María José Vargas
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María José Vargas Parada (born 18 March 1993) is a
Bolivian Bolivian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Bolivia ** Bolivian people ** Demographics of Bolivia ** Culture of Bolivia * SS Bolivian, SS ''Bolivian'', later SS ''Alfios'', a British-built standard cargo ship {{disambiguation ...
-born
Argentine Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
racquetball Racquetball is a racquet sport and a team sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek invented the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase vel ...
player. She is the current Pan American Champion in Women's Singles, Women's Doubles, as well as the Women's Team event. Vargas is also the current South American Racquetball Champion in Women's Singles and Doubles. Vargas has ten wins on the
Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA. Hist ...
(LPRT), and was the LPRT's #1 player in 2023-24.


2006-2012 - Early years & playing for Bolivia

Vargas played at th
International Racquetball Federation (IRF)
World Junior Championships several times as a junior player, representing Bolivia. She won Girls U12 at the 2006 IRF World Junior Championships in Tempe, Arizona, defeating the USA’s Devon Pimentelli in the final. She was a semi-finalist in Girls U14 in 2007 at World Juniors in
Cochabamba Cochabamba (; ) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital (political), capital of the Cochabamba Department and the list of cities in Bolivia, fourth largest city in Bolivia, with ...
,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
, where she lost to Aubrey O’brien of the USA, 15-6, 14-15, 11-2. Vargas and Yasmine Sabja took home bronze in Girls U16 Doubles from the 2008 World Junior Championships in Tempe, Arizona. Vargas lost in the quarterfinals of Girls U16 at 2009 World Juniors in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to Aubrey O’brien of the USA, 15-4, 15-12. Also in Santo Domingo, Vargas played doubles with Yasmine Sabja, and they were runners-up in U18 Doubles to the USA's O’brien and Danielle Key, 13-15, 15-8, 11-0. At 17, Vargas was selected to play in the 2010 World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, which was her first appearance at Worlds. She defeated Japan’s Estuko Noda, 15-5, 3-15, 11-10, to reach the quarterfinals, where she lost to USA veteran Cheryl Gudinas, 15-9, 15-7. Vargas also played doubles in Seoul with Jenny Daza, and they lost to Japan’s Naomi Wakimoto and Toshiko Sakamoto, 15-12, 15-2, in the quarterfinals. In the team competition, Bolivia lost to South Korea in the quarterfinals. Vargas won Girls U16 at World Juniors in 2010, when she defeated the USA’s Kelani Bailey in the final, 15-11, 12-15, 11-6. She also won U16 Doubles with Masiel Rivera, as they defeated Courtney Chisholm and Devon Pimentelli of the USA in the final, 15-9, 15-9. In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, at the 2011 World Junior Championships, Vargas lost in the Girls U18 Singles final, 4-15, 15-7, 11-4, to Canadian
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
. But she did win Girls U18 Doubles that year with Adriana Riveros. They defeated Mexicans Sofia Rascon and Elena Robles, 15-11, 15-5. Vargas played for Bolivia at the
2011 Pan American Games The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games () and commonly known as Guadalajara 2011, were an international multi-sport event held from October 14–30, 2011, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby c ...
in
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
,
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, where she was a bronze medalist in both Women's Singles and the Women's Team event. In singles, she beat Canadian
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
, 15-11, 15-8, in the Round of 16, and team-mate Jenny Daza in the quarterfinals, 15-6, 15-13, before losing in the semi-finals to the USA’s
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
, 15-6, 15-7. In the team event, Bolivia beat Chile in the quarterfinals, but lost to the USA in the semis. Vargas played Women’s Singles at the 2012 Pan American Championships in
Temuco Temuco () is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune, capital (political), capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The city is located south of Santiago de Chile, Santiago. The cit ...
,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, where she lost in the Round of 16 to Cristina Amaya of
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, 15-3, 15-2. Vargas’s second appearance at Worlds was at the 2012 World Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where she played Women’s Singles and the Women's Team event. Vargas defeated Dominican Claudine Garcia, 15-14, 15-6, in the Round of 32 and then lost to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 15-9, 15-3, in the Round of 16. In the Women’s Team event, Bolivia lost in Colombia, 2-1, in the Round of 16. In her last year of junior eligibility, Vargas won Girls U18 at the 2012 World Junior Racquetball Championship in Los Angeles, California, where she defeated Bolivian team-mate Adriana Riveros in the final, 15-10, 15-5. Vargas and Riveros teamed up to win Girls U18 Doubles. Thus, Vargas ended her junior years with singles titles in two of her final three years, and three consecutive doubles titles. Vargas began playing on the
Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA. Hist ...
(LPRT) in 2012. She made the semi-finals in Reseda, California in April 2013, which was only her 5th tournament. She lost that semi-final to
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8, but that result helped her finish the LPRT season as the 10th ranked player, her 1st top 10 finish on tour. In December 2013, Vargas was named LPRT Rookie of the Year.


