Martinez beats Longoria in 16s at LPRT Sweet Caroline Open

Gabriela Martinez upset Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT), 15-7, 15-6, in the Round of 16 at the Sweet Caroline Open in Greenville, South Carolina Thursday. The two also met last weekend in San Antonio, where Longoria won in two close games. But Thursday Martinez got the win, and did so comprehensively.

Longoria got off to a good start in game one, with leads of 5-2 and 7-4. But Martinez scored 19 straight points to go from down 4-7 in game one to winning it, 15-7, and then up 8-0 in game two. That’s an astonishing streak against the woman who has dominated the LPRT for more than a decade.

Indeed, Martinez’s victory casts doubt on whether Longoria will be #1 at season’s end. Montserrat Mejia is currently #2, but she’s won more events this season than Longoria (4 to 3). She also won her Round of 16 match Thursday, as she beat Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-5. If Mejia wins the tournament, then she will have a big advantage over Longoria going into the last event of the season next month in Virginia.

In other action, Samantha Salas, seeded 10th, was an upset winner over 7th seed Natalia Mendez, and could help Longoria - her long time doubles partner - by defeating Mejia, who she’ll play in the quarterfinals.

Maria Jose Vargas’s win over Jessica Parrilla was an upset by the seeding, as it was a 12th seed defeating a 5th seed, but Vargas is a former #2 on tour, so it’s not a surprise whenever she wins a match. Vargas will play 4th seed Erika Manilla in the quarters, as Manilla beat 13th seed Valeria Centellas, 15-2, 15-12.

A win that might seem like an upset happened in the 8/9 match, as 8th seed Carla Muñoz narrowly defeated 9th seed Angelica Barrios, 15-12, 15-14. Muñoz will play Martinez in the quarters Friday.

You can watch the action live from Greenville via the LPRT YouTube channel. The singles quarterfinals will be Friday at 11 AM and noon with the semi-finals at 4 and 5 PM Friday and the final at 5 PM Saturday. The doubles quarters will be Friday night at 6 and 7 PM with the semi-finals at 11 AM and noon on Saturday, and the final Saturday night at 6 PM. All times Eastern.

2023 LPRT Sweet Caroline Open
Greenville, South Carolina - May 4-7, 2023

Round of 16 - Thursday

17) Gabriela Martinez d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-7, 15-6
8) Carla Muñoz d. 9) Angelica Barrios, 15-12, 15-14

12) Maria Jose Vargas d. 5) Jessica Parrilla, 15-7, 15-3
4) Erika Manilla d. 13) Valeria Centellas, 15-2, 15-12

3) Alexandra Herrera d. 14) Hollie Scott, 15-11, 15-9
6) Brenda Laime d. 11) Kelani Lawrence, 15-9, 15-13

10) Samantha Salas d. 7) Natalia Mendez, 12-15, 15-10, 11-10
2) Montserrat Mejia d. 15) Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-5

Quarterfinals - Friday

8) Carla Muñoz v. 17) Gabriela Martinez - Noon
4) Erika Manilla v. 12) Maria Jose Vargas - Noon

3) Alexandra Herrera v. 6) Brenda Laime - 11 AM
2) Montserrat Mejia v. 10) Samantha Salas - 11 AM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime d. 9) Paula Mansilla & Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-8

5) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - BYE
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE

3) Valeria Centellas & Erika Manilla - BYE
6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 11) Naomi Ros & Lexi York, 15-5, 15-3

7) Martina Katz & Jessica Parrilla d. 10) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-3, 15-13
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 8) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime - 7 PM
4) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 5) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - 7 PM

3) Valeria Centellas & Erika Manilla v. 6) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 6 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 7) Martina Katz & Jessica Parrilla - 6 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….