Early round action at 2024 LPRT Arizona Open

The top 8 seeds are all through to the quarterfinals in singles at the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Arizona Open in Tempe, Arizona, although the story is a bit different in doubles.

LPRT #1 Montserrat Mejia beat 17th seed Lexi York, 15-1, 15-2, in the Round of 16 Friday, and will play her doubles partner, Alexandra Herrera, in the quarters. Herrera - the LPRT’s #8 player - defeated veteran Samantha Salas, LPRT #9, 15-3, 15-1, in the 16s.

LPRT #2 Maria José Vargas defeated 15th seed Hollie Scott, 15-3, 15-11, and will play LPRT #7 Angelica Barrios, who was a straight game winner over LPRT #10 Natalia Mendez, 15-6, 15-10.

Also, LPRT #3 Paola Longoria beat 14th seed Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-4, and will play LPRT #6 Gabriela Martinez, who needed a tie-breaker to defeat Kelani Lawrence, 15-4, 10-15, 11-3.

LPRT #4 Brenda Laime defeated 13th seed Jessica Parrilla, 15-0, 15-14, and in the quarters will play LPRT #5 Erika Manilla, who had to come back from a game down to get past LPRT #12 Carla Muñoz, 13-15, 15-11, 11-1.

There were two tie-breakers in the Round of 32. In one, Parrilla came back from a game down to beat 20th seed Nancy Enriquez, 9-15, 15-8, 11-4. In the other, Mendez held on to defeat the veteran left-hander Susana Acosta, 15-9, 14-15, 11-5.

In doubles, the two top seeds won, but the three and four seeds lost in the quarterfinals on Friday. Top seeds Herrera and Mejia defeated 9th seeds Parrilla and Enriquez, 15-5, 15-9, and will face 5th seeds Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, who upset the 4th seeds Laime and Vargas, 15-8, 12-15, 11-3

Second seeds Longoria and Salas defeated 7th seeds Michelle Key and Manilla, 15-12, 15-10, and will play 6th seeds Angelica Barrios and Carla Muñoz, who were winners over 3rd seeds Kelani Lawrence and Hollie Scott, 15-12, 15-6.

Play continues Saturday morning with the quarterfinals at 10 and 11 AM followed by the semi-finals at 3 and 4 PM. The doubles semi-finals will be Saturday at 5 and 6 PM. The finals will be at 11 AM (singles) and noon (doubles) on Sunday. You can watch the action live from Arizona via the LPRT YouTube channel. All times Mountain.

LPRT Arizona Open - Presented by The Madison Trust
Tempe, Arizona - January 12-14, 2024

Singles Round of 32 - Friday

1) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
17) Lexi York d. 16) Maria Paz Riquelme, 15-6, 15-2

9) Samantha Salas d. 24) Lucia Gonzalez, 15-4, 15-3
8) Alexandra Herrera d. 25) Michelle Key, 15-1, 15-9

5) Erika Manilla - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz d. 21) Naomi Ros, 15-13, 15-4

13) Jessica Parrilla d. 20) Nancy Enriquez, 9-15, 15-8, 11-4
4) Brenda Laime - BYE

3) Paola Longoria - BYE
14) Cristina Amaya d. 19) Sunshine Arterburn, 15-1, 15-0

11) Kelani Lawrence d. 22) Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-10, 15-7
6) Gabriela Martinez - BYE

7) Angelica Barrios d. 26) Mariafernanda Trujillo, 15-6, 15-2
10) Natalia Mendez d. 23) Susana Acosta, 15-9, 14-15, 11-5

15) Hollie Scott d. 18) Stephanie Synhorst, 15-2, 15-3
2) Maria José Vargas - BYE

Singles Round of 16 - Friday

1) Montserrat Mejia d. 17) Lexi York, 15-1, 15-2
8) Alexandra Herrera d. 9) Samantha Salas, 15-3, 15-1

5) Erika Manilla d. 12) Carla Muñoz, 13-15, 15-11, 11-1
4) Brenda Laime d. 13) Jessica Parrilla, 15-0, 15-14

3) Paola Longoria d. 14) Cristina Amaya, 15-1, 15-4
6) Gabriela Martinez d. 11) Kelani Lawrence, 15-4, 10-15, 11-3

7) Angelica Barrios d. 10) Natalia Mendez, 15-6, 15-10
2) Maria José Vargas d. 15) Hollie Scott, 15-3, 15-11

Singles Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Montserrat Mejia v. 8) Alexandra Herrera - 11 AM
4) Brenda Laime v. 5) Erika Manilla - 11 AM

3) Paola Longoria v. 6) Gabriela Martinez - 10 AM
2) Maria José Vargas v. 7) Angelica Barrios - 10 AM

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
9) Jessica Parrilla & Nancy Enriquez d. 8) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme, 12-15, 15-5, 15-2

5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
4) Brenda Laime & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - BYE
6) Angelica Barrios & Carla Muñoz d. Lucia Gonzalez & Stephanie Synhorst, 15-7, 15-3

7) Michelle Key & Erika Manilla d. Naomi Ros & Lexi York, 15-14, 15-2
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE

Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia d. 9) Jessica Parrilla & Nancy Enriquez, 15-5, 15-9
5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez d. 4) Brenda Laime & Maria Jose Vargas, 15-8, 12-15, 11-3

6) Angelica Barrios & Carla Muñoz d. 3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott, 15-12, 15-6
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas d. 7) Michelle Key & Erika Manilla, 15-12, 15-10

Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia v. 5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - 6 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas v. 6) Angelica Barrios & Carla Muñoz - 5 PM

Follow the bouncing ball….

