$10,000 Macy Block Open

Pittsburgh, PA · August 23-24

By Dan Seemiller

The 14th annual Macy Block Open was held once again in Pittsburgh, PA at the Greentree Racquet Club.  This tournament used to be known as the Sun TV Open and switched over to Macy Block four years ago.

$10,000 in prize money was awarded this year with the Pro Tour event giving out $4,600 in the Men’s and Women’s categories.  Many thanks to tournament sponsor Macy Block, USATT and Butterfly Table Tennis.

The action started at 9:00 AM on 23 widely spaced courts.  One of the top events – Under 22– had some early upsets and near upsets.  It’s hard to play in the morning for those slow starters.  Samson Dubina, who plays a very aggressive game, couldn’t get his game going.  Fellow Ohioan and super blocker, Thomas Yost, moved him around for the 3-1 upset.  On court one, another notorious slow starter, Mark Hazinski, rated 2661, was down 2-0 to Terrence Kalicharan from Toronto.  Mark hangs tough and pulls it out 3-2.  In the final, Mark and Han Xiao are at 1-1 in games and 9-all when Mark opens up with 2 soft well-placed loops that Han re-loops long.  That was the turning point of the match and Hazinski wins, 3-1.

Pro Tour Events were up next.  In the Women’s event, Charlene Liu used her steady blocking game to claim the $300 prize over second place Amanda Dubina and third place Jennifer Mast.  On the Men’s side, Barney J. Reed was the champ defeating Mark Hazinski 4-1.  Barney has been training hard overseas and his game looked sharp.  He won the close games against Mark in a match that was pretty even though the score was 4-1.  Barney defeated De Tran 4-2 in one semifinal, while Mark defeated Han Xiao 4-1.

Rating Events

Many-time U.S. Team Member Rick Seemiller, back in action at the Macy Block Open. He made the semifinals of Under 2500. Photo by Chip Patton ©2003.

Han Xiao dominated the Under 2500 event, defeating Rick Seemiller in the semi’s and Paul David in the final.  It was Randy Seemiller over John Wetzler in the Under 2375 final.  Mark Nordby won the Under 2250 over Chip Coulter 3-1.  Chip had a nice win over Shawn Embleton in the semifinals.  Nick Snider, continuing his improved play, won the Under 2125 over fellow Ohioan, Tom Yost.  In the 54-player Under 2000 event, Ken Roskos easily handled Winston Kalicharan 3-0.  Michael Mast took the Under 1875 event over Rodney Trahan at 13-11 in the fifth game.  Bob Bowlander won the Under 1750’s over Mark Merritt and 82-year-old Bill Marcuson won the Under 1625 event over Paul Miller from Newark.  Ron Harp defeated Jim Taylor for the Under 1500’s and Sandy Sun won the Under 1350 while Sunny Sun took the Under 1200 respectively over Bob DeWitt and Richard Haraldson.  Eric Breindel defeated Dan Seemiller Jr. in the Under 1000 final.

Age Events

Eric Leventhal won the Under 18’s, 3-1 over Preston Chin.  Changping Duan was the Over-50 champion just getting by Hank McCollum at 18-16 in the 4th.  Jim Hawkins won the Over-60 event for the second year in a row over Paul Miller.

Doubles Events

In Open Doubles, the team of Mark Hazinski and Barney Reed were favored to win but lost in the final to De Tran and Ernesto Ebuen, 3-2, 11-9 in the fifth. 

The Under 4100 Doubles had Barney J. Reed again, this time with Roger Dickson.  They won the event over Shawn Embleton and Kevin Duesburry.

The final doubles event was the Under 3600’s, which was won by Dan Seemiller Sr. and Dan Seemiller Jr. over Preston Chin and Bob Bowlander.

