Racquetball is a racquet sport and a team sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek invented the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase velocity and control. Unlike most racquet sports, such as tennis and badminton, there is no net to hit the ball over, and, unlike squash, no tin to hit the ball above. Also, the court's walls, floor, and ceiling are legal playing surfaces, with the exception of court-specific designated hinders being out-of-bounds. Racquetball is played between various players on a team who try to bounce the ball with the racquet onto the ground so it hits the wall, so that an opposing team’s player cannot bounce it back to the wall.
Sudsy Monchik, is an American racquetball player. As a five-time Pro World Champion, Monchik is one of the top 3 players in the history of the sport. Monchik was known for his power and speed, as well as his shot-making ability, especially his backhand, which many believe is the best in the game. Sudsy revolutionized the sport with his electric personality combined with his tremendous shot power from both his backhand and forehand along with his jaw dropping shot making ability. Sudsy only competed professionally for 7 seasons. Due to a back condition identified as Spondylolisthesis and broken foot known as a Jones Fracture which needed surgery, he had to retire early. There are many that believe if he had been healthy he would have shattered all the records. Sudsy only played 7 healthy seasons on the professional tour and finished the season as the #1 player in the world an astonishing 5 times. Sudsy is the true ambassador to Racquetball worldwide. Sudsy made another outstanding comeback with a win in the 2018 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships with partner Rocky Carson. Sudsy will now represent Team USA in San Jose, Costa Rica for the World Championships in August 2018. Sudsy's wife, Veronica Sotomayor is the most decorated racquetball player in the history of her home country of Ecuador.
Rocky Carson is an American professional racquetball player. Carson has won a record 5 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Men's Singles, and 2 Pan American Games gold medals in singles. He was the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) in 2007-08 & 2017–18. Carson has also played outdoor racquetball, and in 2008, he became the first man to win Men's Singles at the World Outdoor Championship, as well as the indoor IRF World Championship, and US Open. Carson has won 27 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) titles and has been ranked in the top 10 for a record 23 seasons.
Jack Huczek is a retired American racquetball player. Huczek was a 3 time International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in Men's Singles, and he was the #1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) player at the end of the 2006–2007 season. Huczek announced his retirement on May 24, 2011.
Kane Waselenchuk is a professional racquetball player born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Waselenchuk finished the 2018–19 season as the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) for a record extending 13th time. Waselenchuk, a left-handed player, has dominated the IRT for the last decade, including a record 134-match unbeaten streak that lasted over three years.
Jason Mannino, born January 28, 1975, is a retired American racquetball player. Mannino was the #1 player at the end of the 2002-2003 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) season, and is a two-time winner of the US Open. He was named to the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Álvaro Beltrán, is a Mexican professional racquetball player. Beltrán is the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles with Daniel De La Rosa, winning the title in 2022 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. He was the second man to win both Men's Singles and Men's Doubles at the Racquetball World Championships. His six world titles tie him for 3rd most in IRF history. Beltran has been a top 10 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) for 18 seasons.
Ben Croft is an American racquetball player. Croft's a former racquetball World Champion, winning men's doubles in 2010 with Mitch Williams. His personal best ranking on the International Racquetball Tour was 3rd at the end of the 2010–11 season. Croft has been in the top 10 every IRT season since he turned pro in 2007. He often dives to keep the ball in play, earning his nickname "Racquetball's Crash Test Dummy".
Chris Crowther is a professional racquetball player. Crowther was the #5 player on the International Racquetball Tour at the end of the 2010–11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the IRT's top 10 players. A California native, Crowther is the tallest player on the IRT and known for his strong drive serve and hard hitting playing style.
Jose Rojas is a professional racquetball player. Rojas's highest ranking is #3 on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), which he was at the end of the 2011–12 season. At the end of the 2014–15 season, Rojas was #6, which was his sixth time in the IRT top 10 at season's end. Rojas has represented the USA several times in international competition, and been a gold medalist three times.
Daniel de la Rosa is a Mexican racquetball and pickleball player. De La Rosa is the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in Men's doubles, winning the title in 2022 in his home city of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. He's won 12 times on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), including the 2021 US Open. De La Rosa is the first Mexican player to win the US Open, and he was the second Mexican player to win an IRT Tier 1 event.
Sebastian Franco is a Colombian racquetball player. Franco is a former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in Men's Doubles, winning the title in 2014 with Alejandro Herrera. In 2018, Franco became the first South American to win a tournament on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT), when he won the March Madness event in San Antonio. He finished the IRT's Top 10 four straight seasons – from 2015–16 to 2018–19 – with a career high ranking of 6th in 2017–18.
Alejandro Landa is a Mexican-born American retired racquetball player. Landa is a former World Champion in Men's Singles, winning the title in Guatemala City in December 2021 while playing for the USA. Previously, he'd represented Mexico internationally, winning gold in Men's Singles and Doubles at the 2017 Pan American Championships. Landa also won four titles on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT).
This topic lists the racquetball events for 2018.
Samuel Murray is a Canadian racquetball player. He is the current Canadian Champion in Men's Singles, winning the title for a fifth time in 2023. Murray was the 2022 Pan American Champion in Men's Doubles ,. He became the 2nd Canadian to win a Tier 1 or Grand Slam event on the International Racquetball Tour in January 2021, when he won the Suivant Consulting Pro-Am in Lilburn, Georgia. His career high IRT ranking is #3 at the end of 2021.
Carlos Keller is a Bolivian racquetball player. Keller was on the Bolivian Men's Team that won back to back gold medals at the Pan American Games in 2019 and 2023. Their first gold medal at the 2019 games in Lima, Peru was Bolivia's first racquetball gold medal at the Pan Am Games, and they successfully defended that gold at the 2023 Games in Santiago, Chile. He was also part of the Bolivian men's team that won gold at the 2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships, which was Keller's third gold medal at Pan Am Championships to go with his two Men's Singles titles, won in 2018 and 2019.
Mario Mercado is a Bolivian-born Colombian racquetball player. He has won several medals for Colombia, highlighted by a silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in the men's team event. He has also won on the International Racquetball Tour.
Rodrigo Montoya is a Mexican racquetball player. He is the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in both the Men's Team competition and Mixed Doubles, winning those titles at the 2022 Championships in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. That was his 4th IRF World Championship, as he won the 2018 Men's Singles in Costa Rica and the 2021 Men's Doubles with Javier Mar in Guatemala City, so Montoya is the first player to win singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Worlds. He is also the current Pan American Games champion in both Men's Singles and Doubles with Mar, winning those events at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima. Montoya is the current Pan American Champion in Men's Doubles, winning that title with Eduardo Portillo at the 2023 Pan American Racquetball Championships in Guatemala City.
Andree Parrilla is a Mexican racquetball player. He has won twice on the International Racquetball Tour, and represented Mexico at international competitions.
Jake Bredenbeck is an American racquetball player. Bredenbeck is a four time USA Racquetball (USAR) National Champion: three times in Men's Singles and once in Men's Doubles. He's also won the International Racquetball Tour, and represented the USA internationally.
