Friday, December 9, 2022

30th Annual LPRT Christmas Classic - Preview

The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is in Millersville, Maryland for the 30th Annual Christmas Classic. There are 22 players in the field led by LPRT #1 Paola Longoria, who is in the unusual position of not coming off a win in either singles or doubles at the last LPRT event in Illinois. In Illinois, Montserrat Mejia won singles, and Alexandra Herrera and Samantha Salas won doubles.

All of those players are in Maryland, and will be looking to repeat those successes.

Standing in Longoria’s way of a Christmas gift could be two players who have beaten her before, and that’s before she gets to the semi-finals. Gabriela Martinez is seeded 17th, but has beaten Longoria in international play. They could meet in the Round of 16.

If Longoria survives that, she could face Brenda Laime in the quarterfinals, and Laime, the 8th seed, defeated Longoria earlier this season. Laime will need to defeat 9th seed Kelani Lawrence for that to happen, which won’t be an easy feat.

With Martinez in Maryland, she’ll be playing doubles with long time partner Maria Renee Rodriguez. They are seeded 4th, and will first face 5th seeds Lawrence and Hollie Scott.

Interestingly, Longoria is not seeded #1 or 2 in doubles with Mejia. Rather they are the 3rd seeds with Herrera and Salas top seeds and the US Open Champions Erika Manilla and Natalia Mendez seeded 2nd.

You can watch the action from Maryland live via the LPRT YouTube channel. Singles play begins Friday morning with the Round of 32, followed by the first round of doubles at noon. The singles Round of 16 begins at 3 PM on Friday afternoon with the quarterfinals of doubles going off at 7 and 8 PM Friday evening. The singles final will be noon Sunday with the doubles final to go at 1 PM Sunday. All times EST.

2022 LPRT 30th Annual Christmas Classic, December 9-11, 2022
Millersville, Maryland

Round of 32 - Friday

1) Paola Longoria - BYE
17) Gabriela Martinez v. 16) Nancy Enriquez - 11 AM

9) Brenda Laime - BYE
8) Kelani Lawrence - BYE

5) Natalia Mendez - BYE
12) Sheryl Lotts v. 21) Lexi York - 10 AM

13) Valeria Centellas v. 20) Sunshine Arterburn - 10 AM
4) Erika Manilla - BYE

3) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
14) Maria Renee Rodriguez v. 19) Susana Acosta - 10 AM

11) Hollie Scott v. 22) Laura Brandt - 11 AM
6) Jessica Parrilla - BYE

7) Carla Muñoz - BYE
10) Samantha Salas - BYE

15) Cristina Amaya v. 18) Maria Paz Riquelme - 11 AM
2) Alexandra Herrera - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas - BYE
8) Sheryl Lotts & Nancy Enriquez v. 9) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme - Noon

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

3) Paola Longoria & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
6) Valeria Centellas & Jessica Parrilla - BYE

7) Brenda Laime & Carla Muñoz v. 10) Susana Acosta v. Lexi York - Noon
2) Erika Manilla & Natalia Mendez - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

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