2020 LPRT Boston Open Preview

After more than a month off, the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is back in action with the 2020 Boston Open in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Sixteen of the top 18 players are competing, led by the LPRT #1 Paola Longoria and #2 Maria Jose Vargas. Longoria and Vargas have faced off in 6 of the 7 finals this season with Longoria winning five times and Vargas once. It will be no surprise if they do so again on Sunday.

But there are several other strong players in the field including Gabriela Martinez, the current Women’s Singles International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion, Valeria Centellas, who is part of the current Women’s Doubles IRF World Championship team, Hollie Scott, who’s coming off a win in the Women’s Singles division at the USAR National Doubles Championships last month, and Jessica Parrilla, who was a finalist at the Mexican National Team Selection Event last weekend.

Doubles could be interesting as well. Longoria and long time partner Samantha Salas are the top seeds, and have won doubles at four of the seven LPRT events this season. But they will have to play either Martinez and her regular partner Maria Renee Rodriguez or the veteran team of Susana Acosta and Rhonda Rajsich in the quarterfinals, and then probably either Parrilla and Erin Rivera or Nancy Enriquez and Ana Laura Flores in the semi-finals.

On the other side of the draw, Vargas and Natalia Mendez are the 2nd seeds, and have been finalists three times this season. However, they will need to play either Centellas and Carla Muñoz or the young American team of Scott and Lexi York in the quarterfinals, and then one of Brenda Laime and Masiel Rivera - a new pairing - Kelani Lawrence and Sheryl Lotts, who have some experience together, or Adriana Riveros and Maria Riquelme, which is also a new team, as Riveros usually plays with Cristina Amaya.

You can watch the Boston Open action live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The singles Round of 32 begins at 9 AM on Friday, with the Round of 16 beginning at Friday at 2 PM. Doubles begins at 11 AM Friday with the Round of 16 followed by the quarterfinals at 6 and 7 PM Friday night. On Saturday, the quarterfinals will be at 10 AM and 11 AM, and the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 1. All times eastern.

2020 LPRT Boston Open, March 6-8, 2020
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
16) Sheryl Lotts v. 17) Cassi Lee - 10 AM

9) Jessica Parrilla v. 24) Maria Riquelme - 10 AM
8) Masiel Rivera - BYE

5) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12) Ana Laura Flores v. 21) Hollie Scott - 9 AM

13) Adriana Riveros v. 20) Susana Acosta - 9 AM
4) Natalia Mendez - BYE

3) Samantha Salas - BYE
14) Valeria Centellas v. 19) Kelani Lawrence - 9 AM

11) Carla Muñoz v. 22) Lexi York - 9 AM
6) Nancy Enriquez - BYE

7) Cristina Amaya - BYE
10) Brenda Laime v. 23) Gabriela Martinez - 10 AM

15) Erin Rivera v. 18) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 10 AM
2) Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Susana Acosta & Rhonda Rajsich v. 9) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 11 AM

5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera v. 12) Gillian Cobb & Cassi Lee - Noon
4) Nancy Enriquez & Ana Laura Flores v. 13) Jessica Chan & Megan Shelton - 11 AM

3) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera - BYE
6) Kelani Lawrence & Sheryl Lotts v. 11) Adriana Riveros & Maria Riquelme - 11 AM

7) Valeria Centellas & Carla Muñoz v. 10) Hollie Scott & Lexi York - 11 AM
2) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….