2004 Killerspin US Open, 
  an ITTF Pro Tour Event
Chicago, IL • June 30 - July 4, 2004

Top Players in the ITTF Pro Tour! 
(In order of world ranking)

MEN ... WOMEN

#1 Ryu Seung Min, KOR

Current World Ranking: 4

Highest World Ranking: 4

Age: 21

Date of Birth: 08-05-82

• 2004 Egypt ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2004 World Championships Men’s Teams Third Place

• 2003 World Cup Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2003 Asian Games Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2003 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2002 Asian Games Men’s Doubles Champion, Men’s Teams & Mixed Doubles Runner-up

• 2000 Olympics Men’s Doubles Fourth Place

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles Champion

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Runner-up

#2 Chuan Chih-Yuan, TPE

Current World Ranking: 6

Highest World Ranking: 3

Age: 23

Date of Birth: 04-02-81

• 2003 Brazil ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion

• 2002 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final Men’s Singles Champion

• 2002 Safir Masters Men's Singles Champion

• 2002 Asian Games Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2001 World University Games Men's Singles & Teams Runner-up

• 4-Time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Runner-up

#3 Werner Schlager, AUT

Current World Ranking: 7

Highest World Ranking: 1

Age: 31

Date of Birth: 09-28-72

• 2003 World Championships Men’s Singles Champion

• 2004 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2000 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion

• 2003 European Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2002 World Cup Men’s Singles Fourth Place

• 1999 World Cup Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1999 World Championships Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 5-time Runner-up

• 10-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles Champion; 7-time Runner-up

#4 Vladimir Samsonov, BLR

Current World Ranking: 9

Highest World Ranking: 1

Age: 28

Date of Birth: 04-17-76

• 1999 & 2001 World Cup Men’s Singles Champion

• 1998 & 2003 European Men’s Singles Champion

• 1998, 1999 & 2001 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion

• 1997, 2002 & 2003 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1997 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final Men’s Singles Champion

• 1997 World Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 8-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 4-time Runner-up

#5 Kalinikos Kreanga, GRE

Current World Ranking: 11

Highest World Ranking: 7

Age: 32

Date of Birth: 03-08-72

• 2003 World Championships Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2003 World Cup Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2003 Qatar ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles Champion

• 2002 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion

• 2002 ITTF Grand Tour Finals Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2002 European Championships Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1997 Mediterranean Games Men’s Singles Champion

• 1994 European Championships Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1992 European Championships Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1991 Balkan Championships Men’s and Mixed Doubles Champion

#6 Chiang Peng-Lung, TPE

Current World Ranking: 14

Highest World Ranking: 3

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 07-24-76

• 2001 World Championships Men’s Singles & Doubles Semifinalist

• 2000 Asian Games Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 1999, 2000 & 2001 World Cup Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2001 World University Games Men's Teams Runner-up

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 3-time Runner-up

• 6-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles Champion; 3-time Runner-up

#7 Joo Se Hyuk, KOR

Current World Ranking: 15

Highest World Ranking: 15

Age: 24

Date of Birth: 1-20-80

• 2003 World Championships Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2001 & 2004 World Championships Men’s Teams Semifinalist

• 2002 Asian Games Men’s Teams Runner-up

• 2001 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Runner-up

#8 Jean-Michel Saive, BEL

Current World Ranking: 16

Highest World Ranking: 1

Age: 34

Date of Birth: 11-17-69

• 1993 World Championships Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1989, 1991, 1996, 2000 & 2003 World Cup Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1997 & 2001 ITTF Grand Tour Finals Men’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2001 World Championships Men’s Teams Runner-up

• 1994 World Cup Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1994 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion; 1996 Runner-up

• 1994 European Championships Men’s Singles Champion; 1992 Runner-up

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 5-time Runner-up

#9 Oh Sang Eun, KOR

Current World Ranking: 17

Highest World Ranking: 10

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 04-13-77

• 1997, 2001 & 2004 World Championships Men’s Teams Semifinalist

• 2001 & 2003 World Championships Men’s Doubles Semifinalist

• 2001 World Championships Mixed Doubles Runner-up

• 2002 World Cup Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 1998 & 2002 Asian Games Men’s Singles Semifinalist, Men’s Doubles & Teams Runner-up; 1998 Mixed Doubles Runner-up

• 2001 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men’s Doubles Champion, Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2000 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men’s Doubles Runner-up

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Doubles Champion; 8-time Runner-up

#10 Jorgen Persson, SWE

Current World Ranking: 18

Highest World Ranking: 1

Age: 38

Date of Birth: 04-22-66

• 1991 World Championships Men’s Singles Champion

• 1991 World Cup Men’s Singles Champion

• 1989, 1991, 1993 & 2000 World Championships Men’s Team Champion; 4-time Runner-up

