2025 World Games - Heartbreak for Barrios

Mexican Paola Longoria will have a chance to win a fourth consecutive World Games gold medal at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, as she advanced to Sunday’s final with a hard fought win over Bolivian Angelica Barrios, who was two points away from upsetting Longoria, leading 9-7 in the fifth game of their match, when she suffered a right knee injury while hitting a backhand cross court shot from the middle of the service box.

It was a non-contact injury, which are often the worst, and as she was helped off the court, you sensed there was no way she was going to continue. However, Barrios gave it a go, and got back on the court as her injury time was over. But it was clear that putting weight on her right leg was difficult. She hobbled through three rallies, all won by Longoria, and after trying to go for a ball on the right side, Barrios realized she couldn't continue. Thus, Longoria won, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 10-9, injury forfeit.

In the final, Longoria will face 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, who defeated 2nd seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in four close games, winning 10-12, 14-12, 12-10, 11-6.

The Men’s Singles final will be Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso versus Argentina’s Diego Garcia, and they will get the first racquetball medals for their countries in men’s play at the World Games.

In the semi-finals, Moscoso defeated 2nd seed Eduardo Portillo of Mexico, 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, and Garcia beat Guatemalan Edwin Galicia, 12-10, 11-4, 11-9. Portillo and Galicia will play for bronze on Saturday.

In the Mixed Doubles quarterfinals, Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Naomi Ros beat Costa Ricans Andrés Acuña and Larissa Faeth, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5, and in the semi-finals they’ll play Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Frédérique Lambert, who defeated Guatemalans Martinez and Galicia, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, in the quarters.

In the Argentina-Mexico showdown, Argentina was victorious, as Vargas and Garcia beat Longoria and Portillo, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4. Vargas was the player of the match in that one, as she had a very strong performance. In the semi-finals, Argentina will play Japan, as Michimune Kono and Harumi Kajino got a forfeit win over Bolivians Moscoso and Barrios, as a result of Barrios’s injury during her singles match.

Saturday matches

There will be five matches on Saturday beginning with the Mixed Doubles semi-finals at 1:30 and 2:30 PM. Then the bronze medal matches will begin at 6 PM with the Men’s match (Galicia v. Portillo) followed by the women’s semi at 7 PM (Martinez v. Barrios, which could be a default given Barrio’s injury) and finally the Mixed Doubles bronze medal match at 8 PM.

The finals will be on Sunday at 10 AM for Women’s Singles, 11:15 AM for Men’s Singles and 12:30 PM for Mixed Doubles.

You can watch some of the matches live from China via The World Games Live website. Note: the times above are Chengdu times, and, as reference, 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala), 12-10, 11-4, 11-9
3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) d. 2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico), 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6

Men’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) - 6 PM

Men’s Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) v. 4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) - 11:15 AM

Women’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia), 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 10-9, injury forfeit
3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) d. 2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala), 10-12, 14-12, 12-10, 11-6

Women’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) v. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) - 7 PM

Women’s Singles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) - 10 AM

Mixed Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) d. 9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica), 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) d. 4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala), 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8

11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) d. 3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia), forfeit
7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico), 11-9, 11-8, 11-4

Mixed Doubles - Semi-finals - Satuday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) - 1:30 PM
7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - 2:30 PM

Note: All times above are Chengdu times. 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..