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

Follow the bouncing ball....

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

Follow the bouncing ball....

Top seeds advance to semi-finals of team competition at 2024 IRF World Championships

The team competition of the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas began on Thursday with the Round of 16. The men’s and women’s team competition is a best of three matches: two singles matches and a doubles match. The order of the matches varies across the rounds, although the final is usually singles, singles and doubles, if necessary.

Players in the team competition can be different from who played in the individual competition. That is, the singles players in the individual competition need not play singles in the team competition, and ditto for the doubles players. For example, Canadians Samuel Murray and Coby Iwaasa are playing both singles and doubles in the men’s team competition, but neither of them played singles earlier in the week.

You would be forgiven in thinking that whoever won the individual competitions will win the team competitions too. However, it’s difficult to win both. In 1994, when Canadians Sherman Greenfeld and Mike Ceresia were in the Men’s Singles final, the USA won the Men’s Team event. Then in 1996, when Americans Todd O’Neill and Ruben Gonzalez were in the singles final, Canada won the team event. So winning one, doesn’t mean winning the other.

Mexico are the top seeds in the Women’s Team event, but they were pushed to a deciding doubles match bye 8th seeded Canada, as Canadian Frédérique Lambert defeated Paola Longoria, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 15-13, in the second match of the playoff, after Montserrat Mejia beat Danielle Ramsay, 11-9, 11-3, 11-7. Mejia and Alexandra Herrera won the deciding doubles match, defeating Lambert and Juliette Parent, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6.

In fact, all four of the women’s team quarterfinals needed three matches to decide the winner, although the higher seed won in each case. Mexico will play 4th seeds USA in the semi-finals, as the USA defeated Guatemala in the quarters. Michelle Key beat Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3, to give the US a 1-0 advantage, but Gabriela Martinez levelled the quarter by defeating Kelani Lawrence, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8. The USA’s Lawrence and Hollie Scott won the deciding doubles match defeating Martinez and Rodriguez in five games, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8. That was a reversal of when those teams met in the Women's Doubles quarterfinals, which Guatemala won in three straight games.

The other women’s semi-final will be #2 Argentina versus #3 Bolivia. The Argentines advanced with wins by Maria Jose Vargas over Merynanyelly Delgado, 11-6, 11-0, 11-9, and Vargas and Natalia Mendez over Maria Cespedes and Delgado, 6-11, 11-3, 13-15, 11-4, 11-7, after Cespedes defeated Valeria Centellas, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9, in the first match.

Bolivia defeated Chile in the other quarter. Angelica Barrios beat Paula Mansilla, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6, and then Carla Muñoz defeated Camila Rivero, 11-7, 11-5, 13-11, to level the quarter. But Bolivia came out on top, as Barrios and Jenny Daza beat Mansilla and Muñoz, 11-9, 11-7, 11-3.

Three of the men’s team quarterfinals were decided in two straight matches with the exception being an upset, as 6th seeded Canada defeated 3rd seeds Bolivia, 2-1. Samuel Murray came back from 2-1 down to defeat Carlos Keller, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, in the first match. Then Conrrado Moscoso beat Coby Iwaasa, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-5, in the second match. Iwaasa and Murray won the deciding doubles match in three straight games, beating Kadim Carrasco and Moscoso, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5.

Canada will play 2nd seeds Mexico in the semi-finals, and the Mexicans will want some revenge for losing to Canada in the Men’s Doubles final yesterday. Mexico beat Guatemala, 2-0, in their quarterfinal, as Javier Mar defeated Edwin Galicia, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, and Andree Parrilla beat Juan Salvatierra, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7.

On the top half of the draw, it’ll be top seeds United States versus 5th seeds Costa Rica in the other semi. The USA beat 9th seeds Ecuador, 2-0, with Jake Bredenbeck defeating Juan Francisco Cueva, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7, and Daniel De La Rosa beating Esteban De Janon, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5.

Costa Rica advanced with a 2-0 win over 4th seeds Argentina, although Andrés Acuña had to come back from two games down to defeat Diego Garcia, 1-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9, in the second match of the quarter to prevent a deciding doubles match after Gabriel Garcia beat Gerson Miranda Martinez, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5, in the opening match.

There were no surprises in the Round of 16 on Thursday. The only upset by the seedings was in the men’s 8/9 match, as 9th seed Ecuador defeated 8th seed Japan.

The IRT is continuing to live stream matches during the team competition, so check out the IRF YouTube channel for the action.

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

Men’s Team Competition - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) United States d. 16) Germany
9) Ecuador d. 8) Japan

5) Costa Rica d. 12) Chile
4) Argentina d. 13) Colombia

3) Bolivia d. 14) Dominican Republic
6) Canada d. 11) Korea

7) Guatemala d. 10) India
2) Mexico d. 15) Ireland

Quarterfinals - Friday

1) United States d. 9) Ecuador, 2-0
Match 1: Jake Bredenbeck d. Juan Francisco Cueva, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
Match 2: Daniel De La Rosa d. Esteban De Janon, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5

5) Costa Rica d. 4) Argentina, 2-0
Match 1: Gabriel Garcia d. Gerson Miranda Martinez, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
Match 2: Andrés Acuña d. Diego Garcia, 1-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9

6) Canada d. 3) Bolivia, 2-1
Match 1: Samuel Murray d. Carlos Keller, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9
Match 2: Conrrado Moscoso d. Coby Iwaasa, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 11-5
Match 3: Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray d. Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5

2) Mexico d. 7) Guatemala, 2-0
Match 1: Javier Mar d. Edwin Galicia, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7
Match 2: Andree Parrilla d. Juan Salvatierra, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7

Semi-finals - Friday

1) United States v. 5) Costa Rica
2) Mexico v. 6) Canada

Women’s Team Competition - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Mexico - BYE
8) Canada d. 9) Ecuador

5) Guatemala d. 12) Ireland
4) USA d. 13) Japan

3) Bolivia - BYE
6) Chile d. 11) Costa Rica

7) Dominican Republic d. 10) Korea
2) Argentina - BYE

Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Mexico d. 8) Canada, 2-1
Match 1: Montserrat Mejia d. Danielle Ramsay, 11-9, 11-3, 11-7
Match 2: Frédérique Lambert d. Paola Longoria, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 15-13
Match 3: Montserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera d. Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6

4) USA d. 5) Guatemala, 2-1
Match 1: Michelle Key d. Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
Match 2: Gabriella Martinez d. Kelani Lawrence, 11-8, 5-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8
Match 3: Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. Gabriella Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8

3) Bolivia d. 6) Chile, 2-1
Match 1: Angelica Barrios d. Paula Mansilla, 11-6, 11-2, 11-6
Match 2: Carla Muñoz d. Camila Rivero, 11-7, 11-5, 13-11
Match 3: Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza d. Paula Mansilla & Carla Muñoz, 11-9, 11-7, 11-3

2) Argentina d. 7) Dominican Republic, 2-1
Match 1: Maria Cespedes d. Valeria Centellas, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
Match 2: Maria Jose Vargas d. Merynanyelly Delgado, 11-6, 11-0, 11-9
Match 3: Maria Jose Vargas & Natalia Mendez d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado, 6-11, 11-3, 13-15, 11-4, 11-7

Semi-finals - Friday

1) Mexico v. 4) USA
2) Argentina v. 3) Bolivia

Follow the bouncing ball....

Mexico, USA & Canada win gold at 2024 International Racquetball Federation World Championships

Mexico and the USA won two finals with Canada winning the other at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday. Mexicans took Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles with the USA winning Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles, and Canada winning Men’s Doubles.

Mexican Paola Longoria won Women’s Singles for a record extending 6th time, defeating Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, in the final. Longoria and Martinez have played four of the last five Women’s Singles finals with Longoria winning three times and Martinez once.