• 1987 & 1995 World Championships Men’s Team Runner-up

• 1997 World Men’s Doubles Runner-up

• 1992 & 1996 European Championships Men’s Doubles Champion

• 1992 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion

• 1990 World Cup Men’s Team Champion; 1991 & 1994 Runner-up

• 1986 European Championships Men’s Singles Champion; 1996 Runner-up

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 1-time Runner-up

#11 Michael Maze, DEN

Current World Ranking: 18

Highest World Ranking: 18

Age: 23

Date of Birth: 09-01-81

• 2004 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion

• 2003 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Third Place

• 1999 European Youth Championships Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Semifinalist

#12 Alexei Smirnov, RUS

Current World Ranking: 20

Highest World Ranking: 11

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 10-09-77

• 2004 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Third Place

• 2003 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Fifth Place

• 2003 European Championships Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist, Men’s Doubles Runner-up

• 2003 World Cup Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2003 Qatar ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 1995 European Youth Championships Boys’ Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Semifinalist; 3-time Quarterfinalist

#13 Jan-Ove Waldner, SWE

Current World Ranking: 21

Highest World Ranking: 1

Age: 38

Date of Birth: 10-03-65

• 1989 & 1997 World Championships Men’s Singles Champion

• 1987 & 1991 World Championships Men’s Singles Runner-up

• 2000 Olympic Games Men’s Singles Silver Medal

• 1992 Olympic Games Men’s Singles Gold Medal

• 1989, 1991, 1993 & 2000 World Championships Men’s Team Champion; 4-time Runner-up

• 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989,1993, 1995 & 1996 European Top 12 Men’s Singles Champion; 4-time Runner-up

• 1996 European Championships Men’s Singles Champion; 2-time Runner-up

• 1997 World Championships Men’s Doubles Runner-up

• 1990 World Cup Men’s Singles Champion; 2-time Runner-up

• 1990 World Cup Men’s Team Champion

• 4-time ITTF Pro Tour Men’s Singles Champion; 4-time Runner-up

WOMEN 

#1 Kim Kyung Ah, KOR

Current World Ranking: 6

Highest World Ranking: 6

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 05-25-77

• 2004 Croatia ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion

• 2002 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion, Doubles Runner-up

• 2001 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2003 Asian Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Quarterfinalist

• 2003 World Cup Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2004 World Championships Women’s Teams Semifinalist

#2 Tamara Boros, HRV

Current World Ranking: 9

Highest World Ranking: 2

Age: 26

Date of Birth: 12-19-77

• 2003 World Championships Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 2002 European Top 12 Women’s Singles Champion; 2003 Runner-up

• 1999, 2001 & 2004 European Top 12 Women’s Singles Third Place

• 2002 & 2003 European Championships Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2001 Mediterranean Games Women’s Singles Champion

• 2000 ITTF Grand Tour Finals Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1997 Mediterranean Games Women’s Singles Runner-up, Women’s Doubles Champion

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion 7-time Runner-up

#3 Li Jia Wei, SIN

Current World Ranking: 10

Highest World Ranking: 7

Age: 22

Date of Birth: 08-09-81

• 1999, 2001 & 2003 South East Asian Women’s Singles, Doubles & Team Champion, 2003 Women’s Doubles Champion

• 1998 & 2000 South East Asian Championships Women’s Singles Champion, 2000 & 2002 Women’s Doubles Champion, 1998 Mixed Doubles Champion, 1998, 2000 & 2002 Women’s Team Champion

• 2000 & 2001 Commonwealth Games Women’s Singles Champion; 4-time Women’s Doubles Champion, 3-time Mixed Doubles Champion, 4-time Women’s Team Champion

• 2002 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2001 World Cup Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

#4 Aya Umemura, JPN

Current World Ranking: 14

Highest World Ranking: 11

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 12-04-76

• 2003 U.S. Open Women’s Singles Champion, Women’s Doubles Runner-up

• 2003 Asian Cup Women’s Singles Fourth Place

• 2003 World Championships Women’s Teams Third Place

• 2001 ITTF Grand Tour Finals Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion; 3-time Runner-up

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Champion, 1-time Runner-up

#5 Liu Jia, AUT

Current World Ranking: 15

Highest World Ranking: 13

Age: 22

Date of Birth: 02-16-82

• 2004 European Top 12 Women’s Singles Third Place

• 2001 World Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Quarterfinalist

• 1998 & 1999 European Youth Championships Girls’ Singles & Mixed Doubles Champion; 1998 Girls’ Doubles Champion

• 4-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Runner-up; 4-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Runner-up

