2002 U.S. Nationals
Las Vegas, Nevada • December 18-21, 2002

Meet the Contenders!

Top 8 Men ... Top 8 Women ... Top Juniors

TOP 8 MEN

     Ilija Lupulesku

Rating: 2738

Player #: 500

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Age: 31

Playing Style: Lefty two-winged shakehand steady looper

• Highest World Ranking: 18

• 2002 U.S. Open Elite Singles and Over 30 Champion

• 2002 North American Teams Champion

• 2001 North American Team Champion

• 1990 European Men’s Doubles Champion, 3-time Runner-up

• 1988 Olympic Silver Medalist, Men’s Doubles

• 1988 European Top Twelve Fifth Place Finisher

• 1987 World Championships Men’s Doubles Finalist

• Two-time European Mixed Doubles Champion, 2-time Runner-up.

• Four-time Yugoslavian Men’s Singles Champion, 10-times Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champion

     Cheng Yinghua

Rating: 2713

Player #: 204 

Hometown: Germantown, MD

Age: 44 

Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand looper and blocker

• Three-time U.S. Men’s Singles Champion

• Two-time Men’s Doubles Champion

• Four-time Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2001 Nationals Men’s Singles Finalist, Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1985 & 1993 U.S. Open Men’s Singles Champion

• #1 ranked player in U.S. almost continuously, 1988-1998

• Member of Chinese National Team, 1977-87

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Eric Owens

Rating: 2707

Player #: 587

Hometown: Houston, TX

Age: 27

Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand looper with emphasis on forehand

• Defending 2001 U.S. Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion.

• 1999 Pan Am Gold Medalist, Men’s Teams

• Semifinalist, Men’s Singles, 1999-2000 U.S. Nationals

• 1998 Men’s Doubles National Champion

• 1998 North American Men’s Doubles Champion

• Member, U.S. National Team

     David Zhuang

Rating: 2697

Player #: 849 

Hometown: West Windsor, NJ

Age: 39

Playing Style: Close to the table pips-out penhold blocker/hitter

• Defending 2001 U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion

• 4-time U.S. Men’s Singles Champion

• 6-time U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion

• 6-time U.S. Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1999 Pan Am Gold Medalist, Men’s Singles and Teams

• Member, 1996 & 2000 USA Olympic Team

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Jim Butler

Rating: 2626

Player #: 175

Hometown: Houston, TX

Age: 31

Playing Style: Shakehander with looping forehand and spectacular backhand smash

• 3-time U.S. Men’s Singles Champion

• 1992 & 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Member

• 1995 Pan Am Bronze Medalist, Men’s Singles

• Many-time U.S. Team Member

     Courtney Roberts

Rating: 2612

Player #: 646

Hometown: Inglewood, CA

Age: 27

Playing Style: Shakehander with steady but deceptive shots

• 2002 Pacific Coast Open Champion

• Upset Ivan Vitsek (2732) and Dezso Racz (2620) at the High Desert Invitational.

• Defending National Under 2200 Champion - has since gone up 400 rating points

     Todd Sweeris

Rating: 2596

Player #: 730

Hometown: Bethesda, MD

Age: 29

Playing Style: Close to table shakehand attacker, pips on backhand

• 1998 U.S. Nationals Men’s Singles Finalist

• 1999-2000 U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion

• Gold Medal, Pan Am Games, Men’s Teams

• Member, 1996 & 2000 USA Olympic Team

• Former U.S. National Collegiate Men's Singles, Doubles & Team Champion

     Khoa Nguyen

Rating: 2594

Player #: 571

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Age: 36

Playing Style: Agressive shakehand 2-winged looper

• 1995 U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1995 Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles Finalist

• Gold Medalist, 1987 Pan Am Games, Men’s Teams

• Member, 2000 USA Olympic Team

• Many-time U.S. Team member since 1987

     Chang Jun Gao

Rating: 2631

Player #: 197

Hometown: Gaithersburg, MD

Age: 33

Playing Style: Pips-out penholder blocker/pick hitter, known for her ball control

• 1996-2001 U.S. Women’s Singles & Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1999 Pan Am Gold Medalist, Women’s Singles and Teams

• 1993 World Champion, Women’s Doubles & Teams

• 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist, Women’s Doubles

• 1994 U.S. Open Women’s Singles Champion

• Former member of Chinese National Team

• Formerly ranked #3 in the World; Currently ranked #31

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Tawny Banh

Rating: 2455

Player #: 130

Hometown: Alhambra, CA

Age: 28

Playing Style: Shakehander with looping forehand, pips-out hitting backhand

• 1998-2000 Women’s Singles & Doubles Finalist

• 2001 Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1999 Pan Am Gold Medalist, Women’s Teams

• Member of 2000 U.S. Olympic Team

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Jasna Reed  

Rating: 2409

Player #: 639

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Age: 30

Playing Style: All-around player

• 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Women’s Doubles

• 1988 European Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1992 European Women’s Doubles Champion

• 1991 & 1993 U.S. Open Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• Defending 2001 Women’s Doubles Champion

• Many-time Yugoslavian Champion

• Member of Yugoslavian Team, 1986-1995

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Lily Yip

Rating: 2368

Player #: 832

Hometown: Warren, NJ

Age: 39

Playing Style: Very aggressive pips-out penholder hitter/blocker

• 1992-1995 USA Nationals Women’s Singles Finalist

• 1997-1999 USA Nationals Women’s Doubles Finalist

• 1992-1995 USA National Women’s Doubles Champion

• Member, 1992 & 1996 USA Olympic Team

• Member, USA National Team, 1991-2000

• 1991 Pan Am Gold Medalist, Women’s Doubles

• 1991 & 1995 Pan Am Silver Medalist, Women’s Singles

• First Place, USA Team Trials, 1997 World Team, 1992 & 1996 Olympic Team, 1995 Pan Am Team

• 2001 USA Nationals Hardbat Singles Champion

     Simone Yang

Rating: 2329

Player #: 823

Hometown: Portland, OR

Age: 40

Playing Style: Steady shakehand blocker

• 2000 & 2001 Women’s Doubles Finalist

• 1999-2001 Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• U.S. #1 Senior Woman

• Member, U.S. National Team

     Jackie Lee

Rating: 2245 

Player #: 446

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Age: 17

Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand attacker

• U.S. #1 Under 18 Girl

• 2001 Nationals High School Girls’ Singles & Doubles Champion, Under 22a Women’s Singles Finalist

• Many-time U.S. Junior Champion in different age groups

     Whitney Ping

Rating: 2239 

Player #: 601

Hometown: Beaverton, OR

Age: 16

Playing style: Mid-distance

two-winged looper

• Recently ranked #1 Under 16 and Under 18 Girls

• 2001 Nationals High School Girls’ Doubles Champion, Singles Finalist

• 2002 U.S. Open Under 21 Women’s Singles Finalist

• 2002 Western Open Women’s & Under 18 Girls’ Singles Champion

     Michelle Do

Rating: 2215 

Player #: 255

Hometown: Milpitas, CA

Age: 19

Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand looper

• Member, 2000 USA Olympic Team

• 1999 & 2000 U.S. Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2001 Nationals Women’s Singles Semifinalist, Under 22 Women’s Singles Champion

• Seeded 9th in Women’s Singles

(See also Jackie Lee and Whitney Ping in the Top 8 Women's listing.)

Mark Hazinski

Rating: 2575 

Player #: 343

Hometown: Mishawaka, IN

Age: 17

Playing Style: Shakehand two-winged power looper

• U.S. #1 Under 22 & Under 18

• 2002 U.S. Under 22 & Under 18 Boys’ Singles Champion

• 2001 Nationals Under 22 Men’s Singles Champion

• 2001 Nationals High School Boys’ Singles Champion

• 2001 North American Team Champ.

• Member, 2001 U.S. National Team

• Seeded 9th in Men’s Singles

Han Xiao

Rating: 2492 

Player #: 818

Hometown: Germantown, MD

Age: 15

Playing Style: Shakehand two-winged close to table looper

• U.S. #1 Under 16 Boy, #2 in Under 18, #3 in Under 22

• 2002 U.S. Open Under 18 Boys’ Doubles Champion

• Many-time U.S. Junior Champion in different age groups

• Seeded 15th in Men’s Singles

Adam Hugh

Rating: 2410 

Player #: 367

Hometown: Warren, NJ

Age: 14

Playing Style: All-around Shakehander

• 2001 Nationals Under 22 Men’s Singles Finalist

• 2001 Nationals Junior High School Boys’ Singles and Under 2400 Champion

• 2002 U.S. Open Under 16 Boys’ Singles Champion

• U.S. #2 Under 16 Boy

• Seeded 20th in Men’s Singles

Misha Kazentsev

Rating: 2270 

Player #: 399

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Age: 14

Playing Style: Shakehand Two-winged attacker

• U.S. #3 Under 16 Boy

• 2002 U.S. Open Under 14 Boys’ Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2002 California Open Under 22 & 18 Boys’ Singles Champion

Katherine Wu

Rating: 2172 

Player #: 814

Hometown: Potomac, MD

Age: 16

Playing style: Close to the table shakehand hitter/blocker, pips on backhand

• 2002 Junior Nationals Under 22 Women’s Singles Champion, Under 18 Girls’ Singles, Doubles & Teams Champion

• 2002 Junior Olympics Under 18 Girls’ Singles Champion

• Ranked #3 in Under 18 Girls

• Seeded 11th in Women’s Singles

Back to 2002 Nationals Home Page