For the first time in 11 seasons, there will be a new #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT). Montserrat Mejia will be #1 after this weekend’s 2023 LPRT Battle at the Beach Season Finale in Norfolk, Virginia, as she won her semi-final match against Angelica Barrios, 15-3, 13-15, 11-1, and Paola Longoria, who has been #1 for 11 seasons, lost her semi-final match against Maria Jose Vargas, 15-14, 15-12. Those results mean Mejia will finish ahead of Longoria in the season ending rankings, regardless of whether she wins the final against Vargas on Saturday.
Longoria’s loss denies fans a Longoria-Mejia final, which would have been a showdown for the #1 ranking. However, full credit to Vargas, who has been ranked as high as #2 in previous seasons, but has only played the second half of the season after having her third child last year. It was Vargas's second win over Longoria on tour this season, and third in 2023, as she also defeated Longoria at the 2023 Pan American Championships in Guatemala.
If Vargas wins Saturday, she would be the fifth player to win on tour this season after Longoria, Mejia, Alexandra Herrera and Gabriela Martinez. This is the first season since 2007-08 with four winners (then Cheryl Gudinas, Rhonda Rajsich, Christie Van Hees & Longoria), which is why this season has been so interesting, and it speaks to the quality of the players on tour now.
There have never been five winners in a women’s pro racquetball season.
Mejia had two tough matches Friday to get to the final. She defeated Carla Muñoz in two straight games, but the match lasted almost 90 min. Then Mejia needed three games to fend off Barrios, as Barrios fought back to eke out the second game after Mejia was lights out in the first game. In the breaker, Mejia was again lights out, moving very well, and hitting unretrievable shots.
The Longoria-Vargas match was a slug fest with both players hitting great shots. Longoria was ahead 11-6 in game one, but Vargas got within two at 11-9 and then caught up at 12-12 and went ahead 13-12. Longoria hit a drive serve ace to the left side to tie it at 13-13.
But a couple rallies later, Longoria skipped a serve return that put Vargas on game point at 14-13. A Longoria backhand denied that game point. Vargas appealed that the shot skipped but the line judges upheld the good shot call.
A Longoria kiss lob serve went for a winner, as Vargas couldn’t return it, which tied the score 14-14. However, Vargas made no mistake with an opportunity on the next rally hitting a powerful forehand winner to the left side. She won it on the ensuing rally, as Longoria skipped a shot to end game one at 15-14.
Vargas stormed out to a 5-0 lead in game two, so Longoria called a timeout. Longoria did comeback and tie it at 7-7, which resulted in a Vargas timeout. That led to Vargas regaining the lead at 8-7, and she held that lead for the rest of the game.
Indeed, Longoria didn’t get within two of Vargas after that. A drive serve ace to the left side - Longoria’s backhand - put Vargas on match point at 14-11. A Longoria backhand winner kept the match going, and then she hit a nice forehand rekill to make it 14-12.
On the next rally, Vargas hit a backhand cross court winner to get herself a second match point opportunity, and she converted it. Vargas drove serve to the left, and Longoria hit a backhand pinch return that Vargas crouched down to get to, hitting a forehand winner from one knee to win game two, 15-12, and defeat Longoria in two straight games, which denies her the #1 LPRT ranking.
The singles final is Saturday at 4 PM, but there are doubles semi-finals Saturday morning at 10 and 11 with the doubles final at 6 PM Saturday. All time EDT.
You can watch the LPRT Season Finale by going to the LPRT YouTube channel or their Facebook page.
2023 LPRT Battle at the Beach Season Finale
Norfolk, Virginia - June 15-17, 2023
LPRT Singles - Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria d. 9) Jessica Parrilla, 15-4, 15-8
12) Maria Jose Vargas d. 13) Kelani Lawrence, 15-7, 15-1
6) Angelica Barrios d. 14) Valeria Centellas, 15-13, 15-8
2) Montserrat Mejia d. 7) Carla Muñoz, 15-12, 15-12
LPRT Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
12) Maria Jose Vargas d. 1) Paola Longoria, 15-14, 15-12
2) Montserrat Mejia d. 6) Angelica Barrios, 15-3, 13-15, 11-1
LPRT Singles - Final - Saturday
2) Montserrat Mejia v. 12) Maria Jose Vargas - 4 PM
LPRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Gabriela Martinez & Maricruz Ortiz d. 9) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-4, 15-4
5) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla - BYE
3) Kelani Lawrence & Erika Manilla - BYE
6) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime - BYE
7) Susana Acosta & Valeria Centellas d. Sunshine Arterburn & Grace Ratley, 15-2, 15-3
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
LPRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 8) Gabriela Martinez & Maricruz Ortiz, 15-7, 0-15, 11-1
5) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas d. 4) Carla Muñoz & Jessica Parrilla, 15-13, 15-0
3) Kelani Lawrence & Erika Manilla d. 6) Angelica Barrios & Brenda Laime, 15-6, 15-14
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 7) Susana Acosta & Valeria Centellas, 15-9, 15-11
LPRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 5) Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - 11 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 3) Kelani Lawrence & Erika Manilla - 10 AM
Follow the bouncing ball…..
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