Racquetball will be at Santiago 2023

As we come to the end of 2020, we have some good news! Santiago 2023 announced the list of sports to be played at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, and racquetball … is … IN!

We understand that a new racquetball / squash facility will be built for the games. We’re not sure if that will be a temporary (as it was in Toronto in 2015) or permanent facility (as it was in Santo Dominigo 2003).

Nevertheless, it’s great news for racquetball. The rise of racquetball in the Americas has been helped by inclusion in multi-sport games, such as the Pan Am Games, as that puts racquetball on the radar for a nation’s sport governing body. Nations want to win medals at these games, so they want to support athletes in the respective sports.

The Pan Am Games is the largest multisport event outside of the Olympics, so being a part of them is great. And it’s especially great from an athlete’s perspective, because the athletes are part of a greater team. They are not just on a national racquetball team, but on a national team with athletes from all sports. It’s a big deal.

Happily, racquetball will part of that deal, and that’s good news.

Follow the bouncing ball….

Longoria wins singles, Centellas & Mendez doubles, at LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Paola Longoria broke Angelica Barrios’s glass slipper Sunday, as the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour’s (LPRT’s) #1 player beat the young up and comer in two straight games, 15-5, 15-8, in the final of the LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. The win was Longoria’s 100th LPRT Tier 1 or Grand Slam title, while Barrios was playing in her 1st LPRT final. We trust it won’t be her last.

Longoria had a chance to win singles and doubles, as she and Samantha Salas were in the doubles final, but they were upset by the young team of Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez, 15-14, 3-15, 11-2.

Barrios made a good showing, despite the scores being a bit lopsided. They were back and forth early in game one, and Barrios actually led 5-2. Longoria got the serve back at that point, and called a timeout.

When play resumed, Longoria scored six unanswered points to go up 8-5, so Barrios called a timeout. But that merely delayed Longoria; it didn’t stop her, as she got five points on as many rallies to lead 13-5. Although they did go back and forth from there, the game outcome was inevitable at that point, with Longoria eventually winning it with a forehand pinch shot from the middle of the court.

Game two was similar, as they were close early, and Barrios had a lead at 5-3. Longoria tied it at 5-5, yet Barrios again led 8-5. Just when you might be thinking “hmm, maybe Barrios can force a tie-breaker,” Longoria calls a timeout.

After the timeout, Longoria gets a sideout, and then five straight points to lead 10-8. Barrios calls a timeout. Yet Barrios was only able to score one more point from there, as Longoria pushed on for the win in two straight games.

Doubles final

In the doubles final, the teams were back and forth in game one. Longoria and Salas were up 4-1, 6-3 and 8-5. Then Centellas and Mendez tied it at 8-8, and went ahead 12-8, and 14-9.

But Centellas skipped a shot on their first game point, which might have been a bit of nerves as the error seemed unforced. The veterans took advantage of Centellas’s error by scoring three points in a row to make the score 14-12.

Centellas and Mendez called a timeout, but that didn’t stop Longoria and Salas, who scored two more points to tie the game 14-14, as Centellas skipped another shot. But she made good on the next rally with a winning cross court forehand that put her side back in the service box. Centellas backed that up with a winner on the right side with Salas trapped on the right wall.

Longoria and Salas did what you expect of 3 time former International Racquetball Federation (IRF) Women’s Doubles World Champions: they jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and maintained that lead to win 15-3, forcing a tie-breaker.

In game two, Centellas and Mendez had chances, as they served 19 times, but only won three points. Late in the game with the score 10-2, they tried switching sides, moving Mendez from left to right and Centellas the other way. But to no avail.

Thus, momentum was all with Longoria and Salas going into the breaker. The first rally of game three was strange in that the ball went down the right wall, and Salas moved to play it, but held up as Centellas was close by. Then the ball hit Centellas in the foot.

The referee called a point for Salas and Longoria, as she judged there to be no hinder on the play and that the ball hadn’t bounced twice before hitting Centellas. If a hinder had occurred prior to the ball hitting Centellas, then that contact shouldn’t have mattered. But so it goes.

Centellas and Mendez won the next rally, and then put together five straight points in as many rallies with some great shots. They were hot! Longoria and Salas tried to cool off their opponents by calling a timeout. But Centellas and Mendez scored two more points before yielding the serve.

Thus, Longoria and Salas found themselves down 7-1 when they got to serve a second time. They scored one point, but then were sided out. Centellas and Mendez scored two more points, making it 9-2, so Longoria and Salas called their second timeout.

