Sports
WRT Puts the Balls in San Diego's Court
The world's top competitors and amateurs compete to be crowned SD Open Champion
The World Racquetball Tour (WRT), the premier global league for racquetball, is back in Southern California for the San Diego Open on Jan. 22-25 at the Sorrento Valley Racquetball & Fitness Center. With over 4.5 million U.S. players and almost 12 million players worldwide, racquetball draws in all types of participants
from those who want to have a fun, high energy workout to those who crave fierce competition.
The San Diego Open will kick off the season in the U.S. Along with the 32 of world’s top professional players, more than 100 amateurs will be competing to win their share of $6,500 in cash, WRT points and to be crowned the San Diego Open Champion.
Preliminary matches begin on Thursday, Jan. 22, and lead up to the finals on Saturday and Sunday. After San Diego, the tour will move onto Seattle before a Northern California stop.
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San Diego resident Danny Lavely, who is currently ranked #15 in the world, looks to bring the title home. Danny turned pro in 2007, but in the last year, he quit his full time accounting job to follow his passion and become a professional racquetball player. He has his eye on the prize but faces some stiff competition.
Polo Gutierrez, currently ranked #1 and one of competitive racquetball’s biggest stars, has a long history in the sport that includes being names the Mexican National Champ three times, one Central American Championship, two time American Champion, one time World Champion, Mexican National Team Member and, most recently, winning the 2014 Monterrey Open in December.
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Additionally, Alex Cardona, ranked #2, is one of the most successful junior players, winning seven singles titles and 10 doubles. After a brief hiatus, Cardona rejoined the WRT in 2012 and has been one of the most consistent participants on the tour. He is the 2013 San Diego Open Champion and will be defending his title.
“The goal is to grow the sport of racquetball by providing a platform for professional racquetball players to develop their careers and showcase their talents,” said Rafael Filippini, one of the founders of Gearbox. “The WRT brings the together the top athletes in the world with professional players representing the United States, Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela Colombia, Chile and Korea.”
