Doubles semi-final results from 2018 IRF World Junior Championships

Bolivia could sweep gold in boys doubles at the 30th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, but in girls doubles there are five different countries represented in the six teams in the finals. Only Mexico has two girls teams playing for gold on Saturday.

The Boy’s U18 final will be a repeat of a Group Stage match between Bolivians Gerson Miranda and Fernando Ruiz and Mexicans Sebastian Fernandez and Rodrigo Rodriguez that was one of the best matches of the tournament, which was won by Bolivia in a tie-breaker. The teams reached the final with comfortable wins in semi-finals. Miranda and Ruiz defeated the USA’s Ricardo Diaz and Dane Elkins, 15-8, 15-5, while Fernandez and Rodriguez beat Julian Homberger and Andres Montero of Costa Rica, 15-6, 15-4.

Mexico could also win the Girl’s U18 gold medal, as Mexicans Ana Laura Flores and Abril Sacristan will play Maria Jose Muñoz and Ana Lucia Sarmiento of Ecuador in the final. As with the boys final, Mexico and Ecuador played earlier in the week in a Group Stage match, which was won by the Mexicans. In the semi-finals, Flores and Sacristan defeated USA sisters Hannah Carver and Megan Carver, 15-8, 15-9, while Muñoz and Sarmiento beat Canadians Alexis Iwaasa and Marjolaine Parent, 15-6, 15-3.

Bolivian Valeria Centellas will be trying to become the first player to win both a IRF World Junior Championship in doubles and an IRF World Championship in doubles in the same year, as she won Women's Doubles at the 2018 IRF World Championships in August with Yasmine Sabja. Centellas is the defending World Junior Champion in Girl’s U16 Doubles, and she’ll have a chance to win U16 gold again on Saturday with partner Micaela Meneses.

Their opponent in the final is a surprise, as Canadians Juliette Parent and Cassie Prentice upset 2nd seeds Maria Gutierrez and Ximena Martinez of Mexico, 15-8, 15-12, in the semi-finals. Centellas and Meneses beat Costa Ricans Sofia Freer and Maricruz Ortiz, 15-3, 15-3, in the other semi.

You can watch some of the finals from San Luis Potosi via the IRF Facebook page.

30th IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - November 3-10, 2018

U18 Boy's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Gerson Miranda & Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia) d. 5. Ricardo Diaz & Dane Elkins (USA), 15-8, 15-5
3. Sebastian Fernandez & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) d. 2. Julian Homberger & Andres Montero (Costa Rica), 15-6, 15-4

Final - Saturday

1. Gerson Miranda & Fernando Ruiz (Bolivia) v. 3. Sebastian Fernandez & Rodrigo Rodriguez (Mexico) - 4 PM

U16 Boy's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Diego Garcia & Roberto Arellano (Bolivia) d. 5. Ian Frattinger & Sean Sauvé (Canada), 15-7, 15-6
2. Sebastian Longoria & Jose Ramos (Mexico) d. 3. Juan Flores & Esteban Janon (Ecuador), injury forfeit

Final - Saturday

1. Diego Garcia & Roberto Arellano (Bolivia) v. 2. Sebastian Longoria & Jose Ramos (Mexico) - 3 PM

U14 Boy's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Andrew Gleason & Timmy Hansen (USA) d. 4. Juan Rodriguez & Duvan Torres (Colombia), 15-6, 15-6
3. Luis Aguilar & Mateo Claros (Bolivia) d. 2. Sebastian Hernandez & Omar Gonzalez (Mexico), 15-12, 15-12

Final - Saturday

1. Andrew Gleason & Timmy Hansen (USA) v. 3. Luis Aguilar & Mateo Claros (Bolivia) - 2 PM

U18 Girl's Doubles - Round Robin

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Ana Laura Flores & Abril Sacristan (Mexico) d. 4. Hannah Carver & Megan Carver (USA), 15-8, 15-9
2. Maria Jose Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. 3. Alexis Iwaasa & Marjolaine Parent (Canada), 15-6, 15-3

Final - Saturday

1. Ana Laura Flores & Abril Sacristan (Mexico) v. 2. Maria Jose Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) - 4 PM

U16 Girl's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Valeria Centellas & Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) d. 5. Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-3, 15-3
3. Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada) d. 2. Maria Gutierrez & Ximena Martinez (Mexico), 15-8, 15-12

Final - Saturday

1. Valeria Centellas & Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) v. 3. Juliette Parent & Cassie Prentice (Canada) - 3 PM

U14 Girl's Doubles

Semi-finals - Friday

1. Jessica Balderrama & Daniela Rico (Mexico) d. 4. Luz Abigail Rivera & Abigail Solano (Costa Rica), 15-1, 15-4
2. Heather Mahoney & Julia Stein (USA) d. 3. Ofelia Wilscam & Tamara Wilscam (Canada), 15-7, 15-11

Final - Saturday

1. Jessica Balderrama & Daniela Rico (Mexico) v. 2. Heather Mahoney & Julia Stein (USA) - 2 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….