Both the Mexican and USA teams are through to the semi-finals in both Men’s and Women’s Doubles at the 20th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala on Saturday. The Mexican teams were expected to be there, as both with the top seeds in their respective divisions.
In Men’s Doubles, Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya of Mexico defeated Gabriel Garro and Felipe Segreda of Costa Rica, 15-5, 15-5, while in Women’s Doubles Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas beat Carla Muñoz and Paula Mansilla of Chile, 15-1, 15-4. In the semis, Mar and Montoya will play Americans Alejandro Landa and Charlie Pratt, who were winners over Ecuador’s Juan Francisco Cueva and Jose Daniel Ugalde, 15-5, 15-5. Longoria and Salas face Guatemalans Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez in the semi-finals, as the Guatemalans beat Maria Paz Muñoz and Ana Lucia Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-0, 15-2 on Saturday.
The other women’s semi-final will be 2nd seeds Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez of Argentina against Americans Erika Manilla and Rhonda Rajsich. One of those four players is trying to defend her Women’s Doubles World Championship, and that’s Centellas, who is also the youngest of the four. She won three years ago when playing for her native Bolivia with Yasmine Sabja.
Centellas and Mendez reached the semis with a win over Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Alexis Iwaasa, 15-3, 15-4, while Manilla and Rajsich defeated Bolivians Angelica Barrios and Micaela Meneses, 15-10, 15-5.
The bottom of the men’s draw had the most interesting matches Saturday, as both quarterfinals went to a tie-breaker. In one, Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso came back from a game down to defeat Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Samuel Murray, 9-15, 15-12, 11-4. The win was a bit of revenge for the Bolivians who lost in the group stage to Canada on Monday.
Bolivia will take on Colombia in the semi-finals on Sunday, as Colombians Andres Gomez and Mario Mercado held on to defeat the Argentine team of Diego Garcia and Shai Manzuri, 15-12, 11-15, 11-8. Colombia came from 11-6 down in game one to win it, 15-12.
Bolivia will be trying to get to their first Worlds Men’s Doubles final on Sunday, while Colombia is seeking its second title. Colombians Sebastian Franco and Alejandro Herrera won the first in 2014. In contrast, a Mexico win would be its 8th, while a USA win would be its 13th, but first since 2010.
Sunday will be a big day of racquetball in Guatemala, as the singles and doubles semi-finals will be played. The four singles semi-finals will be live streamed, along with three of the doubles semis. Check with the (IRF on Facebook for the stream schedule, and for replays of previous matches, including both the Bolivia-Canada and Colombia-Argentina Men’s Doubles matches from Saturday.
20th IRF World Championships
November 29-December 6 - Guatemala City, Guatemala
Men's Doubles Quarterfinals - Saturday
Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) d. Gabriel Garro & Felipe Segreda (Costa Rica), 15-5, 15-5
Alejandro Landa & Charlie Pratt (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 15-5, 15-5
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada), 9-15, 15-12, 11-4
Andres Gomez & Mario Mercado (Colombia) d. Diego Garcia & Shai Manzuri (Argentina), 15-12, 11-15, 11-8
Men's Doubles Semi-finals - Sunday
Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) v. Alejandro Landa & Charlie Pratt (USA) - 2 PM
Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. Andres Gomez & Mario Mercado (Colombia) - 4 PM
Women's Doubles Quarterfinals - Saturday
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile), 15-1, 15-4
Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Paz Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-0, 15-2
Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) d. Angelica Barrios & Micaela Meneses (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-5
Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Frédérique Lambert & Alexis Iwaasa (Canada), 15-3, 15-4
Women's Doubles Semi-finals - Sunday
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) v. Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 3 PM
Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) - 5 PM
Follow the bouncing ball....
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