When play resumed, a long rally ensued that ended when Longoria skipped a forehand shot. 10-2. Centellas and Mendez won the game and match on the next rally, when Longoria was forced into skipping another forehand.

It’s the first LPRT win for Centellas, and the 3rd for Mendez, who had previous wins with Alexandra Herrera and Maria Jose Vargas. But she hadn’t beaten Longoria and Salas in either win, so it’s her first victory over them.

If you want to watch some of the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam action from Overland Park - and DO want to see that doubles final! - check out the LPRT YouTube channel.

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
  

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria d. 23) Angelica Barrios, 15-5, 15-9 


Doubles - Final - Sunday

2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas, 15-14, 3-15, 11-2

Follow the bouncing ball….

Barrios reaches an LPRT final for 1st time at 2020 TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Angelica Barrios has done it again. She knocked off another top seed at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas Saturday. LPRT #3 Alexandra Herrera was the victim this time, as Barrios defeated Herrera in two close games, 15-14, 15-10, putting herself in an LPRT final for the first time.

Barrios will face Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, in the final, as Longoria beat Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7, in the other semi-final.

The start of the Barrios’s match was delayed, as she was playing an Open division match, which she won in a tie-breaker. One wondered if that match might impact on Barrios’s LPRT semi, and early on it seemed like it did as Herrera took leads of 5-0 and 9-4.

However, Barrios keep at it, tying the game at 9-9, and then going ahead 12-9. But Herrera wasn’t going to go quietly, and she came back to tie the game at 12-12 and then take a one point lead at 13-12, even though Barrios had called a timeout at 12-12.

They were back and forth from there. Five sideouts, and then Barrios got a point to tie it 13-13. She hit a backahand reverse pinch that was flat for her 14th point. But Herrera hit a backhand cross court winner to fend off Barrios’s first game point. Herrera then forced a skip from Barrios to tie the game at 14-14.

Five sideouts went by with Herrera serving for the game thrice and Barrios twice before Barrios forced an error from Herrera with a drive serve to the right side - the lefthanded Herrera’s backhand side - that Herrera skipped on the return.

Game two had a similar storyline. Herrera was up early, though not as much. They were tied 2-2, and close at 4-3. But Herrera took a 7-3 lead and it looked like a tie-breaker would be necessary.

But after a timeout by Barrios, when trailing 8-4, she got a sideout and then four points on consecutive rallies to tie the score 8-8. Herrera called timeout. A few sideouts and a couple of points scored, and they were at 10-10.

Barrios took over from there, winning six of the last seven rallies of the game, earning five points to win it 15-10. Herrera seemed to sag late in the game, as there had been several long rallies and Barrios’s shots were moving Herrera back and forth as well as left and right on the court. The winner came on a half shot forehand to the front right corner that earlier in the match Herrera would have tried to get to and maybe done so successfully. But at the end, she didn’t even move for it.

In the other semi-final, Longoria showed exactly why she is the LPRT’s #1 player, as she had little trouble defeating Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7. Martinez was seeded 21st, but she is the reigning Women’s Singles World Champion, winning the title by defeating Longoria in the final at the 2018 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships. Longoria may have extra motivation when playing Martinez because of that.

Longoria is also in the doubles final, although she and SSamantha Salas needed a tie-breaker to get past Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, winning 11-15, 15-12, 11-8. In the final, they’ll face the new team of Valeria Centellas and Natalia Mendez who were straight game winners over Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-4.

You can watch the 2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
  

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria d. 21) Gabriela Martinez, 15-1, 15-7
23) Angelica Barrios d. 3) Alexandra Herrera, 15-14, 15-10

Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 1 PM

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia, 11-15, 15-12, 11-8


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-13, 15-4 


Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez - 2 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Quarterfinals at 2020 LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Another day, another young player making causing upsets at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. Saturday morning it was Angelica Barrios upsetting LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas, 1-15, 15-8, 11-10. Yes, Barrios lost game one 15-1, yet won the match. The win puts her into her second ever semi-final later today. Barrios was in the semis at the Bolivia American Iris Open in March of last year.

Paola Longoria, the LPRT’s #1 player, seems to be in form despite no LPRT matches (indoors) in 10 months, as she beat LPRT #8 Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-1. But Longoria could have a stiff test in her the semi-finals, when she’ll play Gabriela Martinez, who needed a tie-breaker to defeat Holly Scott, 15-, -15, 11-1.

Barrios never seemed in game one against Vargas, who was on fire. But the tables flipped in game two, as Barrios took a 9-1 lead. Vargas did fight back, and got within two at 9-7. However, Barrios held her nerve and closed out game two, 15-8.