Daniel De La Rosa won an All-American Men’s Singles final, as he defeated Jake Bredenbeck, 11-9, 11-9, 1-11, 11-4. It’s the 16th time an American has won Men’s Singles at Worlds, and the first since 2021, when Alejandro Landa won it. It’s De La Rosa’s second World Championship, as he won Men’s Doubles with Alvaro Beltran two years ago, when he was representing Mexico.

Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia won a closely contested Women’s Doubles final, as they hung on to beat Argentina’s Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 11-3, 9-11, 15-13, 7-11, 11-7. It’s the third consecutive title for Mexico, but the first for Herrera and Mejia, who were runners up in 2018.

Those three finals were all won by the higher seed, but the top seeds in Men’s Doubles - Mexicans Eduardo Portillo and Andree Parrilla - lost to Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Samuel Murray, in a final that also went five games, though perhaps strangely none of the games were that close as Canada won 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6. This is Canada’s first World Championship since 2006, when Christie Huczek (née Van Hees) won Women’s Singles, and the first Men's Doubles title for Canada.

De La Rosa and Hollie Scott won the Mixed Doubles title, as they defeated the top seeded Mexican team of Javier Mar and Mejia, 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 14-12. That was De La Rosa’s third World Championship (and second of the day) and Scott’s first.

We expected good matches in all five finals, and they delivered. No final was decided in three straight games, and four of the five had multiple games decided by the minimum of two points. Of the 10 matches decided by two points, 4 went into extra points (i.e., were played past the minimum winning score of 11 points).

Match notes

Hollie Scott was the least experienced player in the Mixed Doubles final, but she came up big in game four, hitting five winners, as well as making two gets on another rally that led to a De La Rosa winner. In fact, she hit the match winner: a forehand splat shot off a lob serve to the right side.

The Men’s Doubles final was a streaky match, as four of the five games saw one side take a big lead that they didn’t give up. Only the third game was close all the way.

Mexico lost that game, so they needed to win game four. They won the first point of game four, and then got out to leads of 5-1 and 9-2 before closing it out at 11-4 to force a fifth game tie-breaker.

But in the breaker, it was Canada who scored first, and led all the way, at 3-0, 7-2, and 9-3. Mexico made it interesting at 9-5 and 10-6, but Murray won it then with a backhand shot that went over to the right side and handcuffed Parrilla.

Argentina won game four to force a tie-breaker in the Women’s Doubles final. In that breaker, they took the early lead over Mexico at 2-0 and 6-4. But at that point Vargas hit a loose ball that came back at her, causing an avoidable hinder and made the score 6-5 for Argentina. However, Argentina only scored one point after that.

The margins between elite players can be paper thin, and little things can make the difference.

Mexico score three more points to lead 8-6, so Argentina called a timeout. When play resumed Mendez hit a ball that was probably meant to be a cross court shot, but went into the middle and hit her partner Vargas, making the score 9-6.

A Mejia winner made it 10-6, but a Vargas winner denied them the first match point. But Herrera made good on the second match point, as the left-hander hit a forehand reverse pinch shot winner to the front right corner.

The Men’s Singles final was a contrast of styles, as De La Rosa is primarily a shooter and Bredenbeck a power player. Thus, De La Rosa mainly lob served during the match, while Bredenbeck drove serve. But the reason De La Rosa has been the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour for the last three seasons is that he can also play a power game, and that was on display during the final.

Longoria is also a player who is both a shooter and a power player, which is why she has dominated women’s racquetball for nearly twenty years. Martinez is a power player, and fully committed on the court, as she throws herself around it making some great gets to keep the rallies going.

But Longoria’s shots were generally more precise that Martinez’s, and that was the difference. Martinez’s efforts might keep rallies going, but too often - and even on offensive opportunities - she was just giving Longoria another opportunity to hit a winner, and Longoria doesn’t need many opportunities to hit winning shots.

Team competition

Play continues at Worlds, as they will move on to the Men’s and Women’s Team competition. Countries face off in a best of three matches: two singles matches and a doubles match. The order of the matches varies across the rounds, although the final will be singles, singles and doubles, if necessary.

If you missed any of the action, and all the finals are well worth seeing, check out the IRF YouTube channel.

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

Men's Singles

Gold Medal Final - Thursday

2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. 4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA), 11-9, 11-9, 1-11, 11-4

Consolation Final - Thursday

Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7

Women's Singles

Gold Medal Final - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 12-10

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Danielle Ramsay (Canada) d. Paula Mansilla (Chile), 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5

Men's Doubles

Gold Medal Final - Thursday

3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico), 11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile), forfeit

Women's Doubles

Gold Medal Final - Thursday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 11-3, 9-11, 15-13, 7-11, 11-7

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-6, 13-11, 11-9

Mixed Doubles

Gold Medal Final - Thursday

3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. 1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico), 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 14-12

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), forfeit

Follow the bouncing ball....

Finals previews at the 2024 IRF World Championships

The five gold medal finals today at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas are all intriguing for different reasons. We have short previews of each one.

Men’s Singles

This is a repeat of the 2016 Pan American Championships, when De La Rosa crushed Bredenbeck, helped by playing at altitude (and in his hometown of San Luis Potosi, Mexico) and that the 1 serve rule was still in effect. Also, De La Rosa was much further developed in his career than Bredenbeck then. Now, it should be a much closer contest, and Bredenbeck could pull it out. He’s only played singles, while De La Rosa has also played Mixed Doubles, so perhaps Bredenbeck will be fresher? He’ll need to take advantage of every opportunity.

Women’s singles

Paola Longoria has been the queen of women’s racquetball for most of the last two decades. Now in her mid thirties there are real threats to her crown. On the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), it’s been Montserrat Mejia and Maria Jose Vargas who have wrested the #1 spot from Longoria, but at Worlds, it’s Gabriela Martinez who has been Longoria's big rival, even defeating her once. For 4th time in 8 years they will meet again in the singles final. Perhaps Martinez can win it again, but make no mistake, Longoria will clutch on to her crown with all her might. She will not give it up easily.

Men’s doubles

It’s nice to have a doubles team with balance. A shooter - playing at the back - and a getter - playing at the front - is one classic combination. The Mexican team of Andree Parrilla and Eduardo Portillo is a team of two shooters, while the Canadian team of Samuel Murray and Coby Iwaasa has a shooter and a power player, respectively. Will that prove to be an advantage to Canada? Mexico has won the last 4 men's doubles titles, and this is the first time Canada is playing for the title since 2012, when Colombia won the title.

Women’s doubles

Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia and Argentinians Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas face off in a major final for the 2nd time in less than a year, as they met in the deciding match of the women’s team final at the 2023 Pan American Games. That was a strange match, as Argentina came out on fire, only to see Mexico come back and steal away game one. That knocked the wheels off the Argentina bus, and Mexico won the next two games, handing Argentina a crushing loss. Argentina will not want that to happen again, but Herrera and Mejia are the best women’s team around now, as evidenced by their top rankings on the LPRT.

Mixed Doubles

Some say mixed doubles is all about the gal. If so, then advantage to Mexico with Mejia versus the USA’s Holly Scott. But American De La Rosa is a better player than Mexico’s Javier Mar, and often the team with the best player wins doubles. Thus, it should be an excellent match. And while Mar isn’t as great a singles player as De La Rosa, he is an excellent doubles player. But usually both Mar and Mejia play the right side, so someone will need to cover the left side. Will that make a difference? Again, it’s a match that is finely poised.

The IRF will live stream all the final matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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Familiar finals at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation World Championships

Both the Men’s and Women’s Singles finals at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas will be throw back matches in some sense, as on the men’s side it’s an All-American final and on the women’s side the same players will face off as they have in three of the last four World Championships.

