WPRO - California Open Preview

This weekend is a two for, as the Coast to Coast Califorinia Open in Canoga Park, Califoria is both an International Racquetball Tour (IRT) and Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) event. We'll go with the women first.

There are 19 players in the WPRO draw, including Cheryl Gudinas, who makes a return to the WPRO after missing two events due to knee surgery. As a result Gudinas is seeded 9th, which must be her lowest seeding in many years. She'll play Canadian Jennifer Saunders first, with the winner to likely face top seed Paola Longoria in the quarter finals.

Another remarkable inclusion in the draw is the last ranked player, because Marci Drexler twice finished as the #2 ranked player on the women's tour. But that was back in 90s. This weekend Drexler will be up against against Mexican Jocelyn Loredo with the winner facing 3rd seed Kerri Wachtel.

Two other initial matches will pit former doubles partners against each other. Krystal Csuk and Kristen Bellows were team-mates back in the day at Baldwin-Wallace College, and they'll face off in Canoga Park. As will Aimee Ruiz and Laura Fenton, who won the 2006 International Racquetball Federation Doubles World Championship together.

The Ruiz-Fenton winner will face #2 seed Rhonda Rajsich, while top seed Longoria's first opponent will be the winner of Frédérique Lambert and Janel Tisinger.

Samantha Salas Solis, #3 on the WPRO rankings, is missing another tournament due to her shoulder injury.

2012 Coast to Coast California Open, Canoga Park, California
Round of 32

1 Paola Longoria - BYE
16 Frédérique Lambert v. 17 Janel Tisinger

9 Cheryl Gudinas - BYE
8 Jen Saunders - BYE

9 Krystal Csuk - BYE
12 Kristen Bellows - BYE

13 Linda Scales - BYE
4 Adrienne Fisher - BYE

3 Kerri Wachtel - BYE
14 Jocelyn Loredo v. 19 Marci Drexler

11 T. J. Baumbaugh - BYE
6 Cristina Amaya - BYE

7 Susana Acosta - BYE
10 Da'monique Davis - BYE

15 Aimee Ruiz v. 18 Laura Fenton
2 Rhonda Rajsich - BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....