alejandro Cardona & Gilberto Mejia - BYE
6) Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios d. 11) Fernando Kurzbard & Pablo Kurzbard, 15-14, 12-15, 11-4

7) Pedro Castro & Kurtis Cullen d. 10) Cesar Castillo & Exequiel Paez, 15-9, 15-13
2) Anthony Herrera & David Horn - BYE

Doubles - Quarter finals

1) Alejandro Landa & Polo Gutierrez d. 8) Salvador Ortiz & Manolo Sandoval, 15-4, 6-15, 11-10
4) Sebastian Franco & Felipe Camacho d. 5) Kadim Carresco & Felipe Mercado, 15-10, 9-15, 11-9

6) Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios d. 3) Alejandro Cardona & Gilberto Mejia, 15-6, 10-15, 11-10
2) Anthony Herrera & David Horn d. 7) Pedro Castro & Kurtis Cullen, 11-15, 15-3, 11-7

Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Alejandro Landa & Polo Gutierrez v. 4) Sebastian Franco & Felipe Camacho - 11 AM EDT
2) Anthony Herrera & David Horn v. 6) Jose Daniel Alvarez & Fernando Rios - 11 AM EDT

Follow the bouncing ball….