The men’s final will be between Americans Daniel De La Rosa and Jake Bredenbeck. It’s the first time since 2010 that two Americans have been in the men’s final (then it was Rocky Carson and Jack Huczek), although it was a regular occurrence before that.

In the semi-finals, De La Rosa beat Bolivian Carlos Keller, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9, while Bredenbeck defeated Mexican Eduardo Portillo, 11-8, 12-10, 14-12. Earlier in the day, it was Portillo who had the big upset, as he took out top seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, 11-7, 13-15, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, in the quarterfinals.

In women’s singles, top seed and five time World Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico will face-off with Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez, who will be playing Longoria for the fourth time in a Worlds final. Longoria has two wins and Martinez one in their previous three finals.

In the semi-finals, Longoria defeated Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas in four games, 11-9, 16-14, 9-11, 11-5, while Martinez also won in four games against Chilean Carla Muñoz, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4.

Some of the Women’s Singles quarterfinals were notable. Vargas almost didn’t make it out of the quarters, as she was two games down to American Kelani Lawrence, but came back to win in five games, 8-11, 12-14, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8. Similarly, Muñoz had to comeback from 2-1 down against Argentina’s Natalia Mendez to win in five games, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8. Finally, while Martinez beat Mexican Montserrat Mejia in three straight games, the third game was the longest of the tournament, 23-21, making the final score line, 11-3, 11-2, 23-21.

Mexico will play Canada in the Men’s Doubles final, as the top seeded Mexican team of Portillo and Andree Parrilla beat Americans Sebastian Fernandez and Adam Manilla, 11-4, 2-11, 11-7, 12-10, and Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Samuel Murray held on to defeat Bolivians Kadim Carrasco and Conrrado Moscoso, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, which was an upset as Canada was seeded 3rd and Bolivia 2nd.

Mexico is also in the Women’s Doubles final, as Mejia and Alexandra Herrera fended off a comeback by the Guatemalan team of Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez to win their semi-final match in five games, 11-2, 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-3.

Mexico will face Argentina in the final, as Mendez and Vargas beat Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Juliette Parent, 11-9, 12-10, 11-7, in the other semi-final.

Finally, the Mixed Doubles final will be Mexico versus USA, as Mejia and Javier Mar will take on De La Rosa and Hollie Scott. In the semi-finals, Mejia and Mar eked out a victory over Bolivians Angelica Barrios and Conrrado Moscoso, 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, while De La Rosa and Scott defeated Guatemalans Martinez and Edwin Galicia, 10-12, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8.

The IRF will live stream all the final matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Men's Singles - Medal Round

Quarterfinals - Wednesday

8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 11-7, 13-15, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. 5) Diego Garcia (Argentina), 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9

3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico), 8-11, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. 7) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-3, 13-11

Semi-finals - Wednesday

4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. 8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico), 11-8, 12-10, 14-12
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. 3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 11-9, 11-5, 11-9

Final - Thursday

2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) v. 4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - 10:30 AM

Consolation Quarterfinals - Wednesday

Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 11-9, 5-11, 11-9, 14-12
Namwoo Lee (Korea) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Gunhee Lee (Korea), 11-5, 11-9, 11-7
Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) d. Patrick Hanley (Ireland), 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9

Consolation Semi-finals - Wednesday

Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-8, 11-4, 11-8
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia), 11-6, 11-5, 11-4

Consolation Final - Thursday

Woody Close (Eritrea) v. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - 9 AM

Women's Singles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 9) Camila Rivero (Bolivia), 11-4, 11-9, 11-9
5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 13) Kelani Lawrence (USA), 8-11, 12-14, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8

6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 3) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico), 11-3, 11-2, 23-21
2) Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8

Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina), 11-9, 16-14, 9-11, 11-5

6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 2) Carla Muñoz (Chile), 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-4

Final - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 9:45 AM

Consolation Competition - Quarterfinals - Wednesday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-5
Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador), 11-6, 12-10, 11-6

Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 15-13, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9

Consolation - Semi-finals - Wednesday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) d. Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 4-11, 11-8
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) d. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) v. Danielle Ramsay (Canada) - 9 AM

Men's Doubles

Medal Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 4) Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA), 11-4, 2-11, 11-7, 12-10
3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 2) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8

Final - Thursday

1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) - Noon

Consolation Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) d. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-2, 11-5, 11-7
Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 11-9, 11-4, 11-7

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) v. Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - 9:45 AM

Women's Doubles

Medal Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 5) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 11-2, 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-3
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 3) Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada), 11-9, 12-10, 11-7

Final - Thursday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - 11:15 AM

Consolation Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan), 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-3
Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland), 11-5, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) v. Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) - 10:30 AM

Mixed Doubles

Medal Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 4) Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9
3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. 2) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 10-12, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8

Final - Thursday

1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) - 12:45 PM

Consolation Competition - Semi-finals - Wednesday

Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan), 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 10-12, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7

Consolation - Final - Thursday

Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) v. Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - 11:15 AM

Follow the bouncing ball....

Medal competition begins at 2024 International Racquetball Federation World Championships

The medal rounds began in all divisions at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday, and while there have been several close matches, there haven’t been many upsets.

One exception was in Women’s Singles, as 13th seed Kelani Lawrence of the USA defeated 4th seed Angelica Barrios of Bolivia, 11-6, 12-10, 3-11, 15-13, although Lawrence is ranked higher than Barrios on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), so her win isn’t really a surprise.

Next up for Lawrence will be 5th seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, who beat 12th seed Cristina Amaya of Italy, 13-11, 11-6, 11-4. The winner of that will likely play top seed and five time World Champion Paola Longoria of Mexico in the semi-finals.

Longoria will face 9th seed Camila Rivero of Bolivia, who had one of the other upsets of the day, as she came back from two games down to defeat 8th seed Maria Cespedes of the Dominican Republic, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-0.

Notable on the other side of the draw, Mexican Montserrat Mejia and Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez will face off in the quarters Wednesday, so one of them will not make the podium. On Tuesday, Mejia beat Canadian Christine Keay, 11-4, 11-8, 11-3, and Martinez defeated American Michelle Key, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2.

The Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles matches were at the quarterfinal stage on Tuesday, and all the higher seeds won in three straight games with two exceptions. In Women’s Doubles the 5th seeds Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala upset the 4th seeded American team of Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8. They’ll play the top seeds Monserrat Mejia and Alexandra Herrera of Mexico in the semis on Wednesday, as the Mexicans beat Chileans Carla Muñoz and Paula Mansilla, 11-6, 11-7, 11-2, in the quarters.

The exception to the three straight games win was in Mixed Doubles, as Guatemalans Martinez and Edwin Galicia, the 2nd seeds, went the distance and then some with the 7th seeded Canadian team of Frédérique Lambert and Samuel Murray. Guatemala won the first two games, and then Canada won the next two, and the tie-breaker went into extra points before Guatemala won it, 13-11, 11-8, 1-11, 9-11, 15-13.

