A review of the 2024 IRF World Championships

Let’s review what went down last week at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first World Championships in the USA since 1996, when they were held in Phoenix. That year American players swept the individual events, but Canada won the Men’s Team event with the USA taking the Women’s event, as well as the overall team title.

This year Canada almost won the Men’s Team event also, except the USA - their long time rival - pipped them in the final. And Mexico won the Women’s Team event, which was their 7th consecutive women’s title.

Five players won three medals at Worlds. American Daniel De La Rosa won three gold medals: singles, mixed doubles and the men's team event. Mexican Montserrat Mejia won gold in doubles and the women's team event, and silver in mixed doubles. Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina got silver in doubles and the women's team event, and bronze in singles. Mexican Eduardo Portillo got silver in doubles, and bronze in singles and the men's team event. Finally, Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala got silver in singles, and bronze in doubles and the women's team event.

Ten players won two medals at Worlds highlighted by Mexicans Paola Longoria and Alexandra Herrera, who won gold in singles and doubles, respectively, as well as the women’s team event.

Overall, players from eight countries won medals with six countries winning more than one. Surprisingly, Bolivia, which has become one of the top racquetball countries, didn’t have a player reach a final in San Antonio, and went home with four bronze medals in mixed doubles, the women’s team event, as well as men’s singles and men’s doubles, so every Bolivian did earn a medal with Angélica Barrios and Conrrado Moscoso getting two.

Notably, Chilean Carla Muñoz won her first medal at Worlds in a decade, as she took bronze in singles, which was her first singles medal. Her previous two medals at Worlds came in doubles in 2014 and 2012.

The next IRF event is the World Junior Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, December 6-14, 2024. The 2025 Pan American Championships will be April 12-19, although the location has yet to be announced.

22nd IRF World Championships
August 24-31, 2024 - San Antonio, Texas, United States

Men's Singles

GOLD: Daniel De La Rosa (USA)
SILVER: Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
BRONZE: Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) / Carlos Keller (Bolivia)

Women's Singles

GOLD: Paola Longoria (Mexico)
SILVER: Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)
BRONZE: Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) / Carla Muñoz (Chile)

Men's Doubles

GOLD: Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada)
SILVER: Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico)
BRONZE: Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) / Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA)

Women's Doubles

GOLD: Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico)
SILVER: Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina)
BRONZE: Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) / Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada)

Mixed Doubles

GOLD: Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA)
SILVER: Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico)
BRONZE: Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) / Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia)

Men's Team

GOLD: USA - Jake Bredenbeck, Daniel De La Rosa, Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla
SILVER: Canada - Kurtis Cullen, Coby Iwaasa, Samuel Murray & Trevor Webb
BRONZE: Mexico - Javier Mar, Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo
BRONZE: Costa Rica - Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia

Women's Team

GOLD: Mexico - Alexandra Herrera, Paola Longoria & Monserrat Mejia
SILVER: Argentina - Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas
BRONZE: USA - Michelle Key, Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott
BRONZE: Bolivia - Angelica Barrios, Jenny Daza & Camila Rivero

Overall Team

GOLD: Mexico - Alexandra Herrera, Paola Longoria, Javier Mar, Monserrat Mejia, Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo
SILVER: USA - Jake Bredenbeck, Daniel De La Rosa, Sebastian Fernandez, Michelle Key, Kelani Lawrence, Adam Manilla, & Hollie Scott
BRONZE: Canada - Kurtis Cullen, Coby Iwaasa, Frédérique Lambert, Samuel Murray, Juliette Parent, Danielle Ramsay & Trevor Webb
4th: Argentina - Diego Garcia, Gerson Miranda Martinez, Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas

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Mexico & USA win gold in team finals at 2024 IRF World Championships

Mexico and the United States won the Women’s and Men’s Team competitions, respectively, at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday. Mexico’s win is their 7th consecutive Women’s Team title, while the United States won the Men’s Team title for a record extending 14th time.

Mexico beat Argentina in the women’s final, 2-0. Montserrat Mejia defeated Valeria Centellas, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8, and then Paola Longoria beat Maria Jose Vargas, 12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4.

On the mens’s side, Canada took the first match of the final, as Samuel Murray defeated Jake Bredenbeck, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8. The United States levelled the match, 1-1, as Daniel De La Rosa beat Coby Iwaasa, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6. In the tie breaking third match, Sebastian Fernandez and Adam Manilla defeated Iwaasa and Murray, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, to win it for the USA.

The Mejia-Centellas match was odd, as Mejia didn’t play well. Centellas should have won the first game, and would if she hadn’t skipped more than a couple backhand shots that were unforced errors. Mejia survived and when she hit an ace for the game winning point, we thought, OK, she’s going to roll on from here.

Yet, she didn’t, as Centellas won game two. Mejia did win game three comfortably, but was then down in game four, 5-2. However, she managed to pull it together, tie the game 5-5, and go on to win it. Still it was anything but straight forward.

Vargas led for most of game one versus Longoria, yet Longoria had a chance to win it, when she was up 11-10. A Vargas forehand pinch shot prevented that, and she held on to win it 14-12.

However, from there Longoria was generally in control. Vargas only led once after game one: at 4-3 in game three. In game two, Longoria took a 7-1 lead, and despite calling a timeout at that point, Vargas didn’t get within three points, as Longoria won game two 11-7.

Game three was close until 5-5, and then Longoria got four straight points to lead 9-5. Vargas fought off two game points to get within one at 10-9, but a Longoria forehand winner ended it, 11-9.

Although they were close again early in game four, once Longoria had a lead late, Vargas’s energy seemed to sag, as if she was giving up. That’s a strange thing to say, but it seemed that way. Vargas skipped the last three points of the game with shots that she didn’t seem fully committed to. A sad ending, especially as it would have been fun to see a deciding doubles match.

In the first men’s match, Bredenbeck came out on fire, as he took a 6-1 lead. But Murray fought back, and got within one at 8-7 before Bredenbeck got the last few points to win it 11-7. Game two was the reverse, as Murray led from 3-2 on, and won 11-7. Murray carried over that momentum into game three, taking a 7-1 lead and going on to win 11-5.

They were close all the way in game four, with ties at 4-4, 5-5, and 8-8. But it was Murray who got the last few points to finish it. He hit a backhand from deep that got him to match point, and then won it with another backhand shot.

Although Iwaasa won the first game versus De La Rosa, it was the American who was in control after that, winning game two by a wide margin, and never being behind in games three or four.

That set up a doubles showdown. World Champions Iwaasa and Murray versus Adam Manilla and Sebastian Fernandez. Remember how we said that it’s difficult to win both the individual competition and the team competition? So it proved to be for the Canadians, as the Americans came out strong in game one.

The USA had a 6-1 lead in that game, but Canada caught up and tied it at 8-8 and they were back and forth from there. Canada had a chance to win at 10-9, but Iwaasa skipped a forehand shot that make it 10-10. Two skipped serve returns later and the USA had won game one, 12-10.

The USA had a big lead again in game two, and that time they didn’t give it up, winning 11-4.

In game three, they were close, and then the Canadians switched sides, when they were down 5-4. That seemed to refresh them, as they tied it at 5-5 and 6-6, and pushed on to win 11-6, keeping the match - and the final - alive.

In game four, the Americans again took an early lead at 5-2 and then 7-4. But Canada fought back and tied it at 8-8 and when they went ahead 9-8, the USA called a timeout.

When play resumed, Manilla hit a backhand pinch winner to tie it at 9-9. He followed that up with winners on the next two rallies to win the game, 11-9, and the final 2-1. That was a small part Manilla’s excellent play during the final, and he was clearly the man of the match.

If you missed any of the action from San Antonio - and there were many great matches - check out the IRF YouTube channel.

