WPRO - Wilmington Preview

The Rock 'N' Racquetball at the Coast tournament in Wilmington, North Carolina begins Friday, and it's the third event on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) schedule. We've got the draw for you below.

Rajsich winning but not overwhelming

Rhonda Rajsich is the top seed this weekend, as she's regained the #1 WPRO ranking after winning the first two tournaments of the season. But Rajsich isn't blowing her opponents away. In fact, she's played four 5 game matches this season, and she's been involved in the two matches where the players have combined for the most points in a match this season.

Ninety-four points were scored in Rajsich's quarter final victory over Angela Grisar in the Texas Open, which is the most combined points in one match this season, and 92 points were scored in the Texas Open final when Rajsich defeated Kerri Wachtel.

Rajsich also needed five games to defeat Paola Longoria and Cheryl Gudinas in the final and semi-final of the US Open.

"Let's play 5!"

Overall, 16 of the 81 WPRO matches (19.8%) this season have gone 5 games, 21 matches have been 4 games (25.9%) and 43 matches were over in three straight (53.1%). One game was a forfeit. In comparison, less than 12% of the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) matches have gone 5 games.

Curiously, in the 28 matches where WPRO players have split the first two games the player who won the second game has won the match more often: 17 to 11. So if you win game one, you'd best win game two also, because those who don't end up losing more often than they win.

Rock 'N' Racquetball at the Coast, November 6-8, 2009
Wilmington, North Carolina

First Round

Lily Berry vs. Danielle Emerson
Sheryl Lotts vs. Ashley Loyd

Round of 16

Rhonda Rajsich vs. Lily Berry or Danielle Emerson
Jennifer Saunders vs. Krystal Csuk

Kristen Bellows vs. Doreen Fowler
Kerri Wachtel vs. Vivian Gomez

Cheryl Gudinas vs. Cristina Amaya
Adrienne Fisher vs. Keely Franks

Jo Shattuck vs. T.J. Baumbaugh
Paola Longoria vs. Sheryl Lotts or Ashley Loyd

Follow the bouncing ball....