2014-2016 - Playing for Argentina

After not playing internationally in 2013, Vargas returned to international competition in 2014, but now she was playing for
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. Perhaps ironically, Vargas’s 1st tournament for her adopted country was the 2014 Pan American Championships in Santa Cruz,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
, her native land. In Santa Cruz, she played both Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles. In singles, she beat Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador in the quarterfinals, 15-13, 15-1, and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
in the semi-finals, 15-7, 8-15, 11-2, to reach her 1st international final. Vargas won the final by defeating Mexico’s
Susana Acosta Susana Acosta (born 8 December 1976) is a Mexican racquetball player. A left handed player, Acosta has won several gold medals for Mexico, including at the 2003 Pan American Games. She's also played on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (L ...
, 15-4, 15-8. In doubles, she and Véronique Guillemette beat Vargas’s former team-mates Jenny Daza and Carola Loma of Bolivia, 15-8, 15-10, in the quarterfinals. Then in the semi-finals, they beat Maria Paz Muñoz and Veronica Sotomayor of Ecuador, 6-15, 15-11, 11-9. They lost the final to Mexicans Acosta and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
, 10-15, 15-8, 11-7. With the win in Santa Cruz, Vargas became the first player - man or woman - representing Argentina to win gold at the Pan Am Championships. At the 2014 World Championships in
Burlington, Ontario Burlington, officially the City of Burlington, is a city and List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipality in Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton Region at the west end of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Can ...
, Vargas reached the semi-finals by defeating Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, 15-5, 15-5, in the Round of 16, and Canadian Christine Richardson, 15-6, 15-1, in the quarterfinals. In the semis, she lost to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 15-5, 15-9, so she was a bronze medalist. At Worlds, Vargas again played Women’s Doubles with Véronique Guillemette. They lost to Chileans
Angela Grisar Angela Grisar (born May 2, 1973) is a Chilean retired racquetball player. She was the first South American woman's racquetball player to finish in the top 10 on the women's pro tour, doing so six straight seasons (2003-04 to 2008–09). She won ...
and
Carla Muñoz Carla Muñoz Montesinos (born February 12, 1992) is a Chilean professional racquetball player. She has won multiple medals, including the three consecutive gold medals in the USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships in 2016, 2017 ...
, 8-15, 15-3, 11-8, in the quarterfinals. The 2014-15 LPRT season was Vargas's best to date. Early in the season, she reached the final of the
US Open Racquetball Championships The UnitedHealthcare US Open Racquetball Championships is the premier professional racquetball event. It is a Grand Slam event with men and women competing from the International Racquetball Tour and Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour, respecti ...
- pro racquetball’s biggest event - for the first time, but she lost to
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
in the final, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8. She was also in the LPRT Doubles final - partnering with
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
, but losing to Longoria and Veronica Sotomayor. In December 2014, she followed up that performance with a win at the 2014 LPRT Christmas Classic in Arlington, Virginia, where she beat Rajsich in the final, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11. She defeated Alexandra Herrera in the semi-finals, 11-7, 11-1, 11-1, and Michelle Key in the quarterfinals, 11-4, 11-0, 11-5. Vargas's second LPRT tour title came later in the 2014-15 season, as she beat
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3, in the final of the 2015 New Jersey Open. She beat
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
in the semi-finals, 11-4, 2-11, 11-9, 11-4, and
Susana Acosta Susana Acosta (born 8 December 1976) is a Mexican racquetball player. A left handed player, Acosta has won several gold medals for Mexico, including at the 2003 Pan American Games. She's also played on the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (L ...
in the quarterfinals, 3-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-2. Overall, Vargas was in 9 finals, winning twice, in the 2014-15 LPRT season, and as a result she finished the season #2, a career high. She reached the podium twice at the 2015 Pan American Championships in
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
,
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
. She was again the silver medalist in Women's Doubles with Véronique Guillemette, losing the final to Mexicans
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
, 15-4, 15-13. In Women's Singles, Vargas was a bronze medalist, losing the semi-finals to Longoria, 15-3, 15-8. At the
2015 Pan American Games The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...
in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Vargas earned two silver medals: in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles with Véronique Guillemette. In the singles final, Vargas lost to
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
of Mexico, 15-12, 15-9, and in the doubles final, Vargas and Guillemette lost to Longoria and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
, 15-3, 15-4. In the Women's Team event, Vargas and Guillemette lost in the quarterfinals to Canadians
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
and
Jennifer Saunders Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School ...
. Nevertheless, Vargas's medals were the first
Pan American Games The Pan American Games, known as the Pan Am Games, is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas. It features thousands of athletes participating in competitions to win different summer sports. It is held among athletes from nations of th ...
silver medals won by an Argentine player in racquetball.


2017-present - Career resumes

Vargas had a child in 2016, so she didn’t play in the 2016-17 LPRT season. She came back to the LPRT after 17 months at the 2017 US Open, when she lost to
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
in the Round of 32, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4. That was the only tournament Vargas played in 2017, but she played most of the LPRT events in 2018, including the 2018 Peachtree Open, which she won in March 2018. It was her third LPRT win. She was in the final with
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
, and Lambert had to forfeit the match. Nonetheless, it was an impressive win, as Vargas was seeded 16th, so in order to reach the final, she had to beat top seed Jessica Parrilla, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8, in the Round of 16, 8th seed Adriana Riveros, 11-1, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, in the quarterfinals, and 4th seed Alexandra Herrera, 11-8, 11-3, 11-3, in the semi-finals. The win helped Vargas finish 9th at the end of the 2017-18 LPRT season. It was her 5th time in the season ending top 10. She returned to international competition in March 2018 at the 2018 Pan American Championships in
Temuco Temuco () is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune, capital (political), capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The city is located south of Santiago de Chile, Santiago. The cit ...
,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
. But in Vargas's return she lost in the quarterfinals of both singles and doubles albeit to the eventual champions. In Women's Singles, she lost to the USA's
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
, 15-10, 15-5. In Women's Doubles, she and Natalia Mendez lost to Mexicans
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
and Alexandra Herrera, 15-14, 15-6. Vargas was a triple gold medalist at the
2018 South American Games The 2018 South American Games was a multi-sport event that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It was the 11th edition of the ODESUR South American Games. A total of 373 sporting events are scheduled to be contested across a variety of sports. ...
in
Cochabamba Cochabamba (; ) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital (political), capital of the Cochabamba Department and the list of cities in Bolivia, fourth largest city in Bolivia, with ...
,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
. In Women’s Singles, she defeated
Carla Muñoz Carla Muñoz Montesinos (born February 12, 1992) is a Chilean professional racquetball player. She has won multiple medals, including the three consecutive gold medals in the USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships in 2016, 2017 ...
of
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, 15-5, 13-15, 11-5, in the semi-finals, and Bolivian Yasmine Sabja, 15-4, 15-6. In Women’s Doubles, Vargas and Natalia Mendez beat Bolivians Stefanny Barrios and Jenny Daza, in the doubles final, 15-11, 15-10. They also defeated Bolivia in the Women's Team competition. At the 2018 World Championships in
San José, Costa Rica San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital city, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Costa Rican Central Valley, Central Valley, wi ...
, Vargas played singles and doubles for
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. In Women's Singles, she reached the semi-finals with a win over Bolivian Yasmine Sabja, her former doubles partner from junior days, 15-2, 15-7. Vargas lost the semi-final to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 6-15, 15-2, 11-7. She played Women's Doubles with Natalia Mendez, and they lost in the quarterfinals to Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 15-2, 15-8. Vargas won her 4th LPRT title in March 2019, when she outlasted
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
in the final of the Open Bolivia American Iris tournament in
Cochabamba Cochabamba (; ) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital (political), capital of the Cochabamba Department and the list of cities in Bolivia, fourth largest city in Bolivia, with ...
,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
, winning 11-8, 10-12, 11-13, 11-3, 11-9. That was the only final she was in during the 2018-19 LPRT season, but she did reach four semi-finals, and finished the LPRT season ranked 3rd. At the 2019 Pan American Championships in
Barranquilla Barranquilla () is the capital district of the Atlántico department in Colombia. It is located near the Caribbean Sea and is the largest city and third port in the Caribbean region of Colombia, Caribbean coast region; as of 2018, it had a popul ...
,
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, Vargas was a finalist in Women’s Singles, as she beat USA veteran
Rhonda Rajsich Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She has been World Champion in Women's Singles twice, and Pan American Champion 6 times (4 times in Women's Singles & twice in Women's Doubles), as well as US Open champ ...
in the quarterfinals, 15-4, 15-8, and
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
team-mate Natalia Mendez, 15-9, 14-15, 11-7, in the semi-finals. In the final, Vargas lost to Mexico’s
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 15-7, 15-2. In Women’s Doubles, Vargas and Mendez beat Chileans
Carla Muñoz Carla Muñoz Montesinos (born February 12, 1992) is a Chilean professional racquetball player. She has won multiple medals, including the three consecutive gold medals in the USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships in 2016, 2017 ...
and Josefa Parada, 15-7, 15-8, in the Round of 16, but they lost in the quarterfinals to Longoria and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
of Mexico, 15-7, 15-6. Vargas played at the
2019 Pan American Games The 2019 Pan American Games (), officially the XVIII Pan American Games () and commonly known as Lima 2019, were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization held in Lima, Peru from July 26 to August 11, 2019, with preliminar ...
in
Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
,
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
, which was her 3rd Pan Am Games. She was a finalist in Women’s Singles. She beat the USA’s Kelani Lawrence, 15-9, 15-13, in the quarterfinals, and her old Bolivian team-mate Adriana Riveros, who was now representing
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, 15-8, 15-9, in the semi-finals. Vargas lost to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 15-7, 15-9, in the final. In Women’s Doubles, she and Natalia Mendez beat Canadians
