Thursday, September 19, 2013

LPRT - 2013 Abierto Mexicano de Racquetas PREVIEW

For the second consecutive year the Ladies Pro Racquetball Tour (LPRT) is in Toluca, Mexico for the Abierto Mexicano de Racquetas tournament. And once again twenty one players will be there battling for one of the, if not THE, biggest purses of the season. LPRT #1 Paola Longoria - recently part of a group photo on the cover of Forbes magazine's Mexican edition - will try to extend her tournament winning streak that extends back to May 2011.

As in the first LPRT event of the season - the Stockton Pro-Am - the field has some of the bright young LPRT players, as injuries keep three of the of the top veteran players out of action: Kerri Wachtel (shoulder injury), Samantha Salas and Cheryl Gudinas (both with foot injuries). Jessica Parrilla, a promising young Mexican player, is playing at the 3 Wallball World Championships, which is a LPRT satellite event.

Longoria may have to meet the finalist from Stockton in the quarter finals, as Veronica Sotomayor is seeded 8th this weekend. However, before that - in the Round of 16 - Sotomayor needs to defeat Canadian Champion Jennifer Saunders and Longoria must beat the winner of Sharon Jackson and Diana Aguilar.

Another potential quarter final match up on the top side of the draw is between Bolivian Maria Jose Vargas and veteran American Adrienne Haynes, although to se that up they'll have to defeat Carla Muñoz and Linda Scales, respectively.

On the bottom side of the draw, LPRT #3 Susana Acosta will likely face Sofia Rascon in the 16s, and Rascon upset Haynes and reached the semi-finals in Stockton, so she's not someone to take lightly.

Also on the bottom of the draw, a potential match of interest is LPRT #2 Rhonda Rajsich versus Canadian Frédérique Lambert, as Lambert defeated Rajsich in the 2012 Pan American Championships. To set up that match, Lambert has to first defeat Carolina Luque.

Thus, there will be plenty of interesting matches going on in Toluca this weekend.

Play begins on Friday morning with the Round of 32 matches. The Round of 16 matches will be Friday afternoon and evening, then the quarter finals and semi-finals will go on Saturday and final on Sunday.

2013 Abierto Mexicano de Racquetas
Toluca, Mexico

LPRT Round of 32 (with seeding)


1 Paola Longoria BYE
16 Sharon Jackson v. 17 Diana Aguilar

9 Jennifer Saunders BYE
8 Veronica Sotomayor BYE

5 Maria Jose Vargas BYE
12 Carla Muñoz v. 21 Natalia Villagomez Beltran

13 Linda Scales v. 20 Anna Kristyn Rivera Droves
4 Adrienne Haynes BYE

3 Susana Acosta BYE
14 Sofia Rascon v. 19 Erin Rivera

11 Hailey Miller BYE
6 Cristina Amaya BYE

7 Da'monique Davis BYE
10 Maria Paz Muñoz BYE

15 Frédérique Lambert v. 18 Carolina Luque
2 Rhonda Rajsich BYE

Follow the bouncing ball….

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