US OPEN - Who will win?

The Racquetball Blog's US Open poll on who will win has now closed, and we're surprised by some of the results. It's not surprising that the majority of respondents think Kane Waselenchuk is going to win on the men's side, although both Rocky Carson and Jack Huczek got significant support.

But on the women's side, Paola Longoria, the top seed and defending champion, was not who most people thought would be holding the trophy on Sunday. Rather people selected Rhonda Rajsich, the second seed, as most likely to come out on top.

Further, only two people voted for Cheryl Gudinas as the winner. That despite the fact that she has been in the US Open final three years running all be it without winning the trophy that she's put her name on twice in 2002 and 2004.

We believe that Gudinas is still a primary threat to halt Longoria's reign as US Open champion. But the field may be more open than ever. For example, Kristen Bellows's first tournnament win in May showed she can put it all together, and as a four time US Open semi-finalist, she's proven she can play well in Memphis.

Also, Kerri Wachtel's second place finish to Rajsich in Dallas last month shows she can be a threat also. She won the US Open in 2001, and is the only US Open champion - female or male - to never be ranked #1. Another US Open win would go a long way to getting her to that position.

Follow the bouncing ball....