Frédérique Lambert Frédérique T. Lambert (born March 27, 1992) is a Canadian racquetball player. Lambert is the current Canadian Champion in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles, and has won eleven Canadian Championships: six in Women's Singles and five in Women' ...
and
Jennifer Saunders Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School ...
, 15-9, 15-9, in the quarterfinals, but lost to Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez in the semi-finals, 15-9, 10-15, 11-1. Then in the Women’s Team event, Vargas and Mendez were runners-up to Mexico. Thus, Vargas took home three medals - two silver and one bronze - from Lima. In the 2019-20 LPRT season Vargas was in six finals, winning once. She defeated
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
in September 2019 at the LPRT By The Beach tournament in Virginia Beach, Virginia, winning 7-15, 15-12, 11-4, in the final for her 5th win on tour. At the
2022 Pan American Racquetball Championships The 2022 Pan American Championships were held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, April 9-16. Bolivian Angélica Barrios won Women's Singles and fellow Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso won Men's Singles, and both Barrios and Moscoso won for the first t ...
in
Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; ), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz department. Situated on the Pirai River (Bolivia), Pirai River in the eastern Tropical ...
,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
, Vargas won Women’s Doubles with Natalia Mendez, beating Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and
Samantha Salas Samantha Salas Solís (born 15 December 1986) is a Mexican racquetball player. Salas has won six World Championship titles in her career - five in Women's Doubles (all with Paola Longoria) and one in Mixed Doubles (with Rodrigo Montoya). She h ...
in the final, 15-14, 14-15, 15-10, 8-15, 11-9. Vargas and Mendez also defeated Mexico to win the Women's Team title. She played Women's Singles as well, and lost in the final to Bolivian Angelica Barrios, 14-15, 10-15, 15-10, 15-14, 12-10. Vargas got two medals at the
2023 Pan American Racquetball Championships The 2023 Pan American Championships were held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 1–8. Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso won Men's Singles for the second consecutive year, and Montserrat Mejia won Women's Singles for the first time. Moscoso's win was th ...
in Guatemala City, Guatemala: a silver in singles and bronze in mixed doubles. In singles, she defeated Costa Rican Maricruz Ortiz in the semi-finals, 11-2, 11-6, 11-9, but lost the final to Mexican Montserrat Mejia, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9. In mixed doubles, she and Diego Garcia lost to Mexicans
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
and
Rodrigo Montoya Rodrigo Montoya (born June 4, 1996) is a Mexican racquetball player. He is the current International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in both the Men's Team competition and Mixed Doubles (with Samantha Salas), winning those titles at t ...
in the semi-finals, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 17-15. At the
2023 Pan American Games The 2023 Pan American Games (), officially the XIX Pan American Games () and commonly known as Santiago 2023, were an international multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, held in Santiago, Chile from 20 October to 5 Novem ...
in
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, Vargas earned four medals: three silver and one bronze. In
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
, she lost in the semi-finals to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7. Vargas and Natalia Mendez played Women's Doubles, and they defeated Americans Michelle Key and Erika Manilla in the quarterfinals, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 12-10, and Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia in the semi-finals, 5-11, 11-13, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7. But they lost the final to Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez, 11-2, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6. In Mixed Doubles, Vargas and Diego Garcia defeated Bolivians
Angélica Barrios Angélica Barrios (born May 5, 2000) is a Bolivian racquetball player. Barrios is the current Pan American Champion in Mixed Doubles, winning the title at the 2023 Pan American Racquetball Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and a form ...
and
Conrrado Moscoso Conrrado Moscoso (born September 26, 1995) is a Bolivian racquetball player. He is a formeInternational Racquetball Federation(IRF) Men's Singles World Champion, which he won at the 2022 Racquetball World Championships in San Luis Potosí, Mexi ...
in the semi-finals, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, but lost the final to Americans Adam Manilla and Erika Manilla, 11-4, 11-4, 11-6. Finally, in the Women's Team event, Vargas and Mendez were runners up to the Mexican team. Vargas won three gold medals at the
2024 Pan American Racquetball Championships The 2024 Pan American Racquetball Championships were held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, March 23–30. Argentina's Maria Jose Vargas won both Women's Singles and Women's Doubles with Natalia Mendez. Mexican Rodrigo Montoya won Men's Singles, and ...
. In singles, she defeated Chilean
Carla Muñoz Carla Muñoz Montesinos (born February 12, 1992) is a Chilean professional racquetball player. She has won multiple medals, including the three consecutive gold medals in the USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships in 2016, 2017 ...
in the final, 11-1, 11-3, 11-5. In doubles, she and Natalia Mendez defeated Americans Naomi Ros and Lexi York in the final, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9. They also won the Women's Team competition, defeating the Dominican Republic in the final. At the 2024 World Championships in San Antonio, Texas, Vargas won three medals. She and Natalia Mendez got silver in Women's Doubles, losing in the final to Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and Montserrat Mejia, 11-3, 9-11, 15-13, 7-11, 11-7. She also helped Argentina to silver in the Women's Team event, as losing to Mexico in the final. Vargas also played singles at Worlds, earning a bronze medal, as she defeated American Kelani Lawrence in the quarterfinals, 8-11, 12-14, 14-12, 11-7, 11-8, but lost to Mexican
Paola Longoria Paola Michelle Longoria López (born 20 July 1989) is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the current Women's World Champion in Singles and the Team event, winning both divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) 2024 World Ch ...
in the semi-finals, 11-9, 16-14, 9-11, 11-5.


