Junior of the Month: Judy Hugh

By Larry Bavly

Judy began playing table tennis when she was seven years old at the New Jersey Table Tennis Club. Never at a loss for quality practice partners she had the option to hit with her mom Lily Yip – two-time Olympian; step-dad Barry Dattel – one of the country’s top ranked senior men; or older brother Adam – the 2003 national under 18 champion and a 2004 national men’s team member. It was only natural for Lily and Barry, both being very active tournament players themselves, to bring along and enter the kids in every tournament that they would play. As a beginner, Judy was often asked by her mom if she wanted to play in this or that event. By the time Judy could understand starting times or rating cutoffs, Lily would interject “Go play. It’s good experience.” Apparently, that experience has paid off with interest. Having just turned 15 and not to be overshadowed by the elder members of her star studded table tennis family, Judy Hugh has already racked up a list of awards and titles to emerge as one of USATT’s most accomplished juniors. In August 2003, Judy became the first U.S. player in over 20 years to win a gold medal in an international junior competition. Her recent achievements include the following.

• Current #1 rated under 16 girl

• Member of national cadet team since 2001

• 2004 US Open

  • Under 18 Girls’ Singles Champion

  • Under 15 Girls’ Singles Champion

• 2003 Stiga Canadian Junior Open – ITTF World Junior Circuit

  • Cadet Girls’ Singles Champion

  • Cadet Girls’ Doubles & Team Runner-up (w/Lani Lei)

  • Cadet Girls’ Team 3^rd place (w/Lani Lei)

• 2003 US Open

  • Under 18 Girls’ Singles Champion

  • Under 15 Girls’ Singles Champion

• 2003 North American Champions

  • Under 16 Girls’ Singles Champion

• 2003 ITTF World Cadet Challenge

  • Cadet Doubles – 4th place (w/Lani Lei)

• 2003 Nationals 

  • U4200 Doubles Champion (w/Larry Bavly)

  • U2100 Champion

  • Cadet Trials – 2^nd place

Visit Judy at her home club, the NJTTC in Westfield, and you’ll likely find her in the midst of an intense training session, usually with another family member. Always balancing her schoolwork with her training, you might also find her sitting on a couch reading a book for school or at a desk working out algebra problems in her microscopic handwriting. On those nights when the training and homework are out of the way, you’ll find the popular and humble teenager enjoying a game of cards or socializing while waiting to play the winner on a challenge table.

As for her playing style, Judy is a steady two-wing shakehand attacker. Practice partners and opponents mention her consistency, backhand opening off a push, and backhand put away as her best weapons. Perhaps her greatest strength (in this author’s opinion) is her impenetrable composure during a match. It would be rare to witness an outburst of disgust or an exuberant celebration from Judy during a tightly contested match. Instead, the common sight has become watching her modestly shake her opponent’s hand, leaving the court victorious once again.   

You just returned from an international junior competition in Vancouver. How did it go?

There were two tournaments. The first tournament was the North American championships where Atha Fong and I won girls’ doubles, but I lost to Mo Zhang in the semi’s of girls singles. Afterwards, there were three days of training with the Canadians preparing for the World Junior Circuit. There in the quarters of Cadet singles I had a good win over a girl from China, 11-8 in the 5th. Then I lost to Mo again in the semi’s of the Cadet girls.

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