Parrilla & Iwaasa faceoff in 2018 WRT Canadian Open final

Mexican Andree Parrilla and Canadian Coby Iwaasa will renew their rivalry Sunday in the final of the World Racquetball Tour (WRT) Canadian Open in Calgary, Alberta, as they were both upset winners in the semi-finals. Parrilla knocked off WRT #1 David Horn, 11-15, 15-11, 11-3, in one semi, while Iwaasa got the better of 7th seed Gerardo Franco, 15-7, 15-11, in the other.

Parrilla and Iwaasa, both 22, were born barely a month apart in July and June, respectively, of 1996. They played each other three times back in 2013 and 2014: twice in the Men’s Open division of the US Open - Parrilla defeating Iwaasa in the final in 2013 and Iwaasa beating Parrilla in the semi-finals in 2014, as he went on to win the division - as well as in the semi-finals of Boy’s U16 at the 2013 World Junior Championships, when Parrilla won.

Iwaasa's US Open Men's Open title happened a week after he won his first WRT event in Lombard, Illinois. He beat Alejandro Cardona in the final and defeated Sebastian Franco, Polo Gutierrez and Horn to get to the final. Then in the fall of 2015, Iwaasa went on a two year mission to Japan as a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. He returned to Canada barely a year ago, and to competitive racquetball last November.

During that period, Parrilla was busy. He won four WRT events, as well as an International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event, when he beat Horn in the final of the 2018 Shamrock Shootout.

Sunday, Parrilla will have a chance win his 5th WRT event, and first since Mexicali in October 2017 - though Parrilla's only played two WRT events since then. For his part, Iwaasa will have a chance to win his 2nd WRT event Sunday, and to do it in his home province. Iwaasa hails from Lethbridge, Alberta, a small city south of Calgary.

In doubles, 2nd seeds Alejandro Cardona and Gerardo Franco came back to win a tie-breaker against 3rd seeds Jaime Martell and Alan Natera, 5-15, 15-10, 11-7, and they’ll play 4th seeds Jake Bredenbeck and Samuel Murray in the final, as Bredenbeck and Murray beat Mitch Brayley and Tim Landeryou, 15-6, 15-5.

You can watch the action from Calgary via the WRT website or its Facebook page. The singles final is scheduled for noon with the doubles final at 2 PM. All times are Mountain.

2018 WRT Canadian Open, October 19-21
Calgary, Alberta

Singles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Andree Parrilla d. 1) David Horn, 11-15, 15-11, 11-3
22) Coby Iwaasa d. 7) Gerardo Franco, 15-7, 15-11

Singles - Final - Sunday

4) Andree Parrilla v. 22) Coby Iwaasa - Noon PM

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

4) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray d. 8) Mitch Brayley & Tim Landeryou, 15-6, 15-5
2) Alejandro Cardona & Gerardo Franco v. 3) Jaime Martell & Alan Natera, 5-15, 15-10, 11-7

Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Alejandro Cardona & Gerardo Franco v. 4) Jake Bredenbeck & Samuel Murray - 2 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….