17th IRF World Championships - Doubles Rounds of 16

No upsets in doubles play at the 17th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, but there were a couple of tie-breakers on the women's side, including one involving the home side of Canada.

The 3rd ranked Canadian team of Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders needed a tie-breaker to defeat Colombia's Cristina Amaya and Claudia Andrade, 14-15, 15-6, 11-6. The Canadians had a lead in the first game at 14-11, but let it slip away. They tried to keep the ball away from Amaya, the 5th ranked player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), but Andrade made some good shots, and Amaya's off speed Z serve gave Saunders trouble late in game one, which got them the victory.

The Canadians looked good to take the match after winning the second game comfortably, but in the tie-breaker, it was the Colombians that led early at 4-0. But the Canadians stormed back and took the lead at 5-4 and then 7-6 after which they held the Colombians at six, finishing the match at 11-6.

The Argentinian team of Véronique Guillemette and Maria Jose Vargas also needed a tie-breaker to defeat Jin Seok and Jung Eun Ane of South Korea, 15-9, 1-15, 11-7. Interestingly, Guillemette is playing the left side with Vargas, the 3rd ranked LPRT player, on the right.

The only Men's Doubles match to go three games was Alejandro Herrera and Sebastian Franco of Colombia, who defeated Joaquin Solera and Pablo Sauma Masis of Costa Rica, 10-15, 15-9, 11-6.

There will be live streaming of the semi-finals and finals on Friday and Saturday via the IRF Network.

17th IRF World Championships
June 14-21, 2014
Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Men's Doubles

Round of 16

Ben Croft & Thomas Fuhrmann (USA) d. Michael Barrett & Fernando Rivera (Puerto Rico), forfeit
Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Alvarez (Ecoador) d. Luis Perez & Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), 15-13, 15-3

Daniel Maggi & Shai Manzuri (Argentina) d. Edwin Galicia & Pedro Manolo Sandoval (Guatemala), forfeit
Mike Green & Vincent Gagnon (Canada) d. Mingyu Kim & Daeyong Kwon (South Korea), 15-10, 15-1

Cesar Castillo & Cesar Castro (Venezuela) d. Hiroshi Shimizu & Michimune Kono (Japan), 15-6, 15-14
Conrado Moscos & Mario Mercado (Bolivia) d. Rodrigo Salgado & Francisco Troncoso (Chile), 15-8, 15-5

Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. Joaquin Solera & Pablo Sauma Masis (Costa Rica), 10-15, 15-9, 11-6
Alvaro Beltran & Edson Martinez (Mexico) d. Pat O'Donnell & Conor Skehan (Ireland), 15-1, 15-12,

Quarterfinals

Ben Croft & Thomas Fuhrmann (USA) v. Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Alvarez (Ecoador)
Mike Green & Vincent Gagnon (Canada) v. Daniel Maggi & Shai Manzuri (Argentina)

Cesar Castillo & Cesar Castro (Venezuela) v. Conrado Moscos & Mario Mercado (Bolivia)
Alvaro Beltran & Edson Martinez (Mexico) v. Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Women's Doubles

Round of 16

Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-4
Natalia Mendez & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) d. Melania Sauma Masis & Sofia Soley Saborio (Costa Rica), 15-10, 15-7

Véronique Guillemette & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Jin Seok & Jung Eun Ane (South Korea), 15-9, 1-15, 11-7
Angela Grisar & Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Majella Haventry & Katie Kenny (Ireland), 15-7, 15-3

Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. Cristina Amaya & Claudia Andrade (Colombia), 14-15, 15-6, 11-6
Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) d. Mariana Paredes & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela), 15-2, 15-9

Maiko Satoh & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan) 3. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado Araujo (Dominican Republic), 15-9, 15-8
Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) d. Anna Ventura & Bet Consegal (Catalunya), 15-0, 15-1

Quarterfinals

Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) v. Natalia Mendez & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia)
Angela Grisar & Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Véronique Guillemette & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)

Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) v. Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)
Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) v. Maiko Satoh & Naomi Wakimoto (Japan)

Follow the bouncing ball....