Generally, when there are too two blow outs, the tie-breaker is close, and so it was with Barrios and Vargas. The difference was never more than three, and they were tied at 3-3 and 5-5.

Barrios then got up 8-5, and looked like she was going to complete the comeback. However, the veteran Vargas dug in and scored five straight points to lead 10-8. In that streak, Barrios made a few errors by skipping shots.

But Barrios hit a winning backhand return off a lob serve on Vargas’s match point, which put her back in the service box. She then got two points as Vargas was called for avoidable (or penalty) hinders, and those did seem to the correct calls, as Vargas hit shots that came back to herself and Barrios was there to hit the ball.

On her match point, Barrios hit a lob serve to Vargas’s backhand, which was the serve that had been successful for her throughout the match. On the ensuing rally, Barrios hit a forehand cross court that came out of the back left corner, and Vargas was in position to hit it, but missed the ball. Point, game and match to Barrios.

You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The quarterfinals continue Saturday at noon. The Doubles quarters are at 1 and 2 PM Saturday. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020

Overland Park, Kansas 
 

Quarterfinals - Saturday


1) Paola Longoria d. 8) Jessica Parrilla, 15-5, 15-1
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 20) Hollie Scott, 15-4, 12-15, 11-1

 

3) Alexandra Herrera d. 6) Natalia Mendez, 15-9, 15-14
23) Angelica Barrios d. 2) Maria Jose Vargas, 1-15, 15-8, 11-10

 

Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 6 PM
3) Alexandra Herrera v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 5 PM 


Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera, 15-6, 15-11


4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera, 12-15, 15-9, 11-4


6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz, 15-11, 15-8


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros, 15-4, 15-8

 

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - 7 PM


2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 7 PM

 

Follow the bouncing ball….

Scott into the quarters at the LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

Hollie Scott caused the biggest upset in the Round of 16 at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas on Friday, as she knocked off 4th seed Samantha Salas, 11-15, 15-11, 11-7, to advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday. In the quarters, she’ll play another young player in Gabriela Martinez, who upset veteran 5th seed Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-10. Scott and Martinez are two players in their early twenties, so their match on Saturday may be a sign of a rivalry that will play out over the coming decade.

But in the present there is LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who handily won her match in the 16s against 16th seed Masiel Rivera, 15-3, 15-1. Longoria will play 8th seed Jessica Parrilla in the quarters Saturday, as Parrilla squeaked by 9h seed Carla Muñoz, 10-15, 15-13, 11-10. 



The other half of the draw needed three tie-breakers to determine the quarterfinalists. That included 2nd seed Maria Jose Vargas, who went the distance with Montserrat Mejia, winning 15-12, 14-15, 11-4. That win puts Vargas up against Angelica Barrios, who is the reigning International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships in Girl’s U18, and Friday defeated Valeria Centellas, 6-15, 15-12, 11-5, in what was a rematch that of that 2019 final. 



Finally, Alexandra Herrera will play Natalia Mendez in the quarters, as Herrera outlasted Maria Renee Rodriguez, 12-15, 15-11, 11-2, and Mendez defeated Nancy Enriquez, 15-12, 15-3, in the Round of 16.



You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The quarterfinals begins Saturday at 11 AM. The Doubles quarters are at 1 and 2 PM Saturday. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 


2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020


Overland Park, Kansas

Round of 16 - Friday


1) Paola Longoria d. 16) Masiel Rivera, 15-3, 15-1
8) Jessica Parrilla d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 10-15, 15-13, 11-10
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 5) Rhonda Rajsich, 15-6, 15-10

20) Hollie Scott d. 4) Samantha Salas, 11-15, 15-11, 11-7
  

3) Alexandra Herrera d. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 12-15, 15-11, 11-2


6) Natalia Mendez d. 11) Nancy Enriquez, 15-12, 15-3
23) Angelica Barrios d. 7) Valeria Centellas, 6-15, 15-12, 11-5


2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 15) Montserrat Mejia, 15-12, 14-15, 11-4
 

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Jessica Parrilla - Noon
20) Hollie Scott v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - Noon  

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Natalia Mendez - 11 AM 


2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 11 AM
 

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera  - 2 PM
4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 2 PM

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 1 PM
2) Valeria Centellas &Natalia Mendez v. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 1 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

Round of 32 at TeamRoot.com LPRT Super Max Slam

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam is underway in Overland Park, Kansas, and already there’s been an 11-10 tie-breaker, as Nancy Enriquez barely held off Micaela Meneses, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10, in the Round of 32. Enriquez will face Natalia Mendez in the Round of 16, as Mendez beat Jessica Chen, 15-5, 15-4. 