Guatemala will play 3rd seeds Daniel De La Rosa and Hollie Scott of the USA in the semi-finals Wednesday, as the Americans beat Koreans Gunhee Lee and Sumin Lee, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7, on Tuesday.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Men's Singles - Medal Round

Round of 32 - Tuesday

1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
16) Trevor Webb (Canada) d. 17) Michimune Kono (Japan), 9-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4, 11-9

9) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - BYE

5) Diego Garcia (Argentina) - BYE
12) Jose Caceres (Guatemala) - BYE

13) Kurtis Cullen (Canada) - BYE
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE

3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
14) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE

11) Vineet Singh (India) - BYE
6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE

7) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - BYE
10) Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE

15) Gerson Miranda Martinez d. Shoji Mochino (Japan), 3-2, injury forfeit
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) - BYE

Round of 16 - Tuesday

1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 16) Trevor Webb (Canada), 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 14-12
8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 9) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 11-7, 11-7, 11-3

5) Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. 12) Jose Caceres (Guatemala), 11-4, 11-6, 11-0
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. 13) Kurtis Cullen (Canada), 11-8, 11-1, 11-4

3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. 14) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9
6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. 11) Vineet Singh (India), 11-4, 14-12, 11-7

7) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. 10) Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-7, 11-6, 11-6
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. 15) Gerson Miranda Martinez, 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 13-11

Quarterfinals - Wednesday

1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - 9:45 AM
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) v. 5) Diego Garcia (Argentina) - 9:45 AM

3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) v. 6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - 9:45 AM
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) v. 7) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - 9:45 AM

Consolation - Round of 32

Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) - BYE
Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), forfeit

Jaime Mansilla (Chile) - BYE
Esteban De Janon (Ecuador) - BYE

Marcel Lunsmann (Germany) - BYE
Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE

Praveen Gorthy (India) - BYE
Namwoo Lee (Korea) - BYE

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) - BYE
Gunhee Lee (Korea) - BYE

Ernesto Ruiz (Germany) - BYE
Patrick Hanley (Ireland) - BYE

Carlo Papini (Italy) - BYE
Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) - BYE

Consolation - Round of 16

Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-6, 11-7, 11-3
Jaime Mansilla (Chile) d. Esteban De Janon (Ecuador), 11-13, 11-7, 5-11, 13-11, 11-4

Johan Igor (Chile) d. Marcel Lunsmann (Germany), 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-2
Namwoo Lee (Korea) d. Praveen Gorthy (India), 11-7, 11-2, 11-6

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic), forfeit
Gunhee Lee (Korea) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 11-6, 1-11, 11-4, 11-3

Patrick Hanley (Ireland) d. Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 12-10, 12-10, 7-11, 5-11, 15-13
Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) d. Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-9, 11-2, 11-8

Consolation Quarterfinals - Wednesday

Woody Close (Eritrea) v. Jaime Mansilla (Chile) - 9 AM
Johan Igor (Chile) v. Namwoo Lee (Korea) - 9 AM

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) v. Gunhee Lee (Korea) - 9 AM
Patrick Hanley (Ireland) v. Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) - 9 AM

Women's Singles

Medal Competition - Round of 16 - Tuesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
9) Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. 8) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 13-11, 11-0

5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 12) Cristina Amaya (Italy), 13-11, 11-6, 11-4
13) Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. 4) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia), 11-6, 12-10, 3-11, 15-13

3) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 14) Christine Keay (Canada), 11-4, 11-8, 11-3
6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 11) Michelle Key (USA), 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2

7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 10) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 11-3, 11-8, 11-5
2) Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE

Quarterfinals - Wednesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) v. 9) Camila Rivero (Bolivia) - 11:15 AM
5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 13) Kelani Lawrence (USA) - 11:15 AM

3) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 11:15 AM
2) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - 11:15 AM

Consolation Competition - Round of 16 - Tuesday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) - BYE
Aisling Hickey (Ireland) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7

Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), forfeit
Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-7, 16-14, 11-2

Harumi Kajino (Japan) - BYE
Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Haeok Jeong (Korea), 11-2, 12-10, 11-6

Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 11-5, 11-2, 11-4
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) - BYE

Consolation Competition - Quarterfinals - Wednesday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) v. Aisling Hickey (Ireland) - 10:30 AM
Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador) v. Sumin Lee (Korea) - 10:30 AM

Harumi Kajino (Japan) v. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) - 10:30 AM
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) v. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) - 10:30 AM

Men's Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. 8) Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 11-9, 11-9, 11-3
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) d. 5) Gunhee Lee & Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-4, 11-5, 11-4

3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. 6) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 11-0, 11-5, 11-9
2) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 7) Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica), 11-3, 11-6, 11-9

Medal Competition - Semi-finals - Wedesday

1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 4) Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) - 2:15 PM
2) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) - 2:15 PM

Consolation Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) d. Marcel Lunsmann & Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4
Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) d. Alok Mehta & Tejas Veer (India), 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10

Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Johnny O’Keeney & Scott Young (Ireland), 11-1, 11-5, 11-9
Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Diego Pimentel & Jean Marco Pumarol (Dominican Republic), 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6

Semi-finals - Wednesday

Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) v. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) - 2:15 PM
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) v. Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - 2:15 PM

Women's Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. 8) Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile), 11-6, 11-7, 11-2
5) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 4) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott (USA), 11-8, 11-8, 11-8

3) Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) d. 6) Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 11-7, 15-13, 11-9
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. 7) Maria José Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-5, 11-7, 11-6

Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 5) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 3 PM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 3) Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) - 3 PM

Consolation Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan) - BYE
Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 4-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7

Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) - BYE
Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland) - BYE

Semi-finals - Wednesday

Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan) v. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - 3 PM
Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) v. Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland) - 3 PM

Mixed Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 8) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile), 11-7, 11-9, 11-7
4) Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 5) Valeria Centellas & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 11-4, 11-6, 11-6

3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. 6) Gunhee Lee & Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-7, 11-5, 11-7
2) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. 7) Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada), 13-11, 11-8, 1-11, 9-11, 15-13

Semi-finals - Wednesday

1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 4) Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - 4:30 PM
2) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) - 4:30 PM

Consolation Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan) - BYE
Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Patrick Hanley & Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-8, 11-6, 11-8

Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Cristina Amaya & Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-5, 11-3, 11-9
Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Semi-finals - Wednesday

Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan) v. Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) - 4:30 PM
Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - 4:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball....

Medal round draws for 2024 IRF World Championships

The draws are out for the medal round of play at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas, which will begin on Tuesday. In all divisions, players have been separated into two draws: a medal round draw and a consolation draw, based on their results in the Group Stage. The medal round begins Tuesday morning.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Monday results

Men's Singles - Medal Round

Round of 32 - Tuesday

1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
16) Trevor Webb (Canada) v. 17) Michimune Kono (Japan) - 9:45 AM

9) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
8) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - BYE

5) Diego Garcia (Argentina) - BYE
12) Jose Caceres (Guatemala) - BYE

13) Kurtis Cullen (Canada) - BYE
4) Jake Bredenbeck (USA) - BYE

3) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
14) Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE

11) Vineet Singh (India) - BYE
6) Andree Parrilla (Mexico) - BYE

7) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - BYE
10) Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) - BYE

15) Gerson Miranda Martinez v. Shoji Mochino (Japan) - 9:45 AM
2) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) - BYE

Consolation

Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) - BYE
Woody Close (Eritrea) d. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), forfeit

Jaime Mansilla (Chile) - BYE
Esteban De Janon (Ecuador) - BYE

Marcel Lunsmann (Germany) - BYE
Johan Igor (Chile) - BYE

Praveen Gorthy (India) - BYE
Namwoo Lee (Korea) - BYE

Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) - BYE
Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) - BYE
Gunhee Lee (Korea) - BYE

Ernesto Ruiz (Germany) - BYE
Patrick Hanley (Ireland) - BYE

Carlo Papini (Italy) - BYE
Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) - BYE

Women's Singles

Medal Competition - Round of 16 - Tuesday

1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
8) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) v. 9) Camila Rivero (Bolivia) - 11:15 AM

5) Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 12) Cristina Amaya (Italy) - 11:15 AM
4) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) v. 13) Kelani Lawrence (USA) - 11:15 AM

3) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 14) Christine Keay (Canada) - 10:30
6) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 11) Michelle Key (USA) - 10:30

7) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) v. 10) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - 10:30 AM