#6 Gao Jun, USA

Current World Ranking: 16

Highest World Ranking: 3

Age: 35

Date of Birth: 01-25-69

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

• 1999 Pan Am Games Women’s Singles Gold Medal

• 1992 Olympic Women’s Doubles Silver Medal

• 2003 World Championships Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 1993 World Championships Women’s Team Champion

• 1993 World Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Semifinalist

• 1991 World Championships Women’s Doubles Champion

• 1999, 2001 & 2002 North American Women’s Singles Champion

• 1999, 2000 & 2001 North American Women’s Doubles Champion

• Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist at last two ITTF Pro Tour Events (Korea & Singapore)

• 2003 Korean ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Finalist

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

• 1992 Asian Cup Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 1990 Asian Games Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 1990 & 1991 World Cup Women’s Team Champion

• 7-time USA National Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion, 6-time Mixed Doubles Champion (undefeated at USA Nationals; did not play mixed doubles one year)

#7 Mihaela Steff, ROU

Current World Ranking: 19

Highest World Ranking: 3

Age: 25

Date of Birth: 11-08-78

• 2002 & 2003 European Championships Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2002 European Championships Women’s Team Champion

• 2002 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 2001 World Cup Women’s Singles Third Place; 2003 Fourth Place

• 2001 World Championships Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 2000 France ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2000 European Top 12 Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 2000 European Championships Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 1996 Balkan Championships Women’s Singles & Team Champion

#8 Lee Eun Sil, KOR (withdrew on June 25)

Current World Ranking: 22

Highest World Ranking: 22

Age: 27

Date of Birth: 12-25-76

• 2004 Egypt ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 2002 Asian Games Women’s Doubles Champion

• 2001 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Women’s Doubles Champion

• 1998 & 2000 Asian Championships Women’s Doubles Champion

• 1996 USA ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion

• 2000, 2001 & 2004 World Championships Women’s Teams Semifinalist

• 11-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Champion

#9 Wang Chen, USA

Current World Ranking: 31

Highest World Ranking: 4

Age: 30

Date of Birth: 01-17-74

• 2003 U.S. Open Women’s Singles & Doubles Runner-up

• 1997 World Championships Women’s Teams Champion

• 1995 World Championships Women’s Doubles Semifinalist

• 1996 World Cup Women’s Singles Third Place

• 1997 Asian Cup Women’s Singles Champion

• 1993 & 1994 Asian Cup Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1996 Asian Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Runner-up, Teams Champion

• 1997 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion

• 1996 Austrian ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 1996 China ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion

• 1998 Austria ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 1997 Austria & 2003 Qatar ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Runner-up

#10 Jing Jun Hong, SIN

Current World Ranking: 32

Highest World Ranking: 10

Age: 35

Date of Birth: 10-13-68

• 2002 Japan ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Champion; 4-time Runner-up

• 2002 South East Asian Championships Women’s Doubles, Teams and Mixed Doubles Champion

• 2000 South East Asian Championships Women’s Doubles & Team Champion, Singles Runner-up

• 2000 Olympic Women’s Singles Fourth Place

• 1997 Commonwealth Championships Women’s Singles Champion; 3-time Runner-up, 4-time Women’s Doubles Champion, 4-time Women’s Team Champion

• 1995 & 1997 South East Asian Games Women’s Singles Champion; 3-time Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Team Champion

• 1996 World Cup Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 1996 Asian Championships Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist; 1990 & 1992 Women’s Doubles Runner-up

• 1994 Asian Cup Women’s Singles Semifinalist; 1993 & 1996 Quarterfinalist

• 2-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Semifinalist, 8-time Quarterfinalist

#11 Otilia Badescu, ROU

Current World Ranking: 35

Highest World Ranking: 14

Age: 33

Date of Birth: 10-31-70

• 2003 European Championships Women’s Singles Champion

• 1992 & 1998 European Championships Mixed Doubles Champion

• 1999 Czech ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Champion

• 1995 European Top 12 Women’s Singles Champion; 1994 Runner-up; 4-time Third Place

• 1995 World Cup Women’s Teams Runner-up

• 1993 World Championships Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 1988 European Championships Women’s Singles Runner-up

• 1987 Balkan Championships Women’s Singles Champion; 1-time Balkan Women’s Singles Runner-up, 3-time Women’s Doubles & Team Champion, 1-time Mixed Doubles Champion

#12 Ai Fujinuma, JPN

Current World Ranking: 36

Highest World Ranking: 29

Age: 21

Date of Birth: 09-16-82

• 2002 Brazil ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Semifinalist

• 3-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist

• 8-time ITTF Pro Tour Women’s Doubles Semifinalist, 16-time Women’s Doubles Quarterfinalist

• 1998 & 2001 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Women’s Doubles Semifinalist