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Fort Lauderdale, Florida • July 3-7, 2002

 

USA's Han Xiao, 15, Makes Final Draw in ITTF Pro Tour

By Larry Hodges

Photo by Diego Schaaf/Alpha Table Tennis, copyright 2002

Han Xiao, 15, became the youngest player in the main draw (final 64) for men's singles here at the USA ITTF Pro Tour, as well as the youngest USA player ever to make the final draw. Xiao, pronouced "chow," is the top ranked U.S. player under age 16 with a rating of 2501 (17th in U.S.). In his preliminary group of three, Xiao was seeded third, but upset Japan's pips-out player Taniguchi Yoichi 4-2 (9,8,-6,-5,6,8) with a barrage of backhand loops, and Canada's Faazil Kassam 4-3 (-5,5,-8,6,8,-7,10). Against Kassam, Xiao was down 10-7 match point in the seventh but won the last five in a row. "The last time we played," Xiao said, "he won deuce in the fifth in a best of five, getting a net and an edge at the end!" Xiao, coached by USA's Cheng Yinghua (formerly of China), is a two-winged aggressive looper, known especially for his over-the-table backhand loop. As a result of these two matches, Xiao will receive a world ranking. Xiao will play world #24 Danny Heister of the Netherlands in the next round. 

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