2) Carla Muñoz (Chile) - BYE

Consolation Competition - Tuesday

Paula Mansilla (Chile) - BYE
Aisling Hickey (Ireland) v. Majella Haverty (Ireland) - 9 AM

Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador)
Sumin Lee (Korea) v. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica) - 9 AM

Harumi Kajino (Japan) - BYE
Haeok Jeong (Korea) v. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica)

Ayako Hanashi (Japan) v. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala)
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) - BYE

Men's Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) v. 8) Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) - 2:15 PM
4) Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) v. 5) Gunhee Lee & Namwoo Lee (Korea) - 2:15 PM

3) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 6) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - 2:15 PM
2) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 7) Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - 2:15 PM

Consolation Competition - Tuesday

Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) v. Marcel Lunsmann & Ernesto Ruiz (Germany) - 3 PM
Alok Mehta & Tejas Veer (India) v. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) - 3 PM

Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) v. Johnny O’Keeney & Scott Young (Ireland) - 3 PM
Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) v. Diego Pimentel & Jean Marco Pumarol (Dominican Republic) - 3 PM

Women's Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) v. 8) Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile) - 1:30 PM
4) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott (USA) v. 5) Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - 1:30 PM

3) Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) v. 6) Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - 1:30 PM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) v. 7) Maria José Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) - 1:30 PM

Consolation Competition - Tuesday

Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan) - BYE
Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) v. Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica) - 1:30 PM

Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) - BYE
Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland) - BYE

Mixed Doubles

Medal Competition - Quarterfinals - Tuesday

1) Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) v. 8) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile) - 4:30 PM
4) Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) v. 5) Valeria Centellas & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) - 4:30 PM

3) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) v. 6) Gunhee Lee & Sumin Lee (Korea) - 4:30 PM
2) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) v. 7) Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada) - 4:30 PM

Consolation Competition - Tuesday

Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan) - BYE
Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) v. Patrick Hanley & Aisling Hickey (Ireland) - 3:45 PM

Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) v. Cristina Amaya & Carlo Papini (Italy) - 3:45 PM
Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....

Last group stage matches at the 2024 International Racquetball Federation World Championships

Group play wrapped up Monday at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas with the last round of matches with the medal round to begin on Tuesday. There were a few surprises Monday.

Carla Muñoz of Chile was perhaps the biggest surprise winner Monday, as she defeated the USA’s Kelani Lawrence in five games, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-14, 11-9, and will claim the 2nd seed in the Women’s Singles medal round draw.

Bolivian Angelica Barrios’s win over the USA’s Michelle Key, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, was an upset on paper, but not a surprising one, as Barrios is higher ranked on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, and was the Pan American Champion in 2022.

Also, Argentina’s Diego Garcia upset Costa Rican Andres Acuña, 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, to win Group 5 in Men’s Singles.

In Women’s Doubles, Canadians Frédérique Lambert and Juliette Parent upset Guatemalans Maria Renee Rodriguez and Gabriela Martinez - last year’s Pan American Games gold medalists, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6, to win Group 4. But then Martinez and Edwin Galicia beat Lambert and Samuel Murray in Mixed Doubles, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6, to win Group 2.

Finally in Mixed Doubles, the USA team of Daniel De La Rosa and Hollie Scott came back from two games down to defeat Argentina’s Valeria Centellas and Gerson Miranda Martinez, 6-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9, and win Group 4.

The medal round begins Tuesday morning with the top 16 players in singles are into the gold medal round with the rest in a consolation bracket. All of the doubles teams are into the gold medal round.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Monday results

Men's Singles

Group 1

Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-3, 11-2, 11-6
Shoji Mochino (Japan) - BYE

Group 2

Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. Michimune Kono (Japan), 11-3, 11-7, 11-1
Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia) d. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8

Group 3

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 12-10, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8
Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic) d. Woody Close (Eritrea), 11-9, 11-4, 12-10

Group 4

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Trevor Webb (Canada), 11-6, 11-4, 11-9
Namwoo Lee (Korea) d. Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-5, 11-6, 11-5

Group 5

Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Andres Acuña (Costa Rica), 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
Marcel Lunsmann (Germany) d. Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic), 10-12, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8

Group 6

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. Kurtis Cullen (Canada), 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-8
Gunhee Lee (Korea) d. Praveen Gorthy (India), 12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6

Group 7

Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Jose Caceres (Guatemala), 11-4, 11-8, 11-9
Ernesto Ruiz (Germany) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9

Group 8

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Esteban De Janon (Ecuador), 11-4, 11-7, 11-7
Johnny O’keeney (Ireland) d. Vineet Singh (India), 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10

Group 9

Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-9, 5-11, 9-11, 16-14, 11-8
Jaime Mansilla (Chile) d. Patrick Hanley (Ireland), 11-7, 11-9, 11-8

Women's Singles

Group 1

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Christine Keay (Canada), 11-0, 11-4, 11-9
Paula Mansilla (Chile) - BYE

Group 2

Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Kelani Lawrence (USA), 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-14, 11-9
Danielle Ramsay (Canada) d. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-5, 11-4, 11-8

Group 3

Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-3, 11-5, 11-5
Cristina Amaya (Italy) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-1

Group 4

Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Michelle Key (USA), 11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9
Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-7, 16-14

Group 5

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador), 11-5, 11-8, 11-5
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 12-10, 11-6, 11-2

Group 6

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Camila Rivero (Bolivia), 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
Haeok Jeong (Korea) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 11-3, 11-8, 11-3

Group 7

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 12-10, 10-12, 11-6, 11-3
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 14-12, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8

Men's Doubles

Group 1

Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile), 11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9
Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Marcel Lunsmann & Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-9, 11-8, 11-3

Group 2

Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica), 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-2
Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Diego Pimentel & Jean Marco Pumarol (Dominican Republic), 11-6, 11-6, 11-5

Group 3

Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador), 10-12, 9-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4
Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan) d. Johnny O’Keeney & Scott Young (Ireland), 11-5, 11-4, 11-8

Group 4

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-4, 11-2, 11-6
Gunhee Lee & Namwoo Lee (Korea) d. Alok Mehta & Tejas Veer (India), 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7

Women's Doubles

Group 1

Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile), 11-4, 11-8, 11-1
Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan) - BYE

Group 2

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Maria José Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-9, 11-9, 11-7
Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland) - BYE

Group 3

Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott (USA) d. Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia), 7-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-7
Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea) - BYE

Group 4

Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6
Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-8, 11-4, 11-8

Mixed Doubles

Group 1

Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile), 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7
Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan) - BYE

Group 2

Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada), 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6
Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - BYE

Group 3

Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 11-2
Gunhee Lee & Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Cristina Amaya & Carlo Papini (Italy), 8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6

Group 4

Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. Valeria Centellas & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 6-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9
Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica) d. Patrick Hanley & Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-7, 11-6, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball....

Day 2 at 2024 International Racquetball Federation World Championships

Play continued Sunday at the 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas with the second day of the group stage.

Ayako Hanashi of Japan almost caused a huge upset in Women’s Singles, as she came back from two games down to Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas to force a tie-breaking fifth game before losing, 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8.

Also in Women’s Singles, Maria Cespedes of the Dominican Republic defeated Guatemala’s Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 10-12, 11-7, which could be considered an upset, as Rodriguez is a regular on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, while Cespedes is not.

In Men’s Singles, Chilean team-mates Johan Igor and Jaime Masilla almost had upsets of their own. But in the end both lost in five games. Igor won the first two games against Gabriel Garcia of Costa Rica only to see the Costa Rican come back and win it in five games, 5-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6. Mansilla, on the other hand, was fought back to force a fifth game with Ecuador veteran Jose Daniel Ugalde before losing, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4.

