Two wins for Erika Manilla at 2023 USA Racquetball National Doubles & Singles Championships

Erika Manilla was the big winner at the USA Racquetball National Doubles and Singles Championships at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, as she won both Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Manilla and Michelle De La Rosa won Women’s Doubles by defeating the defending champions Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7. That title added to the Mixed Doubles title she won with her brother Adam Manilla by defeating Daniel De La Rosa and Scott, 11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9.

It was the fourth consecutive year Manilla was in the Women’s Doubles final, and she’s won three of them, doing so previously with Aimee Roehler (then Ruiz) in 2020 and Rhonda Rajsich in 2021. Manilla and Roehler were runners up last year to Lawrence and Scott. She and Adam were also in the Mixed Doubles final last year, when Michelle De La Rosa and Alejandro Landa won. Thus, Manilla, who is just in her mid-20s, and is the current USA Racquetball Women's Singles champion, already has an impressive USA Racquetball championship record.

Daniel De La Rosa and Landa won Men’s Doubles, as they beat surprise finalists Wayne Antone and Adam Manilla, 15-13, 11-5, 11-8. The win is their first USA Racquetball doubles title together, De La Rosa’s first overall, and Landa’s second overall, as he won with Sudsy Monchik in 2020.

This was just the second time in the last seven championships that Rocky Carson didn’t win the title. The other being Landa and Monchik’s 2020 win. Carson and Charlie Pratt won three of the last four titles, and were two time defending champions. But they were upset in the semi-finals by Antone and Manilla, who ousted them after a five game marathon, 13-11, 6-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8.

USA Racquetball is having a National Team Qualifying event for Men’s and Women’s Singles May 25-28 in Lombard, Illinois, which will give players another opportunity to make Team USA for the 2023 Pan American Championships in Guatemala in April, and 2023 Pan American Games in Chile in October. The Pan Am Championships are an annual event, but the Pan Am Games are a quadrennial event - like the Olympics. The Pan Am Games are the second largest multi-sport games after only the Summer Olympics. Many racquetball players consider the Pan Am Games their Olympics.

If you missed any of the action from Tempe, check out the USA Racquetball YouTube channel.

2023 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships
February 1-5, 2023 - Tempe, Arizona
US National Team Divisions

Men's Doubles

Semi-finals

4) Wayne Antone & Adam Manilla d. 1) Rocky Carson & Charlie Pratt, 13-11, 6-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8
3) Daniel De La Rosa & Alejandro Landa d. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck, 12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2

Final

3) Daniel De La Rosa & Alejandro Landa d. 4) Wayne Antone & Adam Manilla, 15-13, 11-5, 11-8

3rd Place

1) Rocky Carson & Charlie Pratt v. 2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck, double forfeit

Women's Doubles

Semi-finals

1) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott d. 4) Aimee Roehler & Janel Tisinger-Ledkins, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7
3) Erika Manilla & Michelle De La Rosa d. 2) Rhonda Rajsich & Sheryl Lotts, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6

Final

3) Erika Manilla & Michelle De La Rosa d. 1) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7

3rd Place

2) Rhonda Rajsich & Sheryl Lotts d. 4) Aimee Roehler & Janel Tisinger-Ledkins, 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3

Mixed Doubles

Final

2) Adam Manilla & Erika Manilla d. 4) Daniel De La Rosa & Hollie Scott, 11-6, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9

3rd Place

1) Michelle De La Rosa & Alejandro Landa d. 6) Sheryl Lotts & Charlie Pratt, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball....