$92,000
U.S. Open
By Larry Hodges
1983
U.S. Open Men's Singles Champion Eric Boggan, not playing in the tournament, but here on vacation.
He's the last USA-born player to win the Open. Copyright 2001
by Larry Hodges
Round One (Round of 64)
Three USA players made it to the Main draw: David Zhuang and Eric Owens were seeded out of the Qualifier, and Fan Yiyong made it through the Qualifier.
Fan
Yiyong in action against Truksa. Copyright 2001 by Larry Hodges
Jaromir Truksa (SVK) d. Fan Yiyong (USA), -16,17,17,6. Fan was the hope of U.S. fans – if he got hot (as he had been in recent U.S. tournaments), who knows how far he might have gone? But against world #104 Truksa (who many have seen in the U.S. a number of times at the North American Teams), Fan just made too many mistakes. The two play surprisingly similar styles, considering Truksa is about 6 inches taller – both are powerful two-winged loopers, looping mostly from close to the table. They had a lot of incredible counter-looping points – including many backhand counter-loop points. After winning the first two games, Fan spent the next two games mostly a few points behind, not quite able to pull off a comeback – and a red-hot Truksa pulled off winner after winner, matching Fan shot for shot. In the fourth it was all Truksa, 6-5, 9-6, 14-6, 18-7, 21-7. (ITTF draws say 21-6, but it was actually 7.)
Chetan Baboor (IND) d. Eric Owens (USA), -18,15,17,-19,10. It was a great match with great counterlooping and loop versus block rallies between two of the best pure athletes here. Both can cover an awful lot of ground very quickly, and both ranged all over the court, running down balls and looping from both wings, but mostly with forehands. Eric was matching world #85 Baboor shot for shot until something completely unexpected killed his chances in the fifth game – his short serves suddenly went long! Serves that were designed to have the second bounce (if not struck) near the endline suddenly were going four inches long, and Baboor looped them all, taking away Eric’s own attack.
David
Zhuang serving to Karl Jindrak. Copyright 2001 by Evangelos Momios
David Zhuang (USA) d. Karl Jindrak (AUT), -16,17,17,19. With a huge cheering section, world #112 David advanced past one half of one of the best doubles teams in the world (Werner Schlager is the other half). Jindrak, ranked #153 in the world, is better at doubles, but he’s no slouch in singles. David was up 2-1 in games, and led 15-12 in the fourth. But Jindrak scored six straight to lead 15-18. David mishits a ball to almost eye level – but Jindrak backhand loop kills it awkwardly into the net, 16-18. When Jindrak scores the next point (16-19), he yells "Cho!". It’s the last "Cho" he’ll be able to do. David serves at 16-19 – and scores five straight to win.
Ilija Lupulesku (YUG) d. Abass Ekun (NGR), 5,20,12. On the draw, Abass was listed as Nigerian, and Lupulesku as Yugoslavian. Both are living in the U.S. For all intents and purposes, it was USA vs. USA, with USA winning.
Other matches:
First round byes: Liu Guozheng, Trinko Keen, Danny Heister, Lucjan Blaszczyk, Jorg Rosskopf, Torben Wosik, Toshio Tasaki, Jean-Michel Saive, Werner Schlager, Johnny Huang, Oh Sang Eun, Timo Boll, Kalinikos Kreanga, Chuan Chi-Yuan, Lee Chul Seung and Chiang Peng-Lung.
Round Two (Round of 32)
Lee Chul Seung (KOR) d. David Zhuang (USA), -9,16,16,-21,17
David Zhuang almost pulled off the day’s top upset – he was 13-all in the fifth with world #43 Lee, an all-out forehand penhold looper (but with a surprisingly good backhand – including a penhold backhand loop). After whitewashing Lee 21-9 in the first, a large USA crowd had gathered, cheering David on. In the third game, with the match tied one game each, David goes up 3-0. At 3-1, Lee pulls off what probably is the shot of the tournament, one that will be tough to top. David does a sidespin block to Lee’s extreme backhand, with the sidespin making the ball break even wider. Lee had already started to step around to loop his forehand, and he ends up going all the way over to where the scorekeeper is, and rips a forehand loop around the net, below net level, so it hits the table and barely bounces! Possibly shaken by this shot, David falls behind 5-14 – and then scores eight in a row to get to 13-14! But Lee responds by scoring five in a row and won easily. In the fourth, David goes up 7-3, but Lee ties it up at 12-all. David goes up 18-16, then loses three in a row, 18-19. At 19-all, David blocks off, and yells, "Stupid! What are you doing!" He then surprises Lee by serving and backhand hitting, and Lee blocks off, 20-all. David goes up 21-20, then it’s 21-all. Lee flips into the net, 22-21; then David blocks Lee around, and forces Lee to try an off-balance loop that misses, 23-21. In the fifth, at 13-all, Lee takes over, scoring six in a row on his way to winning 21-17, to the groans of the crowd.
Allan
Bentsen serving to Werner Schlager. Copyright 2001 by Evangelos Momios
Werner Schlager (AUT) d. Allan Bentsen (DEN), -20,-17,20,12,16
World #50 Bentsen is a lefty power looper, with a spectacular backhand loop that he was unafraid to use at any time. After winning the first two games, Bentsen led 16-11 in the third - and then Schlager (world #7) tied it up at 19-all! Then, with his usual fearlessness, Bentsen absolutely rips a backhand loop off Schlager’s slightly long serve – but it goes just off, 20-19 Schlager. Undaunted, Bentsen absolutely rips another backhand loop – this one hits, deuce. Then Bentsen serve and backhand rips again – but whiffs the ball! Schlager goes up 21-20. They then have the point of the tournament (that I’ve seen, anyway) – a vicious counterlooping point, with a mixture of power loops, soft topspin returns, and backhand counterloops, and full-court coverage. It finally ends with Bentsen backhand chopping into the net – game to Schlager, 22-20. (Immediately afterwards, a spectator was asking if he could buy a tape just so he could see this point again!) Schlager then wins the next two relatively easily.
Johnny Huang (CAN) d. Robert Gardos (AUT), -15,18,14,-17,22
What a match, and what a way to finish – with Huang (a shakehander with pips on both sides, world #38) winning on a net ball at 23-22 in the fifth, against world #142 Gardos!
Liu
Guozheng vs. Jaromir Truksa. Copyright 2001 by Larry Hodges
Other matches:
Round One (Round of 64)
Kim Bok Rae (KOR) d. Wang Chen (USA), 19,7,14
Although still a citizen of China, and despite the controversy regarding her being allowed to play, Wang was allowed to play as a "USA" player. However, it didn’t last long. Formerly #4 in the world, she lost to the unranked Korean player.
Jasna Reed (USA) d. Li Qiangbing (CHN), 16,-12,-22,10,14
This was a banner match, with Jasna playing one of her best matches in coming back, winning the last two matches easily against the unranked Chinese.
Tawny Banh (USA) d. Marie-Christine Roussy (CAN), 9,15,12
Virginia Sung (USA) d. Chris Xu (CAN), 11,14,14
In these two matches, USA picked on Canadian women with contrasting styles. Tawny’s all-out two-winged attacking (looping forehand, pips-out hitting backhand) was too much for the "Seemiller" gripped Roussy, and Virginia won the battle of the choppers.
Other matches:
First Round Byes: Zhang Yinging, Bai Yang, Csilla Batorfi, Krisztina Toth, Aya Umemura, Lee Eun Sil, Ni Xia Lian, Niu Jianfeng, Chang Gao Jun, Elke Schall, Guo Yan, An Konishi, Wang Tingting, Asa Svensson, Ryu Ji Hye.
Round Two (Round of 32)
Chang Jun Gao (USA) d. Fabiola Ramos (VEN), 18,16,12
Chang continued on her route to the championship, this time blocking & hitting through the strong two-winged looper from Venezuela, ranked #251 in the world.
Left:
Tawny Banh receives instructions between games from Coach Doru Gheorghe.
Copyright 2001 by Larry Hodges.
Right: Jasna Reed (R) smacks in a forehand against Ryu Ji Hye. Copyright 2001 by Evangelos Momios.
Lee Eun Sil (KOR) d. Tawny Banh (USA), 18,-17,14,13
Asa Svensson (SWE) d. Virginia Sung (USA), 17,12,17
Ryu Ji Hye (KOR) d. Jasna Reed (USA), 13,12,13
End of the road for the rest of the USA Team. Tawny looked like her match was going to be close, but Lee pulled away the last two games.
Jia Bei Bei (CHN) d. Krisztina Toth (HUN), 15,13,-18,17
Csilla Batorfi (HUN) d. Yoon Ji Hye (KOR), -9,16,-13,14,21
Played side-by-side, these were two of the most spectacular matches – with Batorfi (world #21) pulling out the deuce-in-the-fifth win against the unranked Korean, while Toth (world #22) becoming the first highly seeded player to lose, going down to the unranked Chinese.
Fu Yu (CHN) d. Elke Schall (GER), def.
World #56 Schall defaulted due to a back injury, deciding to focus on doubles only, where, with a first-round bye and a second round win, she would advance into the quarterfinals (with partner Tanja Hain-Hofmann).
