2004 U.S. Nationals
Las Vegas, Nevada • December 15-18, 2004

^#1 Ilija Lupulesku
Rating: 2793
Residence: Chicago, IL
Playing Style: Lefty steady two-winged shakehand looper

• Member, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team & 2003 U.S. Pan Am Team

• 2002 & 2003 U.S. National Men’s Singles Champion

• 2003 U.S. National Men’s and Mixed Doubles Champion

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

• 2001 North American Teams Champion

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

• 1988 Olympic Men’s Doubles Silver Medalist

• 1987 World Championships Men’s Doubles Finalist

• Two-time European Mixed Doubles Champion, 2-time Finalist

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

^#2 David Zhuang
Rating: 2720
Residence: West Windsor, NJ
Playing Style: Pips-out penholder, close-to-table attack

• 1999 Pan Am Games Men’s Singles & Teams Gold Medalist

• 4-Time U.S. Men’s National Singles Champion

• 7-Time U.S. Men’s National Doubles Champion

• 6-Time U.S. Men’s National Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2003 U.S. National Men’s Doubles Champion, Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• Member of 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic Teams

• Member of 2003 U.S. Pan Am Team

• USOC Athlete of the Year for Table Tennis, 1996 & 2000

^#3 Cheng Yinghua
Rating: 2677
Hometown: Germantown, MD
Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand looper and blocker

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

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

• Four-time U.S. 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

^#4 Khoa Nguyen
Rating: 2640
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Playing Style: Aggressive shakehand 2-winged looper

• Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team

• 2000 North American Men’s Singles Champion

• 1995 U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1995 Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles Finalist

• Gold Medalist, 1987 Pan Am Games, Mixed Doubles; Silver Medalist, Men’s Teams

• Member, 2000 USA Olympic Team

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

^#5-6 Mark Hazinski
Rating: 2586
Residence: Mishawaka, IN
Playing Style: Shakehand power looper

• Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team

• 2004 St. Joseph Valley Open Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2003 USATT Men’s Player of the Year

• 2003 U.S. National Men’s Singles Finalist

• 2003 U.S. National Men’s Doubles Semifinalist

• 2003 U.S. Open Under 22 Men’s Semifinalist

• 2003 Canadian Junior Open Bronze Team Medalist

• 1998-2001 Junior Olympic Gold Medalist in Singles & Doubles

• 2000-2002 U.S. National Championships U-22 Champion in Singles

• 2001-2002 U.S. National Championships U-18 Champion

^#5-6 Barney Reed
Rating: 2586
Residence: San Diego, CA
Playing Style: Lefty shakehand two-winged looper

• 2004 Pac Rim Open Champion

• 2003 U.S. National Mixed Doubles Semifinalist, Men’s Doubles Quarterfinalist

• Former member, U.S. National Team

• 1998 National Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1998 North American Men’s Doubles Champion

• 2000 Nationals Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2003 Eastern Open and Macy Block Open Champion

• Finalist at 2003 NA Team Championships

^#7 Eric Owens
Rating: 2577
Residence: Ft. Worth, TX
Playing Style: Aggressive shakehand looper with big forehand

• 2004 National Collegiate Men’s Singles & Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2004 SoCal Open Champion

• 2001 National Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• Member of 2003 U.S. World & Pan Am Team

• Member of 2000 Olympic Team

• 1999 Pan Am Games Men’s Team Gold Medal

• 1998 & 2000 North American Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1996 U.S. Under 22 Men’s Singles Champion

• 30+ USA National Junior Titles

^#8 Han Xiao
Rating: 2545
Residence: Germantown, MD
Playing Style: Aggressive shakehand two-winged looper

• Member, 2004 U.S. National Men’s and Junior Boys’ Teams

• #1 ranked Under 18 player in U.S.

• 2003 National Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2002 USA Men’s Doubles Champion, Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2002 USATT Male Player of the Year

• 2003 U.S National Championships Men’s Singles & Doubles Quarterfinalist

• 2003 Canadian Junior Open Boys Team Bronze Medalist

Other Men to Watch:

• Shao Yu of New York, rated 2544, has a dangerous pips-out backhand, and has beaten most of the best players in the U.S.

• Todd Sweeris of Maryland, rated 2529, was on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Teams, and made the final of Men’s Singles at the 1998 USA Nationals and the quarterfinals in 2002 & 2003.

• Darko Rop of Texas, rated 2511, a lefty looper, was on the 2003 World Team, won a gold medal on the 1999 Pan Am Team, and Men’s Doubles at the 1995 USA Nationals.

• Adam Hugh of New Jersey, rated 2490, is the top-ranked 16-year-old in the U.S., a member of both the U.S. National Men’s and Boys’ Teams, and made the semifinals of Men’s Singles in 2003.