22nd IRF World Championships
August 24-31, 2024 - San Antonio, Texas, United States

Men’s Team Competition - Final - Saturday

1) United States d. 6) Canada, 2-1

Match 1: Samuel Murray d. Jake Bredenbeck, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8
Match 2: Daniel De La Rosa d. Coby Iwaasa, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
Match 3: Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla d. Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray, 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9

Women’s Team Competition - Final - Saturday

1) Mexico d. 2) Argentina, 2-0

Match 1: Montserrat Mejia d. Valeria Centellas, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8
Match 2: Paola Longoria d. Maria Jose Vargas, 12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4

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Four countries in team finals at 2024 IRF World Championships

Four countries have made the Men’s and Women’s Team competition finals at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas. Mexico will play Argentina in the Women’s Team final and the USA faces Canada in the Men’s Team final, in what has been the most frequent match up at Worlds.

Mexico beat the USA in the women’s semi-finals, 2-0. First, Montserrat Mejia defeated Michelle Key, 11-3, 11-6, 12-10, and then she teamed up with Alexandra Herrera to beat Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott in doubles, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6.

Mexico will face 2nd seeds Argentina in the final on Saturday. Argentina needed three matches to defeat 3rd seeds Bolivia, as Bolivia took the first match with Angelica Barrios beating Valeria Centellas, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8. Argentina levelled the semi at 1-1 with a doubles win. Maria Jose Vargas and Natalia Mendez defeated Barrios and Jenny Daza, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7. Vargas won it for Argentina by defeating Camila Rivero in four games, 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-5.

On the mens’s side, top seeds the United States beat 5th seeds Costa Rica, 2-0. Jake Bredenbeck came back from a game down to beat Gabriel Garcia, 13-15, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, and then Sebastian Fernandez and Adam Manilla came back from 1-0 and 2-1 down to defeat Garcia and Andrés Acuña, 6-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, and advance to Saturday’s final.

The final will be an old school showdown, as the USA will take on Canada, as the 6th seeded Canadians upset 2nd seeds Mexico in the other semi-final. Mexico won the first match, as Javier Mar beat Samuel Murray, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5. But Canada bounced back by winning the doubles match: Murray and Coby Iwaasa defeating Andree Parrilla and Eduardo Portillo, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5. Then in the deciding match, Iwaasa pulled out a dramatic comeback from two games down versus Parrilla to win in five games, 5-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10.

The USA and Canada were the main rivals in the early days of international competition, and only those countries won the men’s team title at Worlds until Mexico won it in 2018. Overall, the USA has won the men’s title 13 times and Canada 5 times, though Canada hasn’t won it since 2002.

The IRT will live stream all of the final matches for the team competition via the IRF YouTube channel. The finals will begin at 9 AM CDT Saturday.

22nd IRF World Championships
August 24-31, 2024 - San Antonio, Texas, United States

Men’s Team Competition - Semi-finals - Friday

1) United States d. 5) Costa Rica, 2-0

Match 1: Jake Bredenbeck d. Gabriel Garcia, 13-15, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Match 2: Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla d. Andrés Acuña & Gabriela Garcia, 6-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6

6) Canada d. 2) Mexico, 2-1

Match 1: Javier Mar d. Samuel Murray, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
Match 2: Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray d. Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Match 3: Coby Iwaasa d. Andree Parrilla, 5-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10

Final - Saturday

1) United States v. 6) Canada - 9 AM, 10:30 AM, Noon

Women’s Team Competition - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Mexico d. 4) USA, 2-0

Match 1: Montserrat Mejia d. Michelle Key, 11-3, 11-6, 12-10
Match 2: Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 11-5, 11-9, 11-6

2) Argentina d. 3) Bolivia, 2-1

Match 1: Angelica Barrios d. Valeria Centellas, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8
Match 2: Maria Jose Vargas & Natalia Mendez d. Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
Match 3: Maria Jose Vargas d. Camila Rivero, 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-5

Final - Saturday

1) Mexico v. 2) Argentina, 9:45 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:45 AM

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