Mexico-USA finals in Men's & Women's Doubles at 18th IRF World Championships

Two USA-Mexico showdowns are on tap in the finals of Men’s and Women’s Doubles at the 18th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Cali, Colombia. The Women’s Doubles final is a repeat of 2012, as Mexicans Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas, the three time defending champions, will again face Americans Aimee Ruiz and Janel Tisinger.

In the semi-finals, Longoria and Salas defeated 5th seeds Jenny Daza and Adriana Riveros of Bolivia, 15-5, 15-5, while Ruiz and Tisinger beat Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Jennifer Saunders, 15-8, 15-7.

On the men’s side, Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz will face two time former champions Alvaro Beltran and Javier Moreno of Mexico. The Americans had the more difficult semi-final, as they needed a tie-breaker to defeat Bolivians Kadim Carrasco and Carlos Keller, winning 15-14, 8-15, 11-8.

The Bolivians got the first two points of the breaker, but the Americans got the next eight to lead 8-2. They got to match point at 10-4, but Keller hit a winning backhand serve return, which led to four Bolivia points. They might have had a fifth, but the ball broke. On the next rally, Bredenbeck hit a forehand winner that got the USA the serve back, and another Bredenbeck forehand won them the match.

The Mexicans played the defending champion Colombians, Sebastian Franco and Alejandro Herrera, in the other semi, and it wasn’t as close as some expected, as Beltran and Moreno won comfortably, 15-2, 15-5. The Mexicans both served kiss lobs to their opponents, and followed those up with strong shots during the rallies.

There will be live streaming of finals Saturday 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 - Semi-finals

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) d. 5) Jenny Daza & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-5
2) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA) d. 3) Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), 15-8, 15-7

Women's Doubles - Final

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis (Mexico) v. 2) Aimee Ruiz & Janel Tisinger (USA)

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz (USA) d. 4) Carlos Keller & Kadim Carrasco (Bolivia), 15-14, 8-15, 11-8
2) Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico) d. 3) Alejandro Herrera & Sebastian Franco (Colombia), 15-2, 15-5

Men's Doubles - Final

1) Jake Bredenbeck & Jose Diaz (USA) v. 2) Alvaro Beltran & Javier Moreno (Mexico)

Follow the bouncing ball....