2024 LPRT Arizona Open - Preview

The first Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) event of 2024 is the LPRT Arizona Open, and it begins today in Tempe, Arizona. There are 26 players in the draw with top 14 ranked players and 19 of the top 20 in the field. LPRT #1 Montserrat Mejia leads the field, and also the top seed in doubles with Alexandra Herrera. Maria Jose Vargas, a two time winner this season, is the LPRT’s #2 player with former #1 Paola Longoria in the #3 spot. Brenda Laime rounds out the top four.

Some of the interesting early round matches will be Herrera, LPRT #8, versus 25th seed Michelle Key, LPRT #13 Jessica Parrilla plays 20th seed Nancy Enriquez, LPRT #11 Kelani Lawrence against 22nd seed Maria Renee Rodriguez, and Mendez faces veteran left-hander Susana Acosta, the 23rd seed.

Curiously, Laime and Vargas are playing doubles together, although Vargas’s usual doubles partner Natalia Mendez is in Tempe. However, Mendez isn’t in the doubles field, and she suffered an injury last month ahead of the Christmas Classic, so Mendez may not want to push herself in two divisions this time out.

Laime and Vargas will play the Pan American Games gold medalists Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez in the quarterfinals Friday evening.

Play begins Friday morning at 9 AM with the singles Round of 32, and the Round of 16 will be Friday afternoon from 2 PM. The doubles Round of 16 begins at noon Friday with the quarterfinals at 6 and 7 PM. The finals will be at 11 AM (singles) and noon (doubles) on Sunday. You can watch the action live from Arizona via the LPRT YouTube channel. All times Mountain.

LPRT Arizona Open - Presented by The Madison Trust
Tempe, Arizona - January 12-14, 2024

Singles Round of 32 - Friday

1) Montserrat Mejia - BYE
16) Maria Paz Riquelme v. 17) Lexi York - 10 AM

9) Samantha Salas v. 24) Lucia Gonzalez - 10 AM
8) Alexandra Herrera v. 25) Michelle Key - 10 AM

5) Erika Manilla - BYE
12) Carla Muñoz v. 21) Naomi Ros - 9 AM

13) Jessica Parrilla v. 20) Nancy Enriquez - 9 AM
4) Brenda Laime - BYE

3) Paola Longoria - BYE
14) Cristina Amaya v. 19) Sunshine Arterburn - 9 AM

11) Kelani Lawrence v. 22) Maria Renee Rodriguez - 9 AM
6) Gabriela Martinez - BYE

7) Angelica Barrios v. 26) Mariafernanda Trujillo - 11 AM
10) Natalia Mendez v. 23) Susana Acosta - 11 AM

15) Hollie Scott v. 18) Stephanie Synhorst - 11 AM
2) Maria José Vargas - BYE

Doubles - Round of 16 - Friday

1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia - BYE
8) Cristina Amaya & Maria Paz Riquelme v. 9) Jessica Parrilla & Nancy Enriquez - Noon

5) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez - BYE
4) Brenda Laime & Maria Jose Vargas - BYE

3) Kelani Lawrence & Hollie Scott - BYE
6) Angelica Barrios & Carla Muñoz v. Lucia Gonzalez & Stephanie Synhorst - Noon

7) Michelle Key & Erika Manilla v. Naomi Ros & Lexi York - Noon
2) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

Top 10 Racquetball Stories of 2023

Happy New Year! A Racquetball Blog staff member thinks it's OK to say that early in a new year as long as you haven’t seen the other person. As this is our first post of 2024, we think it’s still OK to say happy new year and with you all the best in 2024.

Somehow we didn’t do a “Stories of the Year” for 2022 (the staff member responsible has been disciplined), but we want to rectify that with our Stories of 2023.

Top 10 Racquetball Stories of 2023

10) Adam and Erika Manilla. The Manilla siblings had a great year in 2023, as they won Mixed Doubles at the USA Racquetball National Championships and followed that up with gold at the Pan American Games, becoming the inaugural winners of that division at Pan Ams. They were also some of the organizers of the Golden State Open - the last event of the 2023 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) season, which featured the all glass court for the first time since it was seen at the 2022 World Games.

9) Rodrigo Montoya. Rodrigo Montoya got his first win on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) in 2023. He is also the #1 doubles player on tour, winning four doubles titles in 2023. Playing for Mexico, Montoya won Men’s Doubles at the Pan American Championships (with Eduardo Portillo) and at the Pan American Games (with Javier Mar).