Other Matches:
Round One (Round of 32)
Round Two (Round of 16)
Karl Jindrak rips a forehand as partner Werner Schlager watches. On far
side, Lucjan Blaszczyk and Kalinikos Kreanga await the shot. Photo copyright
2001 by Evangelos Momios.
Lucjan Blaszczyk/Kalinikos Kreanga (POL/GRE) d. Karl Jindrak/Werner Schlager (AUT), 13,21
The top seeds are out! They aren’t the best in singles (especially Jindrak), but in doubles the Austrians are usually one of the best.
Chiang Peng-Lung/Chang Yuan-Su (TPE) d. Fan Yiyong/Ilija Lupulesku (USA/YUG), -15,15,9
This was probably the most interesting match. Fan and Ilija seem a perfect pair – lefty Lupulesku keeps looping everything, while righty Fan ends the points. After winning the first game against one of the three or four best doubles teams in the world, a huge crowd surrounded the table in anticipation. But it was not to be, as the Taipei team dominated the rest of the way.
Jorg Rosskopf/Torben Wosik (GER) d. Guo Kei/Liu Guozheng (CHN), 12,15
Since no one really knew the strength of Guo Kei, this match was an unknown – but if a player is good enough to represent China, and play doubles with Liu Guozheng (the top seed here, and #4 in the world), he must be pretty good! But the only Chinese doubles team was out in the first round – there will be no Chinese sweep at this Open, as at the Worlds.
Other Matches:
Round One
Chang Jun Gao/Jasna Reed (USA) d. Jia Bei Bei/Li Qiangbing (CHN), 18,-9,16
Yes, USA defeats China! With Gao playing her usually tactical ball controlling game, and Jasna making her shots, the two pulled it off.
Kim Kyung Ha/Park Kyung Ae (KOR) d. Tawny Banh/Virginia Sung (USA), 9,12
The other USA team didn’t do so well – but it was to be expected, as it’s difficult for an attacker like Tawny and a chopper like Virginia to play effectively together.
Other Matches:
Round Two
All eight matches were 2-0, without so much as a deuce game (although there were a few 19 games – including one by USA). But it was end of the line for the USA Women. However, it was also end of the line for at least one Chinese team, presumably their #1 team, since it included their #1 player, top-seeded Zhang Yining. They went down to the hybrid German/Swedish team of Olga Nemes/Asa Svensson.
Over 60 Men’s Singles – top-seeded George Brathwaite breezed through the competition, winning five straight matches, all 2-0, including the final over Elman Concepcion at 12 & 11. Elman had upset George’s main rival, Nick Mintsiveris, in the semis, 15,-13,11, while George spun his way past chopper Pete May in the other semifinal, 16 & 18.
Under 2400 – Sasa Drinic romped through the competition, winning all six of his matches 2-0, with most scores around the ten level. Only Derek May, in the semifinals, pushed him, losing at 21 & 16. In the final, Drinic defeated Alexis Perez, at 11 & 9.
Under 2200 – in an all-junior final, Puerto Rico’s Santiago Coste (15) defeated California’s Misha Kazantsev (13), -21,12,15.
Under 2000 – Hector Berrios, after being listed as losing the final for much of the day, was rightfully awarded (and relisted) as the winner, over Ian Lynch (victor for half a day?), 10 & 17. Berrios had barely made it to the final, defeating David Strachan in the semifinals, -18,13,19.
Under 1175 – As in several other rating events (so far, at least), the winner, Andrew Lin, won without losing a game, or even giving up more than 16 in a game. He defeated Preston Chin in the final. Preston had had a battle with Patrick May in the semifinals, winning at –15,19,19.
Hardbat Under 2000 – Lorin Benedict kept the title in Northern California, "as God intended," wrote Scott Gordon, the winner at the Nationals (but not present to fight for this title). Lorin originally received a default in the semifinals, since his opponent, Houshang Bozorgazdeh, was away picking up foreign players at the airport. Lorin agreed to play the match, and pulled it out, 18,-17,13. In the final, he defeated Simon Jacobson, 17,22.
Men's
Wheelchair Champion Andre Scott. Copyright 2001 by Larry Hodges
Men’s Wheelchair Singles Class 1-5 – As usual, the two finalists were Andre Scott and Mike Dempsey, the top two wheelchair players in the U.S. They had a battle, with Andre pulling out the close games, and winning at 20 & 25.
Women’s Wheelchair Singles – There were four players in the event, but when two didn’t show, they were down to two – with Jennifer Johnson defeating Miho Iwakuma in the final, 9,13.
Standing Disabled Classes 6-10 – After coming within a match of making the U.S. Team this year, it must be almost anticlimactic to win this event for Tahl Leibovitz, who defeated Ashraf Mostafa Ali in the final, 18,-15,17. Tahl also made the final of Hardbat Doubles, played right after this match.
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