Preliminary WPRO Schedule Released

There are a few changes on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) schedule for next season, which is still preliminary, but not as many as we might have guessed given the current state of the economy. Six Tier 1 events, two Grand Slam events, and three satellite events are planned.

That's only one fewer Tier 1 event and four fewer satellite events than last year (and satellite events could easily be added). Thus, there's little change from last season, and suggests the WPRO continues to get good support for its tour despite these trying economic times.

The events that continue from last season are the Christmas Classic in Arlington, Virginia, the Terrapin Shootout in Gaithersburg, Maryland, the Miller Lite Open in York, Pennsylvania, and the Canadian Racquetball Classic, which this season will be played in Burlington, Ontario.

The Grand Slam events are also the same as last season: the US Open in Memphis, and the season ending WPRO World Championships. However, one concern is that there's no location for the WPRO World Championships yet, which is pencilled in for May 6-9, 2010.

Some changes include the long running Great Balls of Fire tournament in Miami, Florida listed as a satellite event rather than a Tier 1, as in previous seasons. Also, the first two Tier 1 events will be in new locations. The first event of the season will be in Dallas in September, and in November, Wilmington, North Carolina will be the site for the East Coast Championships.

The tournaments are nicely spaced prior to Christmas with one event a month. Then in the new year after a few satellite events, the rest of the main events (3 Tier 1s & 1 Grand Slam) are packed into less than two months at the end of season. Also in that period will be the Pan American Championships, which will be the first week of April.

Further that period will be followed by national championships in May, which will be crucial next year for making national teams for the 2010 World Championships.

That's going to be a lot of racquetball for some of the players in a short span of time.

2009/2010 WPRO TOUR SCHEDULE

SEPT 25-27 – DALLAS, TX / WPRO EKTELON TEXAS OPEN (T1)
OCT 21-25 – MEMPHIS, TN / US OPEN (GRAND SLAM)
NOV 6-8 – WILMINGTON, NC / EAST COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS (T1)
DEC 11-13 – ARLINGTON, VA / CHRISTMAS CLASSIC (T1)

*JAN 29-31 – CINCINNATI, OH / WILSON TOUR FOR HOPE PRO-AM
*FEB 6-8 – CHALFONT, PA / RACQUET AGAINST BREAST CANCER
*FEB 25-28– MIAMI, FL / GREAT BALLS OF FIRE PRO-AM

MAR 12-14 – GAITHERSBURG, MD / TERRAPIN SHOOTOUT (T1)
MAR 26-28 – YORK, PA / MILLER LITE OPEN (T1)
APR 22-25 – BURLINGTON, ON / CANADIAN RACQUETBALL CLASSIC (T1)
MAY 6-9 – WPRO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (GRAND SLAM)

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