One new and one old champion were crowned in singles at the 2022 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico Thursday. Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso is the new champion as he won Men’s Singles by defeating five time former champion American Rocky Carson, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8. The “old” or repeat champion is Paola Longoria of Mexico, who won her 5th Women’s Singles title by beating Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7. Longoria has won five of the last six women’s championships with the other one going to Martinez in 2018.
In his march to the title, Moscoso beat the three men who had won the last seven Men’s Singles titles: Alejandro Landa (USA), champion in 2021, Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - the 2018 champion - and Carson, who won the five times prior to Montoya.
Mexico swept the doubles divisions, but none of the matches were three straight games and two went to five games with one decided by just two points. The closest match was the Women’s Doubles final, which we would have predicted would not have been the closest, which is why we don’t gamble on sports.
But in a very closely contested Women’s Doubles final, defending champions Longoria and Samantha Salas of Mexico defeated a young Argentinian team of Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez, 11-6, 15-17, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, to win their 5th championship together. The Argentines gave the Mexicans all they could handle, and when they forced the fifth game after being down 2-1, Argentina came out strong taking a 5-1 lead in the breaker.
They were still ahead at 9-6, after Salas skipped a forehand reverse pinch shot. Salas had looked shakey earlier in the match, but she was great down the stretch, as she scored four of the last six Mexican points, including a kill shot from deep in the court that was the match winner.
The Men’s Doubles also went the distance as veteran Alvaro Beltran and Daniel De La Rosa lost the first two games to Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso, but came back to win it in five, 7-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6. Needing to win game three, Beltran hit drive serves down the right side - rather than his usual lob serves - on the last three rallies, which led to three Mexican points, and extended the match.
Bolivia got the first point of game four, and then Mexico tied it at 1-1. The Mexicans never trailed from there on. Indeed, as they took a 5-0 lead to start game five, Beltran was playing it up to the capacity crowd.
When the match ended, there was much respect from the Bolivians to the Mexicans, especially the veteran Beltran, who won his 6th IRF World Championship - 5th in doubles to go with one in singles, which was the first of his championships way back in 2000. That was also won in San Luis Potosí. If Beltran, who’ll be 44 in October retires before the next World Championships in two years, this end will have seen his career come full circle.
Rodrigo Montoya and Samatha Salas added a World Championship to the Pan American Championship they won earlier this year, as they beat Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Samuel Murray in the final, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9. They become the first Mixed Doubles Champions in IRF World Championships history, and Samantha Salas joins her women’s doubles partner Paola Longoria as the only players to have won two titles at the same World Championships. Also, Montoya becomes the first player to have won all three divisions: singles, doubles and mixed doubles, doing so in that order in consecutive World Championships.
Play continues Friday with the Men’s and Women’s Team Competition, which are best of 3 matches: 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match. Some of that began on Thursday.
If you missed any of Thursday’s finals, and want to see the matches - they were all good - check out the IRF YouTube channel.
XXI International Racquetball Federation World Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - August 19-27
Men’s Singles - Medal Round - Final - Thursday
Conrrado Moscoso (BOL) d. Rocky Carson (USA), 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8
Women’s Singles - Medal Round - Final - Thursday
Paola Longoria (MEX) d. Gabriela Martinez (GUA), 12-10, 11-8, 11-7
Men’s Doubles - Final - Thursday
Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (MEX) v. Roland Keller & Conrrado Moscoso (BOL), 7-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6
Women’s Doubles - Final - Thursday
Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (MEX) d. Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez (ARG), 11-6, 15-17, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10
Mixed Doubles - Final - Thursday
Rodrigo Montoya & Samatha Salas (MEX) v. Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (CAN), 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9
Follow the bouncing ball…..
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