Muñoz wins Women's Open, Mejia making history & what's next

Carla Muñoz won Women’s Open on the weekend at the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam in Overland Park, Kansas. And she did so by defeating both top seeds. Muñoz, the 3rd seed, beat top seed Angelica Barrios, 15-12, 15-7, in the final, to take the title.

In the semi-finals, she defeated 2nd seed Valeria Centellas, 15-11, 15-13. In the other semi, Barrios needed a tie-breaker to defeated veteran Nancy Enriquez, 12-15, 15-10, 11-6.

The win netted Muñoz a decent amount of prize money, as Women’s Open had a $6000 purse. That purse would be Tier 2 or 3 level on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT). Overall, the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam had a $60,000 purse due to the TeamRoot.com sponsorship, which easily makes it the largest purse on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT).

Mejia makes history

Monterrat Mejia, who won the both singles and doubles (with Alexandra Herrera) Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) events at the TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, took home over $11,000 of the purse ($9450 in singles & $1800 for her share of doubles). We believe that’s more than any US Open winner.

As we mentioned yesterday, Mejia is the 28th woman to win a women’s pro racquetball tour event, now known as the LPRT but under several names in the past. She’s the first new winner in almost five years, and first since Frédérique Lambert in August 2016 in Georgia. Mejia (at 21 years 199 days) is the 7th youngest player to win an pro event, but 2nd youngest since 2000 after Paola Longoria, who won when she was 18 (and 42 days).

Next events

The International Racquetball Federation (LPRT) announced tournament dates for the rest of this year on the weekend.

First up will be the 33rd Pan American Championships in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, September 3-11. That will be followed by the 30th IRF World Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, October 29-November 6. Finally, the 32nd IRF World Junior Championships will be in San José, Costa Rica, December 3-11.

Of course, this is likely all dependent on COVID numbers being under control, but it gives players (and fans) events to look forward to.

As for the pro tours, the next event will be a combined Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) and International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event, when they play at the World Singles and Doubles Open Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado August 11-14.

Yes, they’re calling a World Championships. No, it’s not an IRF event, so not really a World Championship, but so it goes.

Until the next events, you can watch some of what’s already happened, and there are several matches worth watching from the weekend’s LPRT TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, not least of which was the Mejia-Longoria final, and you can watch them via the LPRT YouTube channel.

2021 TeamRoot.com Super Max Slam, June 18-20, 2021 
Overland Park, Kansas 

Women’s Open - Final

3) Carla Muñoz d. 1) Angelica Barrios, 15-12, 15-7  

Semi-finals

1) Angelica Barrios d. 5) Nancy Enriquez, 12-15, 15-10, 11-6
3) Carla Muñoz d. 2) Valeria Centellas, 15-11, 15-13  

Quarterfinals

1) Angelica Barrios d. 9) Sheryl Lotts, 13-15, 15-13, 11-0
5) Nancy Enriquez d. 13) Erin Slutzky, 15-2, 15-4

3) Carla Muñoz d. 6) Micaela Meneses, 15-12, 15-13
2) Valeria Centellas d. 10) Ana Laura Flores, 15-8, 15-9

 Follow the bouncing ball….