Career summary

Vargas was the #1 player on the
Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA. Hist ...
(LPRT) in 2023-24, when she won five of the eight tournaments that season. It was the 11th time she'd been ranked in the LPRT top 10. Internationally, Vargas initially played for her native Bolivia, earning two medals, but since then she has played for Argentina, winning many medals, including gold at the Pan American Championships and the
South American Games The South American Games (also known as ODESUR Games; Spanish: ''Juegos Suramericanos''; Portuguese: ''Jogos Sul-Americanos''), formerly the Southern Cross Games (Spanish: ''Juegos Cruz del Sur'') is a regional multi-sport event held between nat ...
.


Career record

This table lists Vargas's results across annual events.


See also

*
List of racquetball players This is a list of notable racquetball players. Racquetball players are presumed to be notable under the following criteria. :1. The player has finished a season ranked in the top 10 of the men’s or women’s pro tours (i.e., the Internation ...


Notes


References


External link


Maria Jose Vargas
at LPRT (archived)
Maria Jose Vargas
at Pro Racquetball Stats * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vargas, Maria Jose 1993 births Living people Argentine racquetball players Pan American Games silver medalists for Argentina Pan American Games bronze medalists for Bolivia Racquetball players at the 2011 Pan American Games Racquetball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Racquetball players at the 2019 Pan American Games Racquetball players at the 2023 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games South American Games gold medalists for Argentina South American Games medalists in racquetball Competitors at the 2018 South American Games Argentine sportswomen Bolivian emigrants to Argentina Naturalized citizens of Argentina Sportspeople from Santa Cruz de la Sierra Pan American Games silver medalists in racquetball Pan American Games bronze medalists in racquetball