LPRT #1 Paola Longoria won her match in the 32s against Lucia Gonzalez, but the  scores were respectable for Gonzalez, as Longoria won 15-10, 15-11. Longoria faces Masiel Rivera in the 16s tonight, as Masiel won a close match with Erin Rivera (no relation), 15-10, 15-13.

A word about the tournament: it’s a “Super Max Slam,” because the total purse is $60,000 with the payouts beginning in the Round of 16. Thus, each match in the Round of 32 was worth a little over a $1000 with the loser taking home nothing.

Other Round of 32 results of note. Hollie Scott won a battle of two young American players, as she defeated Sheryl Lotts, 15-3, 15-9, and will play Samantha Salas in the 16s. Salas beat Shane Diaz, 15-7, 15-2.

Also, Gabriela Martinez defeated Adriana Riveros, 15-7, 15-8, to set up a showdown with US veteran Rhonda Rajsich, who was a winner over Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-12.

There will be a replay of the Girl’s U18 final from the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships in the Round of 16, when Valeria Centellas takes on Angelica Barrios. In the 32s, Centellas beat Annie Roberts, 15-4, 15-4, while Barrios, who won that U18 final, defeated veteran Cristina Amaya, 15-10, 15-7.

<p>You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the  LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The Round of 16 begins Friday at 4 PM. Doubles began at 1 PM Friday with the Round of 16 followed by the quarterfinals at 1 and 2 PM Saturday afternoon. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central.

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020
Overland Park, Kansas
 

Round of 64 - Friday 

32) Lucia Gonzalez d. 33) Naomi Ros, 15-5, 15-0
 

Round of 32 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria d. 32) Lucia Gonzalez, 15-10, 15-11

16) Masiel Rivera d. 17) Erin Rivera, 15-10, 15-13
 

9) Carla Muñoz d. 24) Megan Shelton, 15-2, 15-1 

8) Jessica Parrilla d. 25) Maria Riquelme, 15-4, 15-6

5) Rhonda Rajsich d. 28) Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-12
21) Gabriela Martinez d. 12) Adriana Riveros, 15-7, 15-8
 

20) Hollie Scott d. 13) Sheryl Lotts, 15-3, 15-9

4) Samantha Salas d. 29) Shane Diaz, 15-7, 15-2
3) Alexandra Herrera d. 30) Daniela Rico, 15-12, 15-6 

14) Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 19) Adrienna Haynes, 15-5, 15-3

11) Nancy Enriquez d. 22) Micaela Meneses, 15-8, 5-15, 11-10

6) Natalia Mendez d. 27) Jessica Chen, 15-5, 15-4
7) Valeria Centellas d. 26) Annie Roberts, 15-4, 15-4
23) Angelica Barrios d. 10) Cristina Amaya, 15-10, 15-7
 

15) Montserrat Mejia d. 18) Brenda Laime, 15-6, 15-11
2) Maria Jose Vargas d. 31) Katie Neils, 15-3, 15-2
 

Round of 16 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria v. 16) Masiel Rivera - 7 PM

8) Jessica Parrilla v. 9) Carla Muñoz - 7 PM
 

5) Rhonda Rajsich v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 4 PM
4) Samantha Salas v. <p>20) Hollie Scott - 4 PM
 

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 14) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 5 PM
6) Natalia Mendez v. 11) Nancy Enriquez - 5 PM
 

7) Valeria Centellas v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 6 PM
2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 15) Montserrat Mejia - 6 PM
 

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday
 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera d. 9) Katie Neils & Rhonda Rajsich, 15-7, 15-14

5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera v. 12) Jessica Chen & Megan Shelton, 15-4, 15-3


4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 13) Daniela Rico & Maria Riquelme, 15-7, 15-1

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz d. 14) Annie Roberts & Erin Slutzky, 15-11, 15-2

6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez  v. 11) Lucia Gonzalez & Hollie Scott, 15-5, 15-9
 

7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 10) Angelica Barrios & Micaela Meneses , 15-9, 15-12
2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez d. 15) Shane Diaz & Naomi Ros, 15-5, 15-3

 

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Saturday

 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 8) Brenda Laime &amp; Masiel Rivera - 2 PM
4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera - 2 PM

 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 1 PM
2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - 1 PM



Follow the bouncing ball….

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.Com Super Max Slam

RACQUETBALL IS BACK! It’s been 9 months since a major indoor tournament, but this weekend the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is playing the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. There are 33 players in the draw, including the top 11 players and 21 of the top 26. Leading the way is LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who could get her 100th Tier 1/Grand Slam LPRT win this weekend.

