US OPEN - WPRO entries and draw

Forty nine women are vying for this year's US Open title in the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization (WPRO) division. The top 24 seeded players are put into the Round of 32 with the remaining 25 players in a qualifying competition for the final 8 spots.

Thus, there will be two rounds of qualifying. Here's the list of players in the qualifying rounds preceded by their WPRO ranking (UR = unranked).

29 Laura Brandt
30 Sheryl Lotts
34 Kelley Fields

35 Jenny Daza Navia
36 Michelle Key
46 Sharon Jackson

47 Luisa Aldrete
47 Jessica Parrilla
47 Arantza Loredo
47 Kara Mazur

62 Paula Truman
62 Ana Nunez
62 Danielle Key

68 Lily Berry
82 Ashley Loyd
83 Linda Scales

UR Jvonne Carplo
UR Cristina Cordova
UR Harumi Kajino
UR Jocelyn Loredo

UR Maria Paz Munoz
UR Brigitte Richard
UR Toshiko Sakamoto
UR Janel Tisinger
UR Naomi Wakimoto

You might not be familiar with all those names, but in the list are two former World Junior Champions - Maria Paz Munoz (16 and under in 2007) and Michelle Key (18 and under 2006) - and one current World Junior Champion Danielle Key (16 and under 2008).

Also, Sheryl Lotts is the current US Junior Champion in 18 and under, as well as USAR Intercollegiate Champion. Kara Mazer finished second to Lotts in Intercollegiates, but teamed with Sharon Jackson to win the Intercollegiate Doubles Championship.

To speak of non-American players, Jenny Daza Navia played for Bolivia in this year's Pan American Championships, and reached the quarter finals. Also, Daza Navia, Munoz, as well as Harumi Kajino, Toshiko Sakamoto and Cristina Cordova all played in the World Games this past summer. Finally, Brigitte Richard is one of Canada's top junior players.

In short there should be some good matches as those 25 players compete for a chance to play one of the top 8 players in the world in the Round of 32. This is what The Racquetball Blog has come up with for that draw based on the latest WPRO rankings.

2009 US OPEN WPRO DRAW (unofficial)
Seeding - Player - Opponent Seeding - Opponent
1 Paola Longoria - 32
16 Vivian Gomez - 17 Susy Acosta

9 Jo Shattuck - 24 Maiko Sato
8 Jennifer Saunders - 25

5 Kerri Wachtel - 28
12 Doreen Fowler - 21 Sofia Rascon

13 T.J. Baumbaugh - 20 Frederique Lambert
4 Kristen Bellows - 29

3 Cheryl Gudinas - 30
14 Krystal Csuk - 19 Aubrey O'Brien

11 Samantha Salas - 22 Jackie Paraiso
6 Adrienne Fisher - 27

7 Angela Grisar - 26
10 Diane Moore - 23 Cristina Amaya

15 Keely Franks - 18 Brandi Jacobson Prentice
2 Rhonda Rajsich - 31

Follow the bouncing ball....