The WPH Outdoor Player’s Cup Tour started in 2012 and has hosted 26 Big Ball Handball events in California, Mexico, Nevada, and Utah in its first five seasons. WPH Outdoor has provided a platform for the greatest big ball handball stars in the world to showcase their talents on an international stage, with WPH Outdoor elite stars featured live on ESPN3 several times a year. WPH Outdoor elite stars also serve as role models and coaches to junior handball players at WPH Outdoor stops.
Let’s break down some of the WPH Outdoor stats and trends in the WPH Outdoor By the Numbers
The first WPH Outdoor event (under the name WPH Outdoor) was held in May of 2012 in Huntington Beach; even though the WPH started the tour in late 2009
WPH Outdoor has hosted 26 official ranking events since May of 2012
The youngest singles champion in WPH Outdoor history was Juan Santos, 17 years and 11 months
The largest junior clinics in WPH Outdoor history were the Venice Mega Clinic and 1-Wall Junior Shootout ’15 (85 junior players), the Back to School Bash Junior Clinics and 3-Wall Showdown (120 junior players), and the Vegas 3WallBall Outdoor Championships Junior Clinic and Tournament ’15 (75 junior players)
Juan Santos and Samzon Hernandez are tied with the most WPH Outdoor singles titles in the history of the tour (11)
The only players to win a WPH Outdoor men’s pro singles titles besides Santos and Hernandez as R. Ruiz (1), B. Medina (1), L. Valencia (1) and T. Gonzalez (1)
Juan Santos and Samzon Hernandez are the only players to be ranked #1 in men’s pro singles on the WPH Outdoor tour
Alfredo Morales has played in the most WPH Outdoor men’s pro singles finals without winning a title (4)
The oldest WPH Outdoor men’s pro singles champion is Lobo Valencia at the 2015 Venice Xrossover (34)
The WPH Outdoor has hosted 15 women’s pro singles events since May of 2012
Tanisha Groomes has won the most WPH Outdoor women’s singles titles (12)
The only players to have won a WPH Outdoor women’s singles title besides Groomes are A. Moler (1), T. Davis (1), and C. Casey (1)
Tracy Davis was the oldest WPH Outdoor pro singles champion in history (38 at the 2014 3WallBall Outdoor World Championships)
The youngest WPH Outdoor women’s pro singles champion in history was Catriona Casey at the 2015 Xrossover (21)
Timbo Gonzalez won the only 1-Wall pro singles WPH Outdoor ranking event in history (Downey ’16)
Marcos Chavez is the oldest WPH Outdoor singles finalist in history (42 at the Salt Lake City Aces ’16)
The only players to hold simultaneous rankings on the Race 4 Eight tour and the WPH Outdoor Tour are Marcos Chavez, Catriona Casey, Shorty Ruiz and Ashley Moler
WPH Outdoor entries by the season:
Season I (2012)
Men’s singles players: 159
Men’s doubles teams: 113 (226 players)
Women’s singles players: 28
Women’s doubles teams: 5 (10 players)
Total men’s players: 385
Total women’s players: 38
Total players: 423
Season II (2013)
Men’s singles players: 155
Men’s doubles teams: 79 (158 players)
Women’s singles players: 35
Women’s doubles teams: 15 (30 players)
Total men’s players: 313
Total women’s players: 65
Total players: 378
Season III (2014)
Men’s singles players: 148
Men’s doubles teams: 131 (262 players)
Women’s singles players: 31
Women’s doubles teams: 6 (12 players)
Total men’s players: 410
Total women’s players: 43
Total players: 453
Season IV (2015)
Men’s singles players: 175
Men’s doubles teams: 112 (224 players)
Women’s singles players: 27
Women’s doubles teams: 6 (12 players)
Total men’s players: 399
Total women’s players: 39
Total players: 438
Season V (2016)
Men’s singles players: 98
Men’s doubles teams: 54 (108 players)
Women’s singles players: no events
Women’s doubles teams: no events
Total men’s players: 206
Total women’s players: no events
Total players: 206
Total men’s players through 26 events: 1,713
Total women’s players through 15 events: 185
Total combined players: 1,898
Tanisha Groomes has won 12 of 14 WPH Outdoor women’s pro singles events in which she has entered (86%)
The only players to defeat Tanisha Groomes in WPH Outdoor women’s singles are Catriona Casey (Xrossover ’15) and Danielle Daskalakis (3WallBall Outdoor World Championships ’14)
Ashley Moler won the first WPH Outdoor women’s pro singles event at the Cinco de Mayo 3 Wall Big Ball Shootout ’12 (defeated Mel Sky)
Samzon Hernandez was ranked in the top two of the WPH Outdoor rankings from the start of the tour in May of 2012 until February of 2016
Juan Santos won the first WPH Outdoor men’s pro singles event at the Cinco de Mayo 3 Wall Big Ball Shootout ’12 (defeated R. Ruiz)
Tanisha Groomes has faced match point and won seven times in WPH Outdoor women’s singles matches (most in WPH Outdoor history)