^#1 Gao Jun
Rating: 2643
Residence: Gaithersburg, MD
Playing Style: Pips-out penhold blocker/pick hitter

• Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team

• 1999 & 2003 Pan Am Games Women’s Singles Gold Medal, 1999 Team Gold Medal

• 1992 Olympic Women’s Doubles Silver Medal

• 7-time (1996-2002) USA National Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion, 6-time Mixed Doubles Champion (undefeated at USA Nationals; did not play in 2003 or mixed doubles in 2002)

• 4-time North American Women’s Singles Champion, 3-time Doubles Champion

• 2003 World Championships Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 1994 U.S. Open Women’s Champion

• 1991 World Championships Women’s Doubles Champion

• Ranked #13 in the world

^#2 Jasna Reed
Rating: 2472
Residence: Chicago, IL
Playing Style: All-around shakehander

• Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team

• 2003 U.S. National Women’s Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2001-2003 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2003 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles Gold Medalist

• 1988 Olympic Women’s Doubles Bronze Medal

• 1992 European Women’s Doubles Champion

• 15-time Yugoslavian Champion in Women’s Singles, Doubles, Teams & Mixed Doubles

^#3 Tawny Banh
Rating: 2465
Residence: San Gabriel, CA
Playing Style: Shakehand close to table with aggressive forehand loop, backhand hit

• Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team

• 2003 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion, Women’s Singles Finalist

• 2003 Pan Am Game Women’s Doubles Silver Medal, Women’s Singles Bronze Medal

• 2002-03 North American Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Finalist

• 1999 Pan Am Games Team Gold Medalist

• 1995 Pan Am Games Women’s Team Silver Medal, Women’s Singles Bronze Medal

^#4 Lily Yip
Rating: 2431
Residence: Warren, NJ
Playing Style: Pips-out penhold fast attack, strong backhand block

• Member, 2004 U.S. National Team

• 2003 Pan Am Games Women’s Singles Silver Medalist

• 2003 U.S. National Women’s Singles Semifinalist, Women’s and Mixed Doubles Finalist, Over 40 Women’s Singles & Hardbat Singles Champion

• 2003 North American Women’s & Mixed Doubles Finalist

• 1995 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles Gold Medal, Women’s Singles & Teams Silver Medal; 1991 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles & Teams Gold Medal, Women’s Singles Silver Medal

• 1992-95 U.S. National Women’s Singles Finalist

• 1992-1995 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion

• Member, U.S. Olympic Team, 1992 & 1996

^#5 Jackie Lee
Rating: 2335
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Playing Style: Two-winged aggressive shakehand hitter

• Member, 2004 U.S. National Team

• 2003 U.S. Open Under 18 & 22 Champion

• 2003 North American Under 18 Girls’ Singles Finalist

• 2002 U.S Open Mixed Doubles & Under 16 Girls’ Singles Champion; Under 22 & Under 18 Girls’ Singles Finalist

• 2002 U.S. National Mixed Doubles Champion, Girls’ Singles Under 22 & Under 19 Finalist

• 2002 Pan Am Games Junior Championships Under 18 Girls’ Champion

• Joe Ferrell Memorial Award 1995-97

^#6 Virginia Sung
Rating: 2291
Residence: New York, NY
Playing Style: Chopper with good attack

• 2001 National Women’s Singles Finalist

• 2000 National Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1998 Women’s Doubles National Champion

• Former Member of U.S. National Team

^#7 Whitney Ping
Rating: 2274
Residence: Beaverton, OR
Playing Style: Two-winged mid-distance shakehand looper

• Member, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team

• 2002 U.S. National Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist, Under 22 & 18 Girls Champion

• 2002 North American Junior Girls’ Finalist

• 2001 Canadian International Junior Open Cadet Girls’ Champion

^#8 Simone Yang
Rating: 2248
Hometown: Portland, OR
Playing Style: Steady shakehand blocker

• 2002 U.S. National Over 40 Women’s Singles Champion

• 2000, 2001 & 2003 National Women’s Doubles Finalist

• 1999-2002 National Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• Former Member, U.S. National Team

Other Women to Watch:

• Michelle Do, rated 2237, a strong two-winged looper, member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, 2003 Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist & Women’s and Mixed Doubles Semifinalist, 1999-2000 Women’s Doubles Champion, and 2001 National Women’s Singles Semifinalist & Under 22 Women’s Singles Champion.

• Judy Hugh, rated 2222, the #1 ranked Under 16 Girl in the U.S. and #2 Under 18, who made the final of Women’s Doubles in 2003 with mom Lily Yip (losing deuce in the fifth), and made the quarterfinals of Women’s Singles.