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$110,000 U.S. Open & ITTF Pro Tour

Fort Lauderdale, Florida • July 3-7, 2002

 

Letter from USA Table Tennis President Sheri Pittman

Welcome to the 2002 U.S. Open/ITTF Pro Tour! USA Table Tennis is honored to host all participants in this event – including all of the wonderful volunteers and USATT staff members, the spectators, the world’s elite players, the delegations accompanying the players, USATT’s national teams, club-level players, the large contingent of disabled players, the first-time entrants, players’ family members and friends, the local dignitaries, and all of our sponsors.

As a means of creating more competitive development opportunities for our youth, USA Table Tennis has added several more activities surrounding this year’s U.S. Open, including the first-ever Pan American Youth Championships, an ITTF-assisted North American youth camp, as well as the ITTF World Junior Circuit.

The sport of table tennis is rapidly evolving. Last year’s U.S. Open featured the new 40mm ball. Games are now played to 11 points. The next change in rules affects deceptive services, making hidden serves illegal.

I want to extend special thanks to sponsors of USA Table Tennis and the U.S. Open/ITTF Pro Tour for their generosity: Martin-Kilpatrick/Butterfly, Paddle Palace/Nittaku, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Marina Marriott Hotel, the Florida Sports Foundation, Table Tennis Pioneers/Stiga, and United Airlines. Thanks also to the individuals who contributed financially to USA Table Tennis programs through their tournament entry forms.

On behalf of USA Table Tennis, I wish all participants and spectators a rewarding and enjoyable time at this year’s U.S. Open/ITTF Pro Tour. I hope that you all enjoy not only the tournament, but also your vacation here. And, to those of you who are spending your precious vacation days serving as tournament volunteers, I say "thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sincerely,

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