Longoria gets a strong start to the 2022-23 LPRT season

Paola Longoria, the #1 player on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) got her 2022-23 season off to a good start Friday at a tournament that bears her name: the Paola Longoria Grand Slam in Aguascalientes, Mexico. She beat Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-2, 15-0, in singles, and then, with partner Samantha Salas, defeated Jazmin Elizabeth Aguilar and Paula Aguilar, 15-4, 15-3.

On Saturday, Longoria will play Salas in the quarterfinals, as Salas beat Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-13, on Friday in the Round of 16. In the doubles semi-finals, Longoria and Salas will play Muñoz and Maria Renee Rodriguez, who upset the 4th seeds Natalia Mendez and Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-14, in the quarterfinals Friday.

LPRT #2 Alexandra Herrera had an equally successful day on Friday, as she beat veteran Susana Acosta, 15-4, 15-7, in a battle of left handed players. Herrera will play doubles partner Montserrat Mejia in the quarterfinals Saturday, as Mejia came back to defeat Valeria Centellas, 13-15, 15-4, 11-0, in the Round of 16.

In doubles, Herrera and Mejia, the 2nd seeds, defeated the Colombian team of Cristina Amaya and Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-4, 15-6, Friday, and will play 3rd seeds Erika Manilla and Jessica Parrilla, who came back to defeat 6th seeds Nancy Enriquez and Sheryl Lotts, 11-15, 15-14, 11-5.

The big upset Friday was the 13th seed Nancy Enriquez beating 4th seed Erika Manilla in two straight games, 15-10, 15-4. Manilla had a breakthrough season last year, finishing in the top 10 for the first time, but 2022-23 hasn’t started so well for her.

Enriquez will play 5th Angelica Barrios in the quarterfinals, as Barrios held on to narrowly defeat 12th seed Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 10-15, 11-10.

Finally, 3rd seed Natalia Mendez defeated 14th seed Cristina Amaya, 15-11, 15-11, Friday, and on Saturday will play 6th seed Jessica Parrilla, who needed a tie-breaker to get past 11th seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-7, 13-15, 11-7.

You can watch the action from Aguascalientes live via the LPRT YouTube channel. The singles quarterfinals begin Saturday at 9 AM with the semi-finals at 5 and 6 PM, and the final on Sunday at noon. The doubles semis will be Saturday night at 7 and 8 PM and the final on Sunday at 1 PM after the singles final. All times central.

2022 LPRT Paola Longoria Grand Slam, August 12-14, 2022
Aguascalientes, Mexico

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Maria Paz Riquelme d. 16) Joselin Arevalo, 13-15, 15-5, 11-5

8) Samantha Salas - BYE
9) Carla Muñoz - BYE

5) Angelica Barrios - BYE
12) Sheryl Lotts d. 21) Yanna Salazar, 15-10, 15-11

13) Nancy Enriquez d. 20) Andrea Martinez, forfeit
4) Erika Manilla - BYE

3) Natalia Mendez - BYE
14) Cristina Amaya d. 19) Jazmin Elizabeth Aguilar, 15-0, 15-3

11) Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
6) Jessica Parrilla - BYE

7) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
10) Valeria Centellas - BYE

15) Susana Acosta v. 18) Paula Aguilar, 15-6, 15-11
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria d. 17) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-2, 15-0
8) Samantha Salas d. 9) Carla Muñoz, 15-5, 15-13

5) Angelica Barrios d. 12) Sheryl Lotts, 15-10, 10-15, 11-10
13) Nancy Enriquez d. 4) Erika Manilla, 15-10, 15-4

3) Natalia Mendez d. 14) Cristina Amaya, 15-11, 15-11
6) Jessica Parrilla d. 11) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-7, 13-15, 11-7

7) Montserrat Mejia d. 10) Valeria Centellas, 13-15, 15-4, 11-0
2) Alexandra Herrera d. 15) Susana Acosta, 15-4, 15-7

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria v. 8) Samantha Salas - 1 PM
5) Angelica Barrios v. 13) Nancy Enriquez - 9 AM

3) Natalia Mendez v. 6) Jessica Parrilla - 10 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera v. 7) Montserrat Mejia - Noon

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 8) Jazmin Elizabeth Aguilar & Paula Aguilar, 15-4, 15-3
5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 4) Natalia Mendez & Valeria Centellas, 15-5, 15-14

3) Erika Manilla & Jessica Parrilla d. 6) Nancy Enriquez & Sheryl Lotts, 11-15, 15-14, 11-5
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 7) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-4, 15-6

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 5) Carla Muñoz & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 8 PM
2) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 3) Erika Manilla & Jessica Parrilla - 7 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….