First Family of U.S. Table Tennis:
Adam & Judy Hugh, Lily Yip and Barry Dattel

By Dave Fullen 

For the First Family in table tennis – first not only because collectively they play more table tennis than probably any other family, but also because individually they come in first in table tennis matches most of the time – friendships made are as important as matches played. I had a chance to talk with most of the Yip/Dattel/Hughes family – Yip is Lily’s last name and in China it’s the custom for women to keep their family name, Hughes is from Lily’s previous marriage, and Dattel is stepdad Barry’s last name. Adam is currently a first-quarter freshman at Princeton University and was in the middle of finals when this interview took place, so Barry filled in for Adam. 

What led to your outstanding performance at the recent Nationals?  

Judy: Probably more practice and game playing. You have to play games to have the mentality. I play with Barry. I play more games with him, more drilling with mom. I used to prefer playing games over drilling, but now I see that drill practice really makes a difference. When I don’t practice for a couple of days or a week, when I pick up the racket it takes a while to get the touch back. 

Barry: Judy has this ability to come from behind in tournament matches. She probably did it 10 times last year. She’s not rattled by being behind. She’s focused on the next point. 

Lily: I won Mixed Doubles with Adam. We’ve finished second before, but this was the first time we won. I’m so happy that I won with Adam. 

Barry: And this might be the first time a mother/son team has won a mixed doubles championship. Three years ago I played with Judy and Lily played with Adam. It seems like a popular event now, with 32 teams this past year. Judy and I lost in a close four games to the team Adam and Lily beat in the finals.

I don’t consider my performance at the Nationals outstanding. I tried my best, but players beat me. I’ve won over 30 singles and over 40 singles at least once before. Semis aren’t as good as winning, but I’m not unhappy with my performance.

Would you list your major table tennis titles in addition to Nationals?  

Barry: Adam is the North American champ. He’s won every age category starting at age 11. He hasn’t won anything on the international scene, but I believe he came in around 3rd in the world junior challenge championships. [Breaking news: Adam was just named USATT Male Player of the Year for 2005. -The Editor] 

Judy: #1 under 18 years in ‘04, #1 under 16 girls in ‘03. 6th at the ‘03 world cadet challenge. 

Lily: Top 16 women’s singles in China, 2-time women’s Guangdong Province champ, selected to Chinese youth team for three months. 2-time Olympian ‘92 and ‘96 for the USA. #1 in tryouts in ‘92 and ‘96. Wei Wang and I got to top 16 women’s doubles in the ‘96 Olympics. Gold medal women’s doubles in the ‘91 Pan American games. #1 last five years in Open Hardbat. 

Barry: Over 40 national champ, Over 30 national champ, New Jersey state champ twice in singles and doubles many times. Over 40 Senior Doubles champ with Lily.

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