LPRT at 2018 UnitedHealthcare US Open - Round of 64

Play has begun in both singles and doubles Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) divisions at the 2018 UnitedHeathcare US Open Racquetball Championships in Minneapolis. In the singles qualifying, Denisse Maldonado and Daniela Rico played the only tie-breaker match with Maldonado coming back from 0-2 to win in five games, 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-6.

Two other qualifying matches went four games with the loser of the first game winning both times. Anna Rivera defeated Jennifer Dering, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1, and Angelica Barrios beat Maricruz Ortiz, 6-11, 11-5, 11-0, 11-8.

One of the big matches of the day saw Nancy Enriquez and Yazmine Sabja defeat Erika Manilla and Aimee Ruiz, 15-12, 10-15, 11-5, in what was a battle of a current Women's Doubles World Champion in Sabja versus a 3 time Women's Doubles World Champion in Ruiz. Manilla and Ruiz had a big lead in game one, at 12-5, but got stuck at 12, as Enriquez and Sabja worked their way back into the game, tying it at 12-12, and then going on and winning 15-12.

In game two, again Manilla and Ruiz took the mid-game lead at 11-6, and this time were able to finish it out, 15-10. Part of what was working for them was Manilla hitting jam serves to the left at that went around to Enriquez on the right, who had trouble with them. Thus, Enriquez and Sabja switched sides for game three.

The strategy worked. Manilla and Ruiz each hit a winner to start the game and lead 2-0, but then Enriquez hit a great backhand return off a Ruiz lob serve down the left side to get the serve. Enriquez and Sabja then scored three points to lead 3-2 before losing serve.

Ruiz hit an drive serve ace to make it 3-3, but then Manilla was hit by the ball as she tried to let it go to the back wall - half down. An Enriquez winner put her and Sajba back in the service box, and they took a 6-3 after three skips by their opponents. It was a lead they would not relinquish, as they went on to win 11-5.

Sabja got set up match point with an ace drive serve Z, and they won it after Manilla failed to play a ball at the right wall that came off a high pinch out of the front left corner.

Enriquez and Sabja followed up their win over Manilla and Ruiz with a straight game victory against Michelle De La Rosa and Carla Muñoz Wednesday night, winning 15-10, 15-10. The win puts Enriquez and Sabja into the quarterfinals against 4th seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas.

Tie breakers seemed to be the order of the day in LPRT doubles, as two other matches went breaker and 11-10 breaker at that. In a lefty-righty versus lefty-right battle the older team won, as veteran lefty Susana Acosta and Kelani Lawrence (née Bailey) squeaked out a win over the young team of Ana Laura Flores and Brenda Laime, 15-13, 2-15, 11-10. Then in a battle of four young players Daniela Molina and Masiel Rivera narrowly defeated Erin Groves and Montserrat Perez, 8-15, 15-8, 11-10.

The LPRT will have its own streaming from Minneapolis for the first time. Check out the LPRT Live link on their website.

2018 UnitedHealthcare US Open
Minneapolis, Minnesota - October 3-7, 2018

LPRT Singles - Qualifying Round - Wednesday

Q1 - Anna Rivera d. Jennifer Dering, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1
Q8 - Erika Manilla d. Laura Brandt, 11-0, 11-6, 11-1

Q5 - Michelle De La Rosa d. Linda Tyler, 11-9, 11-4, 11-2
Q4 - Angelica Barrios d. Maricruz Ortiz, 6-11, 11-5, 11-0, 11-8

Q3 - Denisse Maldonado d. Daniela Rico, 7-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-6
Q6 - Kelani Lawrence d. Youngock Lee, 11-2, 11-0, 11-1

Q7 - Hollie Scott d. Michèle Morissette, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4
Q2 - Jenny Daza d. Maiko Sato, 11-3, 11-1, 11-4

Round of 32 - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria v. Erika Manilla - 12:20 PM
16) Cassi Lee v. 17) Montserrat Mejia - 12:20 PM

9) Cristina Amaya v. 24) Cecilia Pratt - 12:20 PM
8) Natalia Mendez v. Anna Rivera - 12:20 PM

5) Nancy Enriquez v. Angelica Barrios - 9 AM
12) Gabriela Martinez v. 21) Erin Groves - 9 AM

13) Sheryl Lotts v. 20) Brenda Laime - 9 AM
4) Alexandra Herrera v. Michelle De La Rosa - 9 AM

3) Samantha Salas v. Kelani Lawrence - 10 AM
14) Adrienne Haynes v. 19) Montserrat Perez - 10 AM

11) Adriana Riveros v. 22) Masiel Rivera - 10 AM
6) Rhonda Rajsich v. Denisse Maldonado - 10 AM

7) Maria Jose Vargas v. Jenny Daza - 11:10 AM
10) Carla Muñoz v. 23) Yazmine Sabja - 11:10 AM

15) Susana Acosta v. 18) Ana Laura Flores - 11:10 AM
2) Frédérique Lambert v. Hollie Scott - 11:10 AM

LPRT Doubles - Qualifying - Wednesday

First round

Nancy Enriquez & Yazmine Sabja d. Erika Manilla & Aimee Ruiz, 15-12, 10-15, 11-5
Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza d. Cassi Lee & Donna Ryder, 15-6, 15-2

Second round - Wednesday

Q1 - Nancy Enriquez & Yazmine Sabja d. Michelle De La Rosa & Carla Muñoz, 15-10, 15-10
Q4 - Susana Acosta & Kelani Lawrence d. Ana Laura Flores & Brenda Laime, 15-13, 2-15, 11-10

Q3 - Daniela Molina & Masiel Rivera d. Erin Groves & Montserrat Perez, 8-15, 15-8, 11-10
Q2 - Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza d. Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-13, 15-10

Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. Susana Acosta & Kelani Lawrence - 8:30 PM
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas v. Nancy Enriquez & Yazmine Sabja - 7:20 PM

3) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza - 7:20 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. Daniela Molina & Masiel Rivera - 8:30 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….