Upsets at 2019 Mexican National Team Selection Event

There were big upsets at the 2019 Mexican National Team Selection Event in Chihuahua on the weekend, as no #1 seed won any of the four top divisions: Men's or Women's Singles or Doubles. Perhaps the biggest upset was in Women's Singles, as 6th seed Monserrat Mejia defeated 1st seed Paola Longoria in the Women’s Open final, 15-8, 15-14. Then in Men's Singles, 12th seed Alejandro Landa beat 14th seed Alvaro Beltran, 15-10, 15-8, in the Men’s Open final.

Landa and Beltran are top seeds on the International Racquebtall Tour (IRT), so it wasn't surprising they were in the final, but it's notable that the top 2 seeds lost before the final. Top seed Daniel De La Rosa lost to Landa in the semi-finals, 15-11, 15-10, and 2nd seed Rodrigo Montoya - who is also the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Men's Singles World Champion - lost to 10th seed Alan Natera, 15-9, 15-9, in the quarterfinals.

In doubles, Mejia and Alexandra Herrera were the top seeds, as they won this event last year, but this year 2nd seeds Longoria and Samantha Salas Solis defeated them, 15-13, 15-5, in the Women’s Open Doubles final. In Men’s Open Doubles, 2nd seeds Javiar Mar and Rodrigo Montoya needed three games to win the title over 4th seeds Landa and Alejandro Cardona, 14-15, 15-8, 11-0. De La Rosa amd Beltran were the top seeds, but lost in the semi-finals to Cardona and Landa, 15-7, 15-10.

Thus, De La Rosa didn’t reach the final in either singles or doubles, and that could rule him out of the Mexican team for Pan American Championships next month in Colombia, and perhaps Pan American Games in Lima, Peru in August.

Of significance in women’s play, Jessica Parrilla made her return to competition for the first time in almost a year, as she’d been out with a leg injury. She lost in singles to Alexandra Herrera, 15-13, 11-15, 11-0, and teamed with Nancy Enriquez in doubles, where they lost in the semi-finals to Herrera and Mejia, 15-11, 15-12.

Campeonato Nacional Selectivo FMR
Chihuahua, Mexico - February 27-March 3, 2019

Women's Open - Round of 32

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Denisse Maldonado d. 16) Alejandra Zuniga, 15-7, 15-5

9) Ana Laura Flores - BYE
8) Erin Rivera - BYE

5) Jessica Parrilla - BYE
12) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

13) Montserrat Perez - BYE
4) Diana Aguilar - BYE

3) Nancy Enriquez - BYE
19) Abril Sacristán d. 14) Beatriz Hernandez, 15-10, 15-7

11) Maria Gutierrez - BYE
6) Monserrat Mejia - BYE

7) Susana Acosta - BYE
10) Daniela Rico - BYE

18) Ximena Martinez d. 15) Andrea Ibarra, 3-15, 15-7, 11-7
2) Samantha Salas Solis - BYE

Round of 16

1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Denisse Maldonado, 15-2, 15-2
9) Ana Laura Flores d. 8) Erin Rivera, 15-11, 15-3

12) Alexandra Herrera d. 5) Jessica Parrilla, 15-13, 11-15, 11-0
13) Montserrat Perez d. 4) Diana Aguilar, 15-10, 15-3

3) Nancy Enriquez d. 19) Abril Sacristán, 15-7, 15-12
6) Monserrat Mejia d. 11) Maria Gutierrez, 15-1, 15-2

7) Susana Acosta d. 10) Daniela Rico, 15-5, 15-3
2) Samantha Salas Solis d. 18) Ximena Martinez, 15-4, 15-4

Quarterfinals

1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Ana Laura Flores, 15-7, 15-2
12) Alexandra Herrera d. 13) Montserrat Perez, 15-11, 15-5

6) Monserrat Mejia d. 3) Nancy Enriquez, 10-15, 15-4, 11-6
2) Samantha Salas Solis d. 7) Susana Acosta, 15-7, 15-2

Semi-finals

1) Paola Longoria d. 12) Alexandra Herrera, 15-4, 15-3
6) Monserrat Mejia d. 2) Samantha Salas Solis, 15-11, 15-4

Final

6) Monserrat Mejia d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-8, 15-14

3rd Place

2) Samantha Salas Solis d. 12) Alexandra Herrera, 15-4, 5-15, 11–5

Women's Open Doubles - Quarterfinals

1) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia - BYE
4) Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla d. 5) Diana Aguilar & Denisse Maldonado, 15-1, 15-13

3) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera d. 6) Andrea Ibarra & Daniela Rico, 15-14, 15-8
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis d. 7) Susana Acosta & Abril Sacristán, 15-6, 15-10

Semi-finals

1) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia d. 4) Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla, 15-11, 15-12
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis d. 3) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera, 15-5, 11-15, 11-1

Final

2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas Solis d. 1) Alexandra Herrera & Monserrat Mejia, 15-13, 15-5

3rd place

4) Nancy Enriquez & Jessica Parrilla d. 3) Montserrat Perez & Erin Rivera, 15-10, 15-9

Men's Open Singles

Round of 64

1) Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
32) Juan Loreto d. 33) Diego Gastelum, 15-4, 15-8

