WPRO - Ektelon World Championships - QFs

Samantha Salas defeated Christie Huczek in the first quarter final match at the 2011 LA Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) Ektelon World Championship. The match went back and forth, but Salas never trailed the former WPRO #1, and eventually won it in five games, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2.

Salas will face fellow Mexican Paola Longoria in the semi-finals later on Saturday as Longoria defeated Angela Grisar, 11-0, 11-1, 11-3, in the quarters.

The top seeds are also through to the semis on the other side of the draw, as top seed Rhonda Rajsich will play 4th seed Kerri Wachtel in the other semi-final. Rajsich quickly defeated Krystal Csuk, 11-2, 11-1, 11-0, in their quarter final match.

But Wachtel had a more difficult time with 5th seed Adrienne Fisher, as they needed a tie-breaker before deciding the match in Wachtel's favor, 7-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5. After they split the first two games of the match, Fisher took a 10-4 lead in game three. But Wachtel didn't surrender the game easily, as she narrowed the gap to 10-9, although Fisher did win game three 11-9 to take a 2-1 advantage.

However, Wachtel gained some momentum from that late comeback in game three and took a 5-1 lead in game four. Fisher took her turn coming back, and they were tied at 7-7 and 8-8. But that was as many points as Fisher would get as Wachtel closed out game four, 11-8, to force a fifth and deciding game.

In that fifth game, Wachtel again got the early lead at 5-1. Fisher closed it to 5-3, but that was a close as she'd be as Wachtel pushed the score to 9-3 and then won it 11-5.

Wachtel used a variety of serves, including a backhand lob down the left side - to Fisher's backhand. Early on Fisher was drive serving effectively, but went away from that strategy, which may have been a strategic mistake.

You can see the action from New Orleans via the IRT Network. Also, The Racquetball Blog is tweeting results as they happen, so follow us on Twitter.

The final will be Sunday at noon CDT.

2011 LA WPRO Ektelon World Championships
Quarter finals

Rhonda Rajsich d. Krystal Csuk, 11-2, 11-1, 11-0
Kerri Wachtel d. Adrienne Fisher, 7-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5

Samantha Salas d. Christie Huczek, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2
Paola Longoria d. Angela Grisar, 11-0, 11-1, 11-3

Semi-finals

Rhonda Rajsich v. Kerri Wachtel - 8 PM Saturday
Paola Longoria v. Samantha Salas - 6 PM Saturday

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