Open Singles

Fabio Mantagazzi, a visiting player from Italy, made his way to the semifinal versus 16-year-old Han Xiao.  Fabio is an excellent control player with a nice backhand loop.   Han showed his good form when he won the Under 2500’s with ease.  Fabio wins the match 4-2 as Han, down early, couldn’t quite catch up.  In the other semi’s, it’s a rematch of Saturday’s Pro Tour final; Barney Reed versus Mark Hazinski.  Again Barney wins the key points with some nice touch backhand blocking and prevails 4-1.  The final is a close one as Fabio wins game five, 11-9, to go up 3-2.  Barney is attacking most of the time but Mantagzza’s touch keeps bringing the ball back.  Barney makes it a clean sweep as he wins games 6 & 7 at 11-7, 11-5 to win 4 games to 3.

Thanks to South Park TTC and South Bend TTC for the use of their tables.  South Park TTC has hosted a four-star event every year since 1974.  This was the 30th tournament that I, along with my brothers, Rick and Randy, have organized. 

Again, I am grateful to Macy Block, our main sponsor, along with Butterfly Table Tennis and Dr. Bill Walk, who served as the referee for the tournament.  A special “Get Well Soon” for South Park President, Gary Egri, who was recently seriously injured in an auto accident.  Gary has supported and worked at our tournaments each year.  

Top 16 Money Winners in the Macy Block Open

Open Singles – Final: Barney J. Reed d. Fabio Mantegazza, 5,-6,7,-9,-9,7,5; SF: Reed d. Mark Hazinski, 4-1; Mantegazza d. Han Xiao, 4-2.

Elite Pro Tour Men – Final: Barney J. Reed d. Mark Hazinski, 4-1; SF: Reed d. De Tran, 6,6,5,-9,6; Hazinski d. Han Xiao, 9,11,-8,11,5.

Elite Pro Tour Women: 1^st Charlene Liu, 2-0; 2^nd Amanda Dubina, 1-1; 3^rd Jennifer Mast, 0-2.

Open Doubles: De Tran/Ernesto Ebuen d. Barney J. Reed/Mark Hazinski, 7,-5,8,-11,9.

Over 40: Rick and Randy Seemiller split prize.

Over 50: Changping Duan d. Hank McCoullum, 9,-5,10,16.

Over 60: 1^st Jim Hawkins, 2-0; 2^nd Paul Miller, 1-1; 3^rd Richard Moss, 0-2.

Under 22: Mark Hazinski d. Han Xiao, 9,-8,9,5.

Under 18: Eric Leventhal d. Preston Chin, 3-1.

U2500 – Final: Han Xiao d. Paul David, 7,4,3; SF: Xiao d. Rick Seemiller, 3-0; David d. De Tran, def.

U2375 – Final: Randy Seemiller d. John Wetzler, -8,7,8,9; SF: Seemiller d. Shawn Embleton, 9,10,6; Wetzler d. Taju Oladokun, 7,-8,11,6.

U2250 – Final: Mark Nordby d. Chip Coulter, 3-1; SF: Nordby d. Taju Oladokun, 3-0; Coulter d. Shawn Embleton, 3-1.

U2125: Nick Snider d. Tom Yost, 3-0.

U2000: Ken Roskos d. Winston Kalicharan, 3-0.

U1875: Michael Mast d. Rodney Trahan, 3-2.

U1750: Bob Bowlander d. Mark Merritt, n.s.

U1625: Bill marcuson d. Paul Miller, 5,6,6.

U1500: Ron Harp d. Jim Taylor, 12,-10,3,7.

U1350: Sandy Sun d. Bob Dewitt, 8,-9,3,9.

U1200: Sunny Sun d. Richard Haraldson, -9,11,10,8.

U1000: Eric Breindel d. Dan Seemiller Jr., 9,7,10.

U4100 Doubles: Barney J. Reed/Roger Dickson d. Kevin Duesburry/Shawn Embleton, 3-1.

U3600 Doubles: Dan Seemiller Sr./Dan Seemiller Jr. d. Preston Chin/Bob Bowlander, 11,3,9.