17) Rodolfo Esparza - BYE
16) Rogelio Castillo - BYE

9) Alejandro Cardona - BYE
24) Alan Palomino - BYE

25) Alejandro Prieto - BYE
8) Sebastian Fernandez - BYE

5) Christian Longoria - BYE
28) Sebastian Hernandez - BYE

21) Jose Ramos - BYE
12) Alejandro Landa - BYE

13) Eduardo Portillo - BYE
20) Jaime Martell - BYE

29) Alejandro Mendoza - BYE
4) Javier Mar - BYE

3) Andree Parrilla - BYE
30) Humberto Natera - BYE

19) Polo Gutierrez - BYE
14) Alvaro Beltran - BYE

11) Ernesto Ochoa - BYE
22) Gerardo Franco - BYE

27) Elias Nieto - BYE
6) Javier Estrada - BYE

7) Edson Martinez - BYE
26) Omar Garay - BYE

23) Erick Trujillo - BYE
10) Alan Natera - BYE

15) Erick Cuevas Fernandez - BYE
18) Javier Moreno - BYE

34) Daniel Mariñelarena d. 31) Homar Prieto, 10-15, 15-6, 11-3
2) Rodrigo Montoya - BYE

Round of 32

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 32) Juan Loreto, 15-3, 15-13
17) Rodolfo Esparza d. 16) Rogelio Castillo, 15-9, 15-11

9) Alejandro Cardona d. 24) Alan Palomino, 15-11, 15-10
8) Sebastian Fernandez d. 25) Alejandro Prieto, 15-0, 15-3

5) Christian Longoria d. 28) Sebastian Hernandez, forfeit
12) Alejandro Landa d. 21) Jose Ramos, 15-10, 15-7

20) Jaime Martell d. 13) Eduardo Portillo, 15-10, 15-7
4) Javier Mar d. 29) Alejandro Mendoza, 15-5, 15-3

3) Andree Parrilla d. 30) Humberto Natera, 15-7, 15-9
14) Alvaro Beltran d. 19) Polo Gutierrez, 15-4, 15-13

22) Gerardo Franco d. 11) Ernesto Ochoa, 15-13, 15-10
6) Javier Estrada d. 27) Elias Nieto, 15-11, 15-9

7) Edson Martinez d. 26) Omar Garay, 15-2, 15-3
10) Alan Natera d. 23) Erick Trujillo, 15-4, 15-3

18) Javier Moreno d. 15) Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-4, 15-10
2) Rodrigo Montoya d. 34) Daniel Mariñelarena. 15-3, 15-4

Round of 16

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 17) Rodolfo Esparza, 15-12, 15-8
9) Alejandro Cardona d. 8) Sebastian Fernandez, 15-6, 15-4

12) Alejandro Landa d. 5) Christian Longoria, 15-9, 15-6
4) Javier Mar d. 20) Jaime Martell, 15-2, 14-15, 11-7

14) Alvaro Beltran d. 3) Andree Parrilla, 15-8, 15-13
22) Gerardo Franco d. 6) Javier Estrada, 15-12, 7-15, 11-10

10) Alan Natera d. 7) Edson Martinez, 9-15, 15-14, 11-6
2) Rodrigo Montoya d. 18) Javier Moreno, 15-3, 15-4

Quarterfinals

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 9) Alejandro Cardona, 15-12, 13-15, 11-3
12) Alejandro Landa d. 4) Javier Mar, 15-8, 15-12

14) Alvaro Beltran d. 22) Gerardo Franco, 15-8, 15-13
10) Alan Natera d. 2) Rodrigo Montoya, 15-9, 15-9

Semi-finals

12) Alejandro Landa d. 1) Daniel De La Rosa, 15-11, 15-10
14) Alvaro Beltran d. 10) Alan Natera, 15-4, 15-11

Final

12) Alejandro Landa d. 14) Alvaro Beltran, 15-10, 15-8

3rd Place

1) Daniel De La Rosa d. 10) Alan Natera, 15-12, 15-6

Men's Open Doubles

Round of 16

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa - BYE
8) Sebastian Longoria & Erick Trujillo d. 9) Cesar Barragan & Alan Palomino, 15-8, 15-13

5) Jaime Martell & Alan Natera d. 12) Mauricio Delgadillo & Erick Cuevas Fernandez, 15-6, 15-13
4) Alejandro Cardona & Alejandro Landa d. 13) Sebastian Fernandez & Gerardo Franco, 15-12, 10-15, 11-8

3) Edson Martinez & Andree Parrilla d. 14) Carlos Esparza & Rodolfo Esparza, 15-0, 15-9
11) Elias Nieto & Eduardo Portillo d. 6) Rogelio Castillo, 15-14, 15-13

10) Javier Estrada & Ernesto Ochoa d. 7) Alejandro Mendoza & Ivan Sanchez, 15-5, 15-4
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 15) Manuel Hernandez & Sebastian Hernandez, 15-2, 15-4

Quarterfinals

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 8) Sebastian Longoria & Erick Trujillo, 15-11, 15-5
4) Alejandro Cardona & Alejandro Landa d. 5) Jaime Martell & Alan Natera, 15-13, 15-4

3) Edson Martinez & Andree Parrilla d. 11) Elias Nieto & Eduardo Portillo, 10-15, 15-13, 11-10
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 10) Javier Estrada & Ernesto Ochoa, 15-10, 15-13

Semi-finals

4) Alejandro Cardona & Alejandro Landa d. 1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa, 15-7, 15-10
2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 3) Edson Martinez & Andree Parrilla, 15-10, 15-13

Final

2) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya d. 4) Alejandro Cardona & Alejandro Landa, 14-15, 15-8, 11-0

3rd place

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 3) Edson Martinez & Andree Parrilla, forfeit

Follow the bouncing ball….