Doubles quarterfinals at 18th IRF World Championships

The top three seeds in Women’s Doubles have reached the semi-finals at the 18th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Cali, Colombia, but the fourth seed was upset in the quarterfinals Thursday. Top seeds and three time defending champions, Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico defeated 8th seeds Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, 15-2, 15-5, and will play 5th seeds Jenny Daza and Adriana Riveros of Bolivia, who knocked off 4th seeds Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador in two straight games, 15-9, 15-8.

On the other side of the draw, the semi-final will be Americans Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger versus Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders. In the quarterfinals, the Americans defeated Maria Cespedes and Merynanyelly Delgado Araujo of the Dominican Republic, 15-6, 15-8, while the Canadians beat Pia Dati and Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, 15-7, 15-9.

All four of the top seeds are in the semi-finals of Men’s Doubles. Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz, the top seeds, defeated Costa Ricans Felipe Camacho and Teobaldo Fumero, 15-9, 15-9, and will play Bolivians Kadim Carrasco and Carlos Keller in the semis after the Bolivians came back from a game down to beat Canadians Mike Green and Tim Landeryou, 6-15, 15-2, 11-8.

In the breaker, the Bolivians had the lead at 7-3, only to see Canada come back and lead 8-7. However, Bolivia stopped them there, and got to match point at 10-8. Canada survived two match points, but couldn’t score on their serves, and when Bolivia got match point #3 they won it, as Green skipped a backhand shot.

Mexico plays Colombia in the other semi in what will be a battle of the former champions versus current champions. Colombians Sebastian Franco and Alejandro Herrera are the current Men’s Doubles champions while Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno are two time Men’s Doubles champions, winning the title in 2012 and 2006.

In the quarters, Mexico defeat Ecuadorans Fernando Rios and Jose Daniel Ugalde, 15-7, 15-6, and Colombia beat Michimune Kono and Yuki Nakano of Japan, 15-5, 15-4.

There will be live streaming of semi-final matches on Friday via the IRF website. Also, the IRF is posting videos of matches, and interviews with the players on the IRF YouTube channel.

18th IRF World Championships
July 15-23, 2016
Cali, Colombia

Women's Doubles - Quarterfinals

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) d. 8) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 15-2, 15-5
5) Jenny Daza & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) d. 4) Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-8

3) Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada) d. 11) Pia Dati & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 15-7, 15-9
2) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) d. 10) Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado Araujo (Dominican Republic), 15-6, 15-8

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) v. 5) Jenny Daza & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia)
2) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) v. 3) Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada)

Men's Doubles - Quarterfinals

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz (USA) d. 8) Felipe Camacho & Teobaldo Fumero (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-9
4) Carlos Keller & Kadim Carrasco (Bolivia) d. 5) Mike Green & Tim Landeryou (Canada), 6-15, 15-2, 11-8

3) Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia) d. 6) Michimune Kono & Yuki Nakano (Japan), 15-5, 15-4
2) Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. 7) Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-7, 15-6

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz (USA) v. 4) Carlos Keller & Kadim Carrasco (Bolivia)
2) Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico) v. 3) Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

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