Tuesday, October 1, 2013

2013 US Open - LPRT Preview

The draws are out for the 2013 United Healthcare US Open in Minneapolis presented by USA Racquetball, and we've got the Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) draw for you below.

The LPRT season has had an interesting beginning with several young players doing well. It will be interesting to see if that continues this week. Former US Open Champions Cheryl Gudinas and Kerri Wachtel are missing this week due to injuries.

But you have to think that it's Paola Longoria's tournament to lose, as she is the two time defending champion and is undefeated on tour since May 2011.

A more interesting question could be whether LPRT #2 Rhonda Rajsich will be Longoria's opponent in the final, as she has been the last two years. Indeed, the last four US Open finals have been Longoria and Rajsich with an even 2-2 split of the four finals.

However, Rajsich hasn't got to the final of either of the first two LPRT events of the season, losing to one of those young guns each time. In Stockton, Veronica Sotomayor beat Rajsich and in Toluca, Mexico it was Frédérique Lambert.

Sotomayor and Lambert are on the opposite side of the draw from Rajsich, but Maria Jose Vargas, who was a semi-finalist in both Stockton and Toluca, and Aubrey Kirch, quarter finalist in Stockton, are. Both would have to beat some veteran players to face Rajsich, but given how things have gone this season that's not out of the question.

There will be two preliminary rounds on Wednesday to set up Thursday's Round of 32. Eight of the seventeen players in qualifying will be seeded into the 32s.

2013 US Open Championships, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Preliminary Round 1 - Wednesday


Montse Perez v. Luisa Santillan

Preliminary Round 2 - Wednesday

Q1: Alexandra Herrera v. Montse Perez or Luisa Santillan
Q8: Maiko Sato v. Michelle Key

Q5: Claudia Andrade v. Naomi Wakimoto
Q4: Cecilia Orozco v. Maria Renee Rodriguez

Q3: Mariana Tobon Gordon v. Marie Malhee Kwon
Q6: Youngock Lee v. Veronique Guillemette

Q7: Nawoo Kim v. Kelly Gremley
Q2: Carolina Luque v. Hiroko Kato

LPRT Round of 32 - Thursday (with seeding)

1 Paola Longoria v. Q8
16 Hailey Miller v. 17 Frederique Lambert

9 Da'monique Davis v. 24 Diana Aguilar
8 Veronica Sotomayor v. Q1

5 Cristina Amaya v. Q4
12 T. J. Baumbaugh v. 21 Jessica Parrilla

13 Maria Paz Munoz v. 20 Sofia Rascon
4 Samantha Salas Solis v. Q5

3 Susana Acosta v. Q6
14 Jacqueline Paraiso v. 19 Sheryl Lotts

11 Krystal Csuk v. 23 Janel Tisinger
6 Maria Jose Vargas v. Q3

7 Adrienne Haynes v. Q2
10 Jennifer Saunders v. 24 Aubrey Kirch

15 Linda Scales v. 18 Carla Munoz
2 Rhonda Rajsich v. Q7

Follow the bouncing ball…

No comments: