Two Exciting Finals at 6th Sweet Caroline Open

The LPRT was invited back to Greenville, South Carolina in May for the 6th annual Sweet Caroline Open presented by Proactive MD. This unique event, which exudes southern hospitality, could really be a blueprint for other groups interested in hosting the pro tour. The SCO group of volunteers fundraise over a year’s time to support charities in the local community while combining their efforts to showcase the LPRT in a local amateur racquetball tournament. This year, they successfully chose two charitable organizations: Fostering Great Ideas and Carolina C.O.P.S. Fostering Great Ideas advocates for children and teens who struggle in the foster care system by providing significant support to them during their foster care journey (fgi4kids.org), and Carolina C.O.P.S. assists the families and departments of the those who have fallen in the line of duty (carolinacops.org).
Supportive fans enjoyed exciting finals in both singles and doubles. Paola Longoria (MEX) won the SCO pro singles title for the 6th time. Nipping at her heals was #2 ranked player Alexandra Herrera (MEX) who had won the last two LPRT events (Boston and Vero Beach), and who took Longoria to an edge of your seat, 11-7 tiebreaker this time. Longoria faced Jessica Parilla (MEX) in the semifinals, while Herrera faced first time semifinalist Kelani Lawrence (USA). The pro doubles title was won by the #2 seeds, Herrera and Parilla, who were a dominate force playing the final almost flawlessly. They overcame #1 seeds Longoria and partner Samantha Salas Solis (MEX) in two games.

Honorable mention goes to the junior doubles team of Shane Diaz (USA) and Naomi Ros (USA) who battled to an 11-6 tiebreaker against the talented duo of Veteran and former World Champ Aimee Roehler (USA) with partner and up and coming LPRT top 10 Erika Manilla (USA).
In singles action the honorable mention goes to the performance by Maria Renee Rodriguez (GUA) who won a tiebreaker match over Adriana Riveros (COL), her first time besting the Colombian, then went on to take #3 ranked tour player Maria Jose Vargas to a close tiebreaker.

The event location, Sportsclub Greenville, houses the Ladies Professional Racquetball Hall of Fame, which we thank PCPMG piedmontpain.com for sponsoring again this year. This year the LPRT, along with Hall of Fame Committee Chairperson Malia Bailey, committee members Lynette Froelich, Shari Copelan, Mary Kirchoff, and former pro Laura Fenton Kovanda, celebrated Shannon Wright as the inductee for 2022. Wright dominated women’s racquetball throughout the late 1970’s and early 80’s. During her 12-year career she racked up over 35 professional tournament victories, captured 7 National Championships, and finished #1 on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Association (LPRA) Tour four times. To view the full induction ceremony along with all of the archived matches from this event, please visit the LPRT YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ladies+professional+racquetball+tour.

Southern hospitality, plenty of great food, friendly tournament volunteers, a Saturday night out at the county bar (with bull riding), and the annual trays of banana pudding, all contributed to making the Sweet Caroline Open 2022 a memorable one. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make the SCO possible, along with all the supporting sponsors.