Thirty two players will be trying to prevent Longoria winning, and those with the best chance of doing so are LPRT #2 Maria Jose Vargas, #3 Alexandra Herrera and #4 Samantha Salas, although Salas will likely have to defeat either current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion Gabriela Martinez or veteran - and two time former IRF Champion - Rhonda Rajsich in the quarterfinals to get a shot at Longoria in the semi-finals. 

However, Longoria has only lost twice on tour since April 2018. That’s when she lost to Salas in San Antonio, and she also lost to Vargas in Chesapeake, Virginia in September of last year. Those are her only losses in the last 5 LPRT seasons, during which she had a record of 44-2. 

We don’t expect her to lose in Kansas. 

They are also playing doubles in Kansas, but there are two players who curiously aren’t. Neither Vargas nor Sheryl Lotts are in the doubles draw. Vargas has played with Natalia Mendez for the past few seasons, but Valeria Centellas, who won the Women’s Doubles at the most recent IRF World Championships (with Yazmine Sabja) is playing with Mendez this weekend. Centellas, who is still a junior, has moved to Argentina and will be playing for them, rather than her native Bolivia, so the plan is likely for her and Mendez to play doubles at next year’s World Championships. 

Lotts has often partnered with Rajsich in recent years, but not this weekend. We wonder if Vargas and Lotts knew they each didn’t have doubles partners, as a Vargas & Lotts team would be a decent one. One we think would win at least one match and maybe more. 

Nevertheless, doubles will be interesting, even with Longoria and Salas as the top seeds and heavy favourites. But we want to see how Centellas and Mendez play together, and there are other high quality teams teams, including Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, who have beat Longoria and Salas in the final of the 2019 US Open, as well as Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, and Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros. 

There’s been little racquetball action of note over the last several months, so it will be great to see some this weekend. 

You can watch the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam live via the LPRT YouTube channel or the LPRT website (click “LPRT Live” at the top of the page). The first match of the tournament is 8 AM Friday, with the Round of 32 beginning Friday at 9 AM. Doubles begins at 1 PM Friday with the Round of 16 followed by the quarterfinals at 1 and 2 PM Saturday afternoon. The singles semi-finals are Saturday afternoon at 5 and 6 PM and the doubles semis at 7PM. The singles final will be 1 PM Sunday with the doubles final to follow at 2 PM. All times central. 

2020 LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, December 4-6, 2020 

Overland Park, Kansas 

Round of 64 - Friday 

32) Lucia Gonzalez v. 33) Naomi Ros - 8 AM  

Round of 32 - Friday 

1) Paola Longoria v. 32) Lucia Gonzalez or 33) Naomi Ros - Noon

16) Masiel Rivera v. 17) Erin Rivera - Noon 

9) Carla Muñoz v. 24) Megan Shelton - Noon 

8) Jessica Parrilla v. 25) Maria Riquelme - Noon 

 5) Rhonda Rajsich v. 28) Erin Slutzky - 9 AM 

12) Adriana Riveros v. 21) Gabriela Martinez - 9 AM 

13) Sheryl Lotts v. 20) Hollie Scott - 9 AM 

4) Samantha Salas v. 29) Shane Diaz - 9 AM 

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 30) Daniela Rico - 10 AM 

14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Adrienna Haynes - 10 AM 

11) Nancy Enriquez v. 22) Micaela Meneses - 10 AM 

6) Natalia Mendez v. 27) Jessica Chen - 10 AM 

7) Valeria Centellas v. 26) Annie Roberts - 11 AM 

10) Cristina Amaya v. 23) Angelica Barrios - 11 AM 

15) Montserrat Mejia v. 18) Brenda Laime - 11 AM 

2) Maria Jose Vargas v. 31) Katie Neils - 11 AM  

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday 

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE 

8) Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera v. 9) Katie Neils & Rhonda Rajsich - 2 PM

5) Jessica Parrilla & Erin Rivera v. 12) Jessica Chen & Megan Shelton - Noon 

4) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 13) Daniela Rico & Maria Riquelme - 2 PM 

3) Nancy Enriquez & Carla Muñoz v. 14) Annie Roberts & Erin Slutzky - 1 PM 

6) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 11) Lucia Gonzalez & Hollie Scott - 1 PM 

7) Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros v. 10) Angelica Barrios & Micaela Meneses - 1 PM 

2) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez v. 15) Shane Diaz & Naomi Ros - 1 PM 

 Follow the bouncing ball….