Play will continue Monday with the final round of group stage matches, which will pit the top seeds in the groups against each. That should make for some exciting racquetball, and perhaps some upsets.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Sunday results

Men's Singles

Group 1

Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Shoji Mochino (Japan), 11-0, 11-3, 11-9
Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia) - BYE

Group 2

Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia), 11-7, 11-2, 11-1
Michimune Kono (Japan) d. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), 11-3, 11-6, 12-10

Group 3

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4
Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Woody Close (Eritrea), 11-1, 11-5, 11-9

Group 4

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-6, 11-3, 11-4
Trevor Webb (Canada) d. Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-2, 11-4, 11-0

Group 5

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic), 11-4, 11-4, 11-8
Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Marcel Lunsmann (Germany), 11-8, 11-5, 11-3

Group 6

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. Gunhee Lee (Korea), 11-4, 11-5, 11-3
Kurtis Cullen (Canada) d. Praveen Gorthy (India), 11-3, 11-5, 11-5

Group 7

Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 5-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6
Jose Caceres (Guatemala) d. Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-3, 14-12, 8-11, 11-7

Group 8

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 11-6, 11-8, 11-9
Vineet Singh (India) d. Esteban De Janon (Ecuador), 11-8, 13-11, 13-11

Group 9

Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4
Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Patrick Hanley (Ireland), 11-4, 11-1, 11-5

Women's Singles

Group 1

Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. Paula Mansilla (Chile), 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
Christine Keay (Canada) - BYE

Group 2

Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. Danielle Ramsay (Canada), 11-7, 11-5, 14-12
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5

Group 3

Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Harumi Kajino (Japan), 11-2, 11-5, 11-1
Cristina Amaya (Italy) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-4, 11-7, 11-5

Group 4

Michelle Key (USA) d. Sumin Lee (Korea), 6-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5
Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-5, 11-5, 11-3

Group 5

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-8
Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) d. Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador), 11-4, 11-8, 11-2

Group 6

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Haeok Jeong (Korea), 11-6, 11-0, 11-1
Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 11-4, 11-5, 11-7

Group 7

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-6, 11-4, 11-7
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) d. Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 10-12, 11-7

Men's Doubles

Group 1

Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 11-9, 11-7, 11-9
Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile) d. Marcel Lunsmann & Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-2, 11-9, 11-9

Group 2

Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-5, 9-11, 14-12, 12-10
Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Diego Pimentel & Jean Marco Pumarol (Dominican Republic), 11-6, 11-9, 11-6

Group 3

Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 11-9, 11-4, 11-5
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Johnny O’Keeney & Scott Young (Ireland), 11-2, 11-5, 11-6

Group 4

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Alok Mehta & Tejas Veer (India), 11-3, 11-3, 11-3
Gunhee Lee & Namwoo Lee (Korea) d. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-7, 11-9, 12-10

Women's Doubles

Group 1

Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) d. Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan), 11-5, 11-0, 11-3
Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile) - BYE

Group 2

Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland), 11-3, 11-8, 11-6
Maria José Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) - BYE

Group 3

Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott (USA) d. Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-3, 11-5, 11-1
Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE

Group 4

Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 11-5, 11-4, 6-11, 14-12
Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) d. Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-6, 13-11, 11-5

Mixed Doubles

Group 1

Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan), 11-4, 11-9, 11-2
Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile) - BYE

Group 2

Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) - BYE

Group 3

Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Gunhee Lee & Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Cristina Amaya & Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-5, 11-9, 11-6

Group 4

Valeria Centellas & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Patrick Hanley & Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball....

2024 IRF World Championships are underway!

The 22nd International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships kicked off Saturday in San Antonio, Texas, where 19 countries are represented. These World Championships are also the qualifying event for the 2025 World Games, which will be held in Chengdu, China next August.

As in the past, Worlds has a group stage of matches with three or four players in each group playing a three day round robin competition with the results used for the seedings for the medal round that will begin on Tuesday.

No big surprises so far, as the higher seeds in the group play the lower seeds on the first two days. But there have been some tie-breakers, including Canadian Danielle Ramsay coming back from two games down against Chilean Carla Muñoz to force a breaker that the Chilean won, making the final score line: 11-8, 11-8, 15-17, 8-11, 11-8.

Also in Women’s Singles, Natalia Mendez of Argentina needed five games to get past Maria Cespedes of the Dominican Republic, 3-11, 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 11-3, and Japan’s Harumi Kajino was forced to a breaker by Ecuador’s Ana Lucia Sarmiento, 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-6.

2025 World Games Qualifying

The 2025 World Games will include a Mixed Doubles division for the first time. Previously, World Games competitions only had singles competitions. Four countries from Asia (including China as the host country), four from Europe and eight from the Americas will qualify for Chengdu based on standings in the overall team standings at Worlds this year.

Thus, the World Games competitions will have 16 players in the men’s and women’s singles draws and 8 teams in the mixed doubles draw. Also World Games qualifying is attached to the country, not the players, as it has been in the past. Thus, a player who is in the singles draw (or the mixed doubles draw) in San Antonio need not be the player a country selects to send to Chengdu next year.

The IRF is live streaming some of the matches from San Antonio via their YouTube channel.

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

Men's Singles
Group 1

Shoji Mochino (Japan) d. Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 12-10, 11-1, 11-9
Conrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE

Group 2

Daniel De La Rosa (USA) d. Allan Kristensen (Denmark), 11-7, 11-5, 11-0
Michimune Kono (Japan) d. Mario Andrés Huyke Granados (Colombia), 11-9, 11-3, 12-10

Group 3

Carlos Keller (Bolivia) d. Woody Close (Eritrea), 11-8, 11-6, 11-3
Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Ramon De Leon (Dominican Republic), 15-13, 11-9, 11-4

Group 4

Jake Bredenbeck (USA) d. Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-2, 11-2, 11-1
Trevor Webb (Canada) d. Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4

Group 5

Andres Acuña (Costa Rica) d. Marcel Lunsmann (Germany), 11-1, 11-2, 11-6
Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. Diego Pimentel (Dominican Republic), 11-3, 11-5, 11-3

Group 6

Andree Parrilla (Mexico) d. Praveen Gorthy (India), 11-1, 11-4, 11-3
Kurtis Cullen (Canada) d. Gunhee Lee (Korea), 11-3, 12-10, 11-4

Group 7

Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-9, 11-7, 11-8
Jose Caceres (Guatemala) d. Johan Igor (Chile), 11-6 11-4, 11-9

Group 8

Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Vineet Singh (India), 11-6, 11-3, 11-5
Esteban De Janon (Ecuador) d. Johnny O’keeney (Ireland), 11-8, 11-6, 11-8

Group 9

Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Patrick Hanley (Ireland), 11-8, 11-6, 11-1
Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala) d. Jaime Mansilla (Chile), 11-6, 11-8, 11-4

Women's Singles

Group 1

Christine Keay (Canada) d. Paula Mansilla (Chile), 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6
Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE

Group 2

Kelani Lawrence (USA) d. Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-3, 11-4, 11-3
Carla Muñoz (Chile) d. Danielle Ramsay (Canada), 11-8, 11-8, 15-17, 8-11, 11-8

Group 3

Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. Cristina Amaya (Italy), 11-8, 11-5, 11-7
Harumi Kajino (Japan) d. Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-6

Group 4

Michelle Key (USA) d. Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-7, 11-3, 11-5

Group 5

Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) d. Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 11-9, 11-9, 11-4
Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador) d. Ayako Hanashi (Japan), 11-5, 11-9, 11-7

Group 6

Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Majella Haverty (Ireland), 11-2, 11-1, 11-3
Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. Haeok Jeong (Korea), 11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-2

Group 7

Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic), 3-11, 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 11-3
Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 12-10, 11-8, 11-8

Men's Doubles

Group 1

Andree Parrilla & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) d. Marcel Lunsmann & Ernesto Ruiz (Germany), 11-9, 11-9, 11-6
Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Johan Igor & Alan Natera (Chile), 11-3, 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7

