Las Vegas: Pros and amateurs to play in ‘wallball’ championships

Handball, paddleball and racquetball will take center stage in a five-day, outdoor tournament Sept. 18-22 in Las Vegas.

Amateurs and professionals will compete at the fourth annual 3 Wallball World Championships at the Stratosphere on 15 purpose-built courts. They’ll be built in a parking lot just across Las Vegas Boulevard from the iconic tower.

The event’s name is drawn from the fact that each court consists of three walls.

The competition begins at 7 p.m. Sept. 18, with a series of pro/am doubles racquetball games for charity. The money raised will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The action goes into full swing at 8 a.m. Sept. 19. During four days, the professionals will be competing for $50,000 in prize money.

Amateur men, women and junior players will also battle for world titles in their respective classes.

“We expect over 800 entrants from four countries and 21 states at this year’s event,” said Tim Kuykendall, a Stratosphere vice president, in a news release.

The games, billed as the world’s richest racquet sports championship, are sponsored by the National Paddleball Assn., World Outdoor Racquetball and World Players of Handball. Admission is free.

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