Thursday, January 24, 2019

2019 LPRT Sweet Caroline Open - Preview

The first Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) event of 2019 is this weekend, when they will convene in Greenville, South Carolina for the Sweet Caroline Open. There are 26 players in the field of this LPRT Grand Slam event. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria will try to continue her undefeated season. Joining Longoria in Greenville will be 9 of the top 10 LPRT players and 16 of the top 20, including LPRT #2 Samantha Salas.

Salas, who is also Longoria’s long time doubles partner, has been in four of the five LPRT finals this season, and missed the last event of 2018, so - like Longoria - she also has a streak to continue. Salas is the last player to defeat Longoria on tour, doing so last April in San Antonio.

Longoria and Salas are the top seeds in doubles, but there other good and interesting teams, including 3rd seeds Natalia Mendez and Maria Jose Vargas, 4th seeds Cristina Amaya and Adriana Riveros, and 5th seeds Sheryl Lotts and Rhonda Rajsich. All three of those teams are regular pairings, as is Kelani Bailey Lawrence and Sharon Jackson, who are seeded 7th but are the defending USA Racquetball National Champions.

The curious thing is that Jackson is playing doubles only, not singles. Bailey Lawrence is playing both. In contrast, Gabriela Martinez is only playing singles, and not doubles, although her usual doubles partner - Maria Renee Rodriguez - is in Greenville, and playing both singles and doubles. Advantage to Alexandra Herrera, who is partnering with Rodriguez this weekend, and they are the 2nd seeds.

The tournament starts Friday morning with the Round of 32. The Round of 16 will be Friday afternoon. The quarterfinals will be Saturday morning (11 AM & Noon) and semi-finals Saturday at 5 PM and 6 PM. The singles final will be Sunday at 1 PM with the doubles final scheduled for 2 PM. You can watch the action live via the LPRT website, or the LPRT YouTube channel or its LiveStream channel.

2019 Sweet Caroline Open
Greenville, South Carolina - January 25-27, 2019


LPRT Singles - Round of 32 - Friday

1 Paola Longoria - BYE
16 Brenda Laime v. 17 Masiel Rivera - Noon

9 Cristina Amaya v. 24 Hollie Scott - Noon
8 Gabriela Martinez v. 25 Robin Whitmire - 1 PM

5 Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
12 Sheryl Lotts v. 21 Hannah Shnurman - 10 AM

13 Adrienne Haynes v. 20 Jennifer Dering - 10 AM
4 Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

3 Alexandra Herrera - BYE
14 Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19 Kelani Bailey Lawrence - 10 AM

11 Cassi Lee v. 22 Laura Brandt - 11 AM
6 Nancy Enriquez - BYE

7 Natalia Mendez v. 26 Mary Kirchoff - 11 AM
10 Adriana Riveros v. 23 Cecilia Pratt - 11 AM

15 Susana Acosta v. 18 Ana Laura Flores - Noon
2 Samantha Salas - BYE

LPRT Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1 Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE
8 Nancy Enriquez & Ana Laura Flores v. 9 Susana Acosta & Hollie Scott - 1 PM

5 Sheryl Lotts & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
4 Cristina Amaya & Adriana Riveros - BYE

3 Natalia Mendez & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE
6 Brenda Laime & Masiel Rivera - BYE

7 Kelani Bailey Lawrence & Sharon Jackson v. 10 Cassi Lee & ? - 1 PM
2 Alexandra Herrera & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

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