Mexico’s Paola Longoria is Racquetball’s Shining Star

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She’s ranked No. 1 on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, where she boasts 34-tournament and 137-match winning streaks.

ATLANTA, U.S.A. – At times, Paola Longoria makes her sport look easy.

The petite Mexican star, all 5-feet-5 of her, has spent the better part of six years on a dominant rise to the No. 1 ranking for the international Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, where she boasts eye-popping, 34-tournament and 137-match winning streaks. Her gold medal haul from the world's top tournaments grows yearly.

It wasn’t always that way, though.

During a visit to the United States for a May 24-25 clinic, Longoria discussed her early days on the professional tour when she was a teenager barely getting into tournaments and regularly drawing the highest-seeded players in the field.

“When I got to tournaments I was always playing the No. 1 or No. 2,” said Longoria, who was born in San Luis Potosí and now lives in Monterrey, where she attends college. “I had to call and say, ‘Mom I already lost.’ Over time, I improved my level and now I’m No. 1 and very happy about that.

“But it was tough being a professional at first. When I got to the tournaments and lost in the first round, it seemed like I spent more time on flights than on courts. It was kind of funny. Those experiences you learn from and that makes you stronger with more experience.”

Longoria, who turns 25 in July, is the most accomplished player in the world, as well as an ambassador for her sport – in Mexico and beyond.

She was presented with the 2010 National Sports Award for her performance and lifetime achievement – prompting then-Mexican president Felipe Calderón to compare her racquetball contributions to those of the legendary Lorena Ochoa in golf. She also earned a spot on Forbes’ 2013 list of the 50 most influential women in Mexico, alongside figures like actress Salma Hayek, Calderón’s wife Margarita Zavala and singer Paulina Rubio.

“I was very happy,” said Longoria, her smile growing wider as she discusses the ranking. “It’s for the way your career is going, the way you’re an example for the young kids. It was a great experience to be in there with all these powerful women. Forbes is big in Mexico and around the world. It was nice to share my experiences with people who read the magazine, to let them know that my career wasn’t easy. They didn’t give me everything. I worked really hard to get to the top of the rankings and I want to stay No. 1.”

The journey to No. 1 began when Longoria was an 8-year-old participant at a sports camp that included racquetball. The smaller racquet suited her tiny frame better than that of a more popular option, tennis, and the idea of playing an indoor sport appealed to her.

From there, a racquetball pioneer began to emerge and a run of junior world championships ensued. She won her first U.S. Open at just 18, becoming both the event’s youngest and first Mexican winner.

After that breakthrough win, she moved for a year to the city of Sacramento in the U.S. state of California to play in tournaments more frequently and work on her game.

“[Back then], racquetball wasn’t a big deal where I’m from, honestly,” Longoria said. “When I started playing racquetball, I didn’t think it would be a huge deal like it is now. Knowing my government right now supports the racquetball program a lot and they treat us the same as athletes who have Olympic sports, that is very nice to have that support. In past years, they haven’t had tournaments in Mexico. Right now because I’ve been No. 1 for three years and undefeated, the government said it would be good to see me play in my home country. We have a tournament in Toluca, another one in Mexico City and one is my invitational in Monterrey.”

The support from Mexico fuels Longoria when she competes for her country internationally, which she has done very well throughout her young career.

She won the gold medal in singles at the last World Championships in 2012, a first for a Mexican woman, in addition to repeating as doubles champion with partner Samantha Salas. She takes the court for Mexico again June 14-21 at this year’s World Championships in Canada.

“It’s very special to represent my country,” Longoria said. “To go to other countries and play for Mexico, I’m very proud of that. I’m proud to be part of the Mexican team. When you’re playing in World or Pan American Games to win gold for your country, it means a lot for them, for the way my team and my country support me.”

Another type of support comes from a lengthy list of sponsors, from companies like Head, Oakley and Nike. Then comes the backing of her immediate team – coach, trainer, sports psychologist, doctor and therapist.

All together, they help Longoria keep racquetball moving smoothly so she can tackle other goals.

One of those is her education. She graduated last year with a college degree in engineer and mechanic administration and began working on a master’s degree. She currently mixes her graduate studies with racquetball, creating a hectic schedule.

“To have the ability to promote my sport more on TV, in newspapers, is important,” Longoria said. “This sport could be in the Olympics because it’s really fast. It’s a very extreme sport. My work is to promote this sport more all the time and try to increase the level of play on the tour. I try to improve the juniors program in Mexico with clinics, tips and playing with the kids. I want to share the experiences from all the years I’ve been playing the sport. It’s nice how they support the juniors program in Mexico. They’re the future of the sport.”

Longoria is racquetball’s present, and she doesn’t plan on slowing down soon. Her goal is to stay atop her sport – not as easy a feat as she makes it look.

“Now that I’m No. 1, you have the pressure to keep winning,” she said. “All the girls want to be you and break your record. But I like the pressure. It keeps me motivated to keep working hard.”

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