Group 2

Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Diego Pimentel & Jean Marco Pumarol (Dominican Republic), 11-3, 11-6, 11-6
Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) d. Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (Guatemala), 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8

Group 3

Sebastian Fernandez & Adam Manilla (USA) d. Johnny O’Keeney & Scott Young (Ireland), 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. Yuki Nakano & Hiroshi Shimizu (Japan), 11-6, 11-7, 11-8

Group 4

Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) d. Gunhee Lee & Namwoo Lee (Korea), 11-2, 11-1, 11-7
Alok Mehta & Tejas Veer (India) d. Mario Andrés Huyke & Orlando Josué Huyke (Colombia), 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 11-3

Women's Doubles

Group 1

Carla Muñoz & Paula Mansilla (Chile) d. Ayako Hanashi & Saki Kokido (Japan), 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5
Monserrat Mejia & Alexandra Herrera (Mexico) - BYE

Group 2

Maria José Muñoz & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador) d. Elaine Murphy & Antonia Neary (Ireland), 11-9, 11-7, 11-7
Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas (Argentina) - BYE

Group 3

Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) d. Haeok Jeong & Sumin Lee (Korea), 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-2
Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott (USA) - BYE

Group 4

Maria Renee Rodriguez & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Larissa Faeth & Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica), 11-3, 11-4, 11-8
Frédérique Lambert & Juliette Parent (Canada) d. Maria Cespedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 10-12, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7

Mixed Doubles

Group 1

Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile) d. Saki Kokido & Yuki Nakano (Japan), 11-9, 11-4, 11-5
Javier Mar & Monserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE

Group 2

Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala) d. Ramon De Leon & Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic), 12-10, 11-5, 11-3
Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE

Group 3

Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. Cristina Amaya & Carlo Papini (Italy), 11-4, 11-4, 11-3
Gunhee Lee & Sumin Lee (Korea) d. Juan Francisco Cueva & Ana Lucia Sarmiento (Ecuador), 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6

Group 4

Valeria Centellas & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina) d. Andrés Acuña & Larissa Faeth (Costa Rica), 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7
Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott (USA) d. Patrick Hanley & Aisling Hickey (Ireland), 11-6, 11-8, 11-7

Follow the bouncing ball....

Martinez wins singles, Laime & Mejia doubles in Denver

Gabriela Martinez won the 2024 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open in Denver, Colorado, the first LPRT event of the 2024-25 season. She defeated LPRT #2 Paola Longoria in the final, 3-15, 15-6, 11-10. The win is her third LPRT victory and first since the Sweet Caroline Open in May 2023. Remarkably, Martinez hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals in either of the last two seasons aside from that victory.

The final went to a breaker after Martinez and Longoria split the first two games each winning by a lopsided score. Game three was close all the way. Longoria opened with a 3-0 lead, with Martinez getting the next six points to lead 6-3.

She held that lead until Longoria tied it at 9-9 with a drive serve ace to the right side. Longoria followed that up with another drive serve ace - this time to the left side that cracked out just past the short line - that made it 10-9: match point.

Longoria drove serve again, but hit it short. Her lob serve to left side began a long rally that Martinez ended on the 15th shot with a forehand cross court winner. Martinez then hit another winner - a forehand wide angle pass - to put herself on match point at 10-10. Martinez hit a drive serve to the right side, and Longoria skipped her return shot, giving Martinez the win.

In the match Martinez - a right hand player - hit many backhand drive serves to the left side: Longoria’s backhand with some success.

This final may be a preview of what we’ll see at the 2024 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships taking place at the end of August in San Antonio, Texas, as Martinez and Longoria have met in the Women’s Singles final at three of the last four World Championships with Martinez winning once and Longoria twice. Longoria has won Women's Singles at Worlds five of the last six times with Martinez's win the only exception in that period.

Doubles

Brenda Laime and Montserrat Mejia won the LPRT doubles title in Denver by defeating Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas in the final, 14-15, 15-6, 11-3. Mejia usually plays with Alexandra Herrera, but Herrera wasn’t in Denver due to injury, so she partnered with Laime, and played on the right side, as she does with the left handed Herrera, although Laime is right handed.

As for the other team, Vargas played the left side and Mendez the right. Over several years of playing together, Vargas and Mendez have varied which of them plays which side, but Vargas left and Mendez right is what they played this weekend.

They were back and forth throughout game one. When Mendez and Vargas took four point lead at 13-9, it looked like they would close it out. Instead, Laime and Mejia actually had game point first getting five straight points to make it 14-13.

A Mendez forehand pinch shot fought off that game point, and she tied it at 14-14 with a backhand shot up the right side. Vargas finished off the game on the next rally by hitting a forehand cross court shot from the front court.

Mendez and Vargas won the first two points of game two, but Laime and Mejia got the next eight to lead 8-3, and they never trailed after that, as they went on to win games two and three fairly convincingly. Mejia did a lot of the heavy lifting in those games, but Laime did her fair share, including the last two points with the winner being a backhand from deep on the left side.

In the semi-finals earlier on Saturday, Laime and Mejia beat Kelani Lawrence and Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-8, while Mendez and Vargas needed to come back from a game down to defeat Longoria and Samantha Salas, 7-15, 15-10, 11-3.

The next LPRT event is the Chicago Turkey Shoot, November 22-24, in Lombard, Illinois, but they’ll also be playing outdoors next month at the 3WallBall World Championships in Las Vegas, September 24-29. If you missed any of the action from Denver, check out the matches via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2024 LPRT Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open
Denver, Colorado - August 1-3, 2024

Singles Final - Saturday

9) Gabriela Martinez d. 2) Paola Longoria, 3-15, 15-6, 11-10

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia d. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-8
3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas, 7-15, 15-10, 11-3

Doubles - Final - Saturday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia d. 3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas, 14-15, 15-6, 11-3

Follow the bouncing ball….

Martinez & Longoria in Denver LPRT final

Gabriela Martinez posted two upsets Friday to reach the final of the 2024 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open in Denver, Colorado. The first upset was the largest, as she took out LPRT #1 Maria Jose Vargas in two straight games, 15-7, 15-6, in the quarterfinals. Then in the semi-finals, Martinez eked out a tie-breaker win over LPRT #4 Brenda Laime, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7.

Martinez, the 9th seed, will face LPRT #2 Paola Longoria in the final on Saturday. Longoria advanced to the final with a win over 10th seed Samantha Salas, 15-4, 14-15, 11-8, in the quarters, and then a straight game defeat of LPRT #3 Montserrat Mejia, 15-8, 15-14.

Martinez and Longoria have met in the Women’s Singles final at three of the last four International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships (Martinez winning once and Longoria twice), and the 2024 IRF World Championships are coming up at the end of the month in San Antonio, Texas. Could Saturday’s final be a preview of another Worlds final?

In the doubles quarterfinals, 5th seeds Kelani Lawrence and Jessica Parrilla upset 4th seeds Michelle Key and Carla Muñoz, 15-8, 8-15, 11-5, and in the semi-finals will face top seeds Brenda Laime and Mejia, who needed a full three games in defeating 8th seeds Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas, 14-15, 15-13, 11-4.

The other doubles semi-final will be between 2nd seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas and 3rd seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas. Longoria and Salas beat 7th seeds Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-7, 15-8, while Mendez and Vargas need three games to see off Cristina Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme, 13-15, 15-5, 11-0.

