A Big Week

It's a big week for racquetball, as the ultimate and penultimate pro tournaments are taking place this weekend. Sports hyperbole would say (or perhaps scream) it's "THE BIGGEST WEEK OF THE SEASON!" Probably adding a few exclamation points. But that would be discounting, if not actually ignoring, what went on before. And it's what's happened already that has made this a big week.

Women's Professional Racquetball Organization

The Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) season concludes with the Ektelon WPRO World Championships in Stockton, California. On the line is the #1 position. Rhonda Rajsich is currently #1, but Paola Longoria, currently #2, could become #1 with a better performance than Rajsich in Stockton.

There are rumours that Rajsich would have to outperform Longoria by a wide margin - winning the event versus a Round of 16 loss, say - but The Racquetball Blog has it on good authority - WPRO Board Member and player, Brenda Kyzer - that Rajsich can retain the top spot by getting deeper in the tournament, or, if they both reach the final, with a victory over Longoria in the final.

The Racquetball Blog Readers aren't putting much faith in Rajsich to stay on top, as our poll is running about 3/4s in favour of Longoria being #1 this time next week.

International Racquetball Tour

The International Racquetball Tour's (IRT's) second last Tier 1 event of the season also happens this weekend, but on the other side of the USA. The Dennis Rosenberg Pro Am takes place in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it could be where Kane Waselenchuk takes over the top spot.

Waselenchuk's currently third, but Jack Huczek, who's second, and Rocky Carson, first, have a lot of points to defend in the last two events of the season. Rankings involve performances over the last 12 months, so last season as well as this season. Carson and Huczek were in the finals of the last two tournaments of last season with each winning one, so they need to do as well in those events this season or they will lose points.

Furthermore, they have points from last season's Mexico Open event, where Carson beat Huczek in the final, but that didn't happen this season, so they will lose points as a result.

Thus, it could be possible that a Waselenchuk victory could put him into the #1 position, if Huczek and Carson don't perform well in Allentown.

Follow the bouncing ball....