Wednesday, December 7, 2011

WPRO - Christmas Classic Preview

The draw for this weekend's Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) tournament - the 20th Christmas Classic in Arlington, Virgina - is similar to the previous tournament, although the two top seeds have flipped. Paola Longoria is now the WPRO's #1 player and Rhonda Rajsich is #2.

The similarity between this week's draw and last month's Puget Sound Challenge Pro/Am in Olympia, Washington, lies is the absence of WPRO #3 Samantha Salas and #10 Cheryl Gudinas, who remain out with injuries. Sources suggest that Salas's right shoulder (she's right handed) is significantly injured so she may be out for some time. Gudinas had knee surgery last month and is aiming at returning to action in January at the Coast to Coast California Open.

Thus, once again Kerri Wachtel is 3rd seed and Adrienne Fisher 4th. Kristen Bellows is again in the draw, and could meet Wachtel in the quarter finals. There were several Wachtel-Bellows (then Walsh) matches when both players were in the top five in the mid-2000s.

Play begins in Arlington on Friday with the Round of 32 and Round of 16. The quarter finals and semi-finals will be played on Saturday with the final slated for Sunday.

20th Christmas Classic, Arlington, Virginia
December 9-11, 2011

Round of 32

Paola Longoria vs. BYE
Ana Paola Nunez vs. Grace Hughes

Jennifer Saunders vs. BYE
Da'monique Davis vs. BYE

Cristina Amaya vs. BYE
Laura Brandt vs. Marie Barron

Kimberly Ferina vs. Claudia Andrade
Adrienne Fisher vs. BYE

Kerri Wachtel vs. BYE
Anita Maldonado vs. Erika Hawley

Kristen Bellows vs. BYE
Krystal Csuk vs. BYE

Susana Acosta vs. BYE
T. J. Baumbaugh vs. BYE

Tracy Hawthorne vs. Mercedes Arias
Rhonda Rajsich vs. BYE

Round of 16

Paola Longoria vs. Ana Paola Nunez or Grace Hughes
Jennifer Saunders vs. Da'monique Davis

Cristina Amaya vs. Laura Brandt or Marie Barron
Adrienne Fisher vs. Kimberly Ferina or Claudia Andrade

Kerri Wachtel vs. Anita Maldonado or Erika Hawley
Krystal Csuk vs. Kristen Bellows

Susana Acosta vs. T. J. Baumbaugh
Rhonda Rajsich vs. Tracy Hawthorne or Mercedes Arias

Follow the bouncing ball....

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