The doubles semi-finals will be Saturday morning at 10 and 11 AM. The singles final will be Saturday at 3 PM followed by the doubles final at 5 PM. All times mountain. You can watch the action live from Denver via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2024 LPRT Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open
Denver, Colorado - August 1-3, 2024

Singles Quarterfinals - Friday

9) Gabriela Martinez d. 1) Maria José Vargas, 15-7, 15-6
4) Brenda Laime d. 5) Kelani Lawrence, 15-5, 15-3

3) Montserrat Mejia d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 12-15, 15-11, 11-6
2) Paola Longoria d. 10) Samantha Salas, 15-4, 14-15, 11-8

Singles Semi-finals - Friday

9) Gabriela Martinez d. 4) Brenda Laime, 12-15, 15-14, 11-7
2) Paola Longoria d. 3) Montserrat Mejia, 15-8, 15-14

Singles Final - Saturday

2) Paola Longoria v. 9) Gabriela Martinez - 3 PM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas d. 9) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez & Lexi York, 15-10, 15-0

5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - BYE

7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia d. 8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas, 14-15, 15-13, 11-4
5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla d. 4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz, 15-8, 8-15, 11-5

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 13-15, 15-5, 11-0
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-7, 15-8

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - 11 AM
3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - 10 AM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Vargas needs 3 games to defeat Key in Denver

A couple of small upsets in the Round of 16 Friday at the 2024 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open in Denver, Colorado, but perhaps the biggest surprise is the upset that didn’t happen, as 16th seed Michelle Key took LPRT #1 Maria Jose Vargas to a tie-breaker, before the top seed prevailed, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2.

In the other tie-breaker of the 16s, 10th seed Samantha Salas came back to upset 7th seed Cristina Amaya, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3, in a battle of two LPRT veterans. The other upset was in the 8/9 match, as 9th seed Gabriela Martinez beat 8th seed Carla Muñoz, 15-4, 15-7. Martinez will play Vargas in the quarters, while Salas will take on her doubles partner, Paola Longoria, as the 2nd seed defeated 15th seed Angelica Barrios, 15-9, 15-12.

Also on Friday, 3rd seed Montserrat Mejia beat 14th seed Stephanie Synhorst, 15-2, 15-0, and in the quarters will play 6th seed Natalia Mendez, who defeated 11th seed Jessica Parrilla, 15-6, 15-14, in the Round of 16.

Finally, 4th seed Brenda Laime saw off 20th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-2, 15-3, and will play 5th seed Kelani Lawrence, who won the closest two game match of the 16s, when she defeated 12th seed Lexi York, 15-13, 15-11.

The singles quarterfinals will be Friday morning at 10 and 11 AM with the doubles competition to begin at noon. The singles semi-finals will be Friday afternoon at 4 and 5 PM followed by the doubles quarters Friday evening at 6 and 7 PM. The finals will be on Saturday at 3 PM for singles and 5 PM for doubles. All times mountain. You can watch the action live from Denver via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2024 LPRT Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open
Denver, Colorado - August 1-3, 2024

Singles Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Maria José Vargas d. 16) Michelle Key, 12-15, 15-10, 11-2
9) Gabriela Martinez d. 8) Carla Muñoz, 15-4, 15-7

5) Kelani Lawrence d. 12) Lexi York, 15-13, 15-11
4) Brenda Laime d. 20) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-2, 15-3

3) Montserrat Mejia d. 14) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-2, 15-0
6) Natalia Mendez d. 11) Jessica Parrilla, 15-6, 15-14

10) Samantha Salas d. 7) Cristina Amaya, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3
2) Paola Longoria d. 15) Angelica Barrios, 15-9, 15-12

Singles Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Maria José Vargas v. 9) Gabriela Martinez - 11 AM
4) Brenda Laime v. 5) Kelani Lawrence - 11 AM

3) Montserrat Mejia v. 6) Natalia Mendez - 10 AM
2) Paola Longoria v. 10) Samantha Salas - 10 AM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas v. 9) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez & Lexi York - Noon

5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - BYE

7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia v. 8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas or 9) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez & Lexi York - 7 PM
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz v. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - 6 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

LPRT kicks off the 2024-25 season in Denver

2024-25 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) begins today in Denver, Colorado, with the 2024 LPRT Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open. Sixteen of the top 20 players will be in action this weekend, including LPRT #1 Maria Jose Vargas, #2 Montserrat Mejia and #3 Paola Longoria.

There haven’t been any real surprises so far, and all the Round of 32 matches were won in two straight games. In some of the notable matches, Michelle Key defeated Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 15-8. Lexi York beat veteran Nancy Enriquez, 15-13, 15-3, and Jessica Parrilla defeated Valeria Centellas, 15-2, 15-13, in a battle of two former top 10 players.

There are a couple of interesting teams in doubles, as Mejia’s usual partner Alexandra Herrera is not in Denver, so she has teamed up with Brenda Laime, and they are the top seeds, and will likely face 8th seeds Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas in the quarterfinals, although Barrios and Centellas need to beat 9th seeds Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez and Lexi York in the first round to make that happen.

The highlight of the doubles quarters could be 2nd seeds Paola Longoria and Samantha Salas - the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champions versus 7th seeds Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, the current Pan American Games Champions. The winner of that will face the winner of 3rd seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas versus 6th seeds Cristina Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme, in the semi-finals.

The other doubles quarterfinal is 4th seeds Michelle Key and Carla Muñoz versus 5th seeds Kelani Lawrence and Jessica Parrilla, which should also be an interesting match.

One notable absence in the draw is Erika Manilla, who is from the Denver area and listed as one of the Event Directors. Manilla missed the second half of last season after having hip surgery, which she apparently hasn’t recovered from yet.

Play continues Thursday afternoon with the singles Round of 16. The quarterfinals will be Friday morning at 10 and 11 AM with the doubles competition to begin at noon. The Singles semi-finals will be Friday afternoon at 4 and 5 PM followed by the doubles quarterfinals Friday evening at 6 and 7 PM. The finals will be on Saturday at 3 PM for singles and 5 PM for doubles. All times mountain. You can watch the action live from Denver via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2024 LPRT Frontline Family Foundation Mile High Open
Denver, Colorado - August 1-3, 2024

Singles Round of 32 - Thursday

1) Maria José Vargas - BYE
16) Michelle Key d. 17) Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 15-8

9) Gabriela Martinez d. 24) Annie Sanchez-Roberts, 15-3, 15-12
8) Carla Muñoz d. 25) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez, 15-4, 15-4

5) Kelani Lawrence - BYE
12) Lexi York d. 21) Nancy Enriquez, 15-13, 15-3

20) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 13) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-4, 15-1
4) Brenda Laime - BYE

3) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
14) Stephanie Synhorst d. 19) Khyathi Velpuri, 15-4, 15-2

11) Jessica Parrilla d. 22) Valeria Centellas, 15-2, 15-13
6) Natalia Mendez - BYE

7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Samantha Salas d. 23) Susana Acosta, 15-2, 15-6

15) Angelica Barrios d. 18) Chanis Leon, 15-6, 15-10
2) Paola Longoria - BYE

Singles Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Maria José Vargas v. 16) Michelle Key - 5 PM
8) Carla Muñoz v. 9) Gabriela Martinez - 5 PM

5) Kelani Lawrence v. 12) Lexi York - 3 PM
4) Brenda Laime v. 20) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 3 PM

3) Montserrat Mejia d. 14) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-2, 15-0
6) Natalia Mendez v. 11) Jessica Parrilla - 4 PM

7) Cristina Amaya v. 10) Samantha Salas - 4 PM
2) Paola Longoria v. 15) Angelica Barrios - 4 PM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas v. 9) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez & Lexi York - Noon

5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - BYE

7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Brenda Laime & Montserrat Mejia v. 8) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas or 9) Andrea Gabriela Reyes Perez & Lexi York - 7 PM
4) Michelle Key & Carla Muñoz v. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM

3) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. 6) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - 6 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 7) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….