8) Absences. There were some things missing from racquetball in 2023. Neither Rocky Carson nor Rhonda Rajsich were on Team USA at the Pan American Games, which was the first time Carson had missed in 20 years and Rajsich’s first miss after three games in a row. Similarly, Alvaro Beltran wasn’t on Team Mexico at the Pan Am Games. None of them were seen much on their respective pro tours either, as time seems to be catching up with those veterans, who are now all well into their 40s. They also weren’t at the US Open, nor was anyone else, as USA Racquetball chose not to run the event in 2023 due to budget constraints. It’s the first time it hadn’t been held since 1996 (aside from the COVID cancellation in 2020).

7) Daniel De La Rosa. Daniel De La Rosa finished #1 on the IRT for the third year in a row. But he didn’t win the most events, and in his first international appearance for the USA, De La Rosa came away with just one medal over three events at the Pan American Games. So there was good and bad in 2023 for De La Rosa. Moreover, in December he indicated that his focus moving forward was going to be on pickleball, rather than racquetball. Losing the #1 player to another sport is a sad thing.

6) Maria José Vargas. Maria José Vargas returned to competition in 2023, and what a return. She won four medals at the Pan American Games, including silver in Women’s Doubles and the Women’s Team event (both with Natalia Mendez). Vargas defeated Paola Longoria three times on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) and also beat her at the Pan American Championships, where Vargas came second to Montserrat Mejia. She’s won two of the first three LPRT events this season, which has her currently ranked 2nd. 2024 could be even better for Vargas than 2023.

5) Pan American Games. 2024 was a Pan Am Games year, which is the largest multi-sport event featuring racquetball. The matches did not disappoint with several great results. As mentioned above, the Manilla siblings - Adam & Erika - won the 1st Mixed Doubles gold medal at Pan Ams. Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez won their 1st Women’s Doubles gold medal in international play (technically that was for the Caribe Sport Organization as the Guatemala Olympic Committee isn’t recognized currently). There was an all Bolivian men’s final with Conrrado Moscoso beating Carlos Keller, and an all Mexico women’s final with Paola Longoria getting the best of Montserrat Mejia. Mexicans Javier Mar and Rodrigo Montoya defeated Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Samuel Murray in the Men’s Doubles final, but the Canadians bested Mexico in the Men’s Team semi-finals, though they lost to Bolivia in the final. Mexico took the Women’s Team final, though they needed the third match to do it with Mejia and Alexandra Herrera eking out a win over Argentina’s Natalia Mendez and Maria José Vargas.

4) Kane Waselenchuk. Kane Waselenchuk made a return to the courts in the fall after suffering an achilles injury in September 2022. He had some good results, beating Adam Manilla and Conrrado Moscoso in Boston in November, though Moscoso beat him in California in December. Clearly, Waselenchuk can still play well. Can he play well enough to win another IRT title? Maybe more importantly, can he play well enough to satisfy his own standards, which must be very high given the exceptional quality that Waselenchuk has played at throughout his career. Waselenchuk has 124 IRT wins. Will he get the 125th in 2024?

3) Paola Longoria. For the first time since 2011, Paola Longoria was not the #1 player on the LPRT. It was eventually going to happen, but still it was surprising that it happened in 2023. She’d won most of the events the season before, and there was no obvious successor. But Longoria lost to four different players on the LPRT in 2023, three of whom she’d never previously lost to on tour. However, Longoria did win gold in Women’s Singles at the Pan Am Games, which was her 4th consecutive gold medal at Pan Ams, and helped Mexico to a 4th consecutive gold medal in the Women’s Team event. Thus, Longoria still has a lot of game left, and it would not be a surprise if she regained the #1 position on the LPRT in 2024.

2) Conrrado Moscoso. Conrrado Moscoso won both the Pan American Games and the Pan American Championships in 2023, which is just the second time a man has done that (Jack Huczek won both in 2003). He also had more IRT wins in 2023 than anyone else, including winning the last event of the season, but finished 2nd in the rankings behind Daniel De La Rosa. Mosocso also helped Bolivia win the Men’s Team event at the Pan Am Games and took the Mixed Doubles title (with Angelica Barrios) at the Pan Am Championships. A very good year indeed.

1) Montserrat Mejia. Montserrat Mejia finished as the #1 player on the LPRT in 2023. An accomplishment that no one in The Racquetball Blog office saw coming. She’d only won once on tour prior to the 2022-23 season, but won five times that season to claim the #1 position and end Paola Longoria’s 11 year run at #1. Amazing. Mejia also won the Pan American Championships in singles and doubles, and won doubles and the team event at the Pan American Games. She lost to Longoria in the singles final at Pan Am Games, and has yet to win in the 2023-24 LPRT season, but nonetheless Mejia’s accomplishments fully merit her being the top racquetball story of 2023.

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It’s 2024. On with the show, this is it.

Follow the bouncing ball….