Robo-Pong the Table Tennis

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STIGA Open

Fearless in Delaware

Newark, Delaware · June 12-13, 2004

By Alan Williams

The second stop on the 2004 STIGA North American Tour was an outstanding tournament in every aspect, one of the very best I’ve ever attended. Held at the Carpenter Sports Building at the University of Delaware, the operation was flawless, not surprising given NATT’s six years experience in running these mobile four-star events. But it was the players and their attitudes and performances that made this tournament truly memorable. Courage and fearlessness were on display throughout the weekend, and the STIGA Open climaxed with one of the most dramatic finishes I’ve ever seen, one that those who witnessed it are not likely to forget anytime soon!

Table Tennis Pioneers, the long-time sponsors of the North American Tour, were on hand as vendors and saw a steady stream of enthusiasts at their booth. Terry Bell acted as Tournament Referee, with Fong Hsu as Tournament Director and Richard Lee as Tournament President. Wendy Troy handled the Registration desk with her usual grace, leaving myself with the lighter tasks of making announcements; handing out match slips and observing a few hundred people have a great time playing the sport they love.

Few families have had more fun than the Friend’s, a five-person entry that were high profile in Delaware both for their enthusiasm and for their results! When the weekend ended, Mackenzie Friend, Todd Friend, Spencer Friend and Chance Friend had each earned trophies, but mother Cheryl, while earning no hardware, had shown the most courage. “I did not intend to play the Women’s Singles,” she informed me, “but the kids signed me up!” A 400 level recreational player, she did not shy away from her match with the current U.S. #1 rated woman, Wang Chen, who, ever gracious, managed to win without patronizing or punishing her inexperienced opponent.

It was a delight to see the return of Martin Theil. Martin had been far less happy last summer when a dispute over his one-color hardbat racket had apparently ruined his appetite for organized play. But, all that behind him, he chose to compete again, and compete he did! Martin not only won the Over 60 Singles and the Under 1700 event, he played in the very first expedite match to ever occur at an NATT tour stop!

Richard DeWitt is a frequent participant at NATT tournaments. The multi-lingual DeWitt will talk table tennis with anyone, anytime. Modest to a fault, I’ve heard Richard often deprecate his own chances in the events. He’s one of those people, and I’m sure you know people of similar personality, who never seem to give themselves adequate credit. “Gee, I’m playing awful!” he said more than once, especially after a straight game loss to Vukman Soskic in Open Singles and a tough loss to the fast-rising junior, Joseph Wang. Now how can that be Richard’s fault, given that Soskic made the second stage RR of the Open and won the Under 2125? Or that Joseph Wang has been harvesting the rating points of veteran players for several years now? Yet Richard seemed to be actually surprised to get past Patrick Mualem and then Nigel Webb to win the Under 2375 title! Maybe it’s time to acknowledge, Richard, that you actually play pretty well?

John Wetzler, Vukman Soskic, Khaleel Asgarali and Patrick Mualem are four guys who “play pretty well” and showed it by making the second stage round robin of Open Singles, where some very scary opponents lay in wait. As if having the likes of Michael Oyebode, Barney J. Reed, Han Xiao, Razvan Cretu and David Zhuang to contend with was not enough, there was also the two-time defending STIGA Open Champion Thomas Keinath, the German Nationals semifinalist, and, in his first US appearance, a second Bundesliga veteran, Gao Yan Jun (pronounced “Yoon-G”) were also waiting to crush, disarm and dismantle their opposition. It was going to take plenty of courage to run this gauntlet.

Open Singles

Group 1: Thomas Keinath, Razvan Cretu, Paul David, Khaleel Asgarali

Paul David is a versatile and determined player, and showed that Keinath (Ki-Newt) is not invincible when he nicked the defending champ for a game, but lost the match 7,4,-9,3,3.

Keinath takes no chances, never toys with any opponent, and plays all out on each point. It showed in his defeat of the U.S. junior, Asgarali, 7,4,7,7. When David took the table against Razvan, he knew this match would be crucial as only the top two from each group could continue to the Quarterfinals. Taking the first game, 11-8, he served notice that he was afraid of no one. But Razvan has too many tools, and once he found his Backhand loop, there was nowhere for Paul to go. Cretu wins, -8,6,7,8,-0,6. Now only Asgarali can stop Razvan from advancing, and he challenges Cretu to a power game. With both players frequently serving long and fast, he doesn’t have enough, although each game is close, 8,8,9,8. “I felt that once I was past Razvan’s serve, I was in every point,” Khaleel said after the match. “But his service game is much more advanced than mine!” With the advancing players determined, Paul defaulted to Khaleel, and Razvan decided to give Keinath the #1 position by default. Not a bad strategy, since Razvan would now be automatically placed in the opposite bracket of the Quarters from the Top Seed.

Group 2: David Zhuang, Tahl Leibovitz, Keith Evans, Vukman Soskic

Only Evans (14-12) manages to capture a game from the four-time U.S. Singles Champion, and David cruises to the #1 spot and a Quarterfinal on Sunday. Tahl Leibovitz defeats the game Soskic, 6,7,9,2, with soft blocks and flip returns of serve. Now he must get past Keith Evans. The veteran yields nothing to the local favorite, but Tahl, with Sean O’Neill coaching, manages to overcome a 2-1 deficit to triumph, 5,-9,-9,6,9,-6,2! Keith saves himself for his Over 40 final by defaulting to Soskic (he was having leg problems), and the group is set.

Group 3: Barney Reed, Michael Oyebode, De Tran, John Wetzler

Despite making a last minute entry, De Tran is unable to attend, and defaults his matches. Now three will compete for two spots as everyone begins 1-0. John Wetzler makes the most of every opportunity against top players, and has several wins in his career to show for it, but against Oyebode, there is no such result. Mike is quick, way too quick. He plays a fast, at-the-table, off-the-bounce attacking game, and John’s third ball attacks whistle straight back at him. Switching tactics, John tries playing the short game with long pipped blocking, but Mike covers too much ground for John to exploit the angles. Oyebode prevails, 5,7,3,-5,7.

Reed is also too much for John today, and Oyebode and Reed are guaranteed advancers. But there’s no “gentleman’s agreement” in this group, as Oyebode and Reed wage a real war to see who gets the top spot. 12-10, Oyebode. 11-9, Reed. 12-10, Reed. 11-6, Oyebode. 11-8 Oyebode and the pressure is on Barney. He evens the match, 11-6. It’s all about pride, it’s all about courage, and at deuce in the seventh game, it’s Oyebode who has the mental toughness today, as he wins a great match, 12-10.

Group 4: Han Xiao, Gao Yan Jun, Nigel Webb, Patrick Mualem

For Han, the time has come to deliver on the promise. No longer a “fast-rising junior” but instead a member of the U.S. Men’s Team and a college freshman next fall, he now comes to competition as the favorite, rather than the underdog. Neither Mualem (12,6,7,7) nor Webb (8,9,4,9) can deal him a setback and he’s ensured to advance. Gao, given an estimated rating of 2600, also derails Mualem (4,5,8,8) and Webb (8, -9,7,7,7). Pat salvages pride (and a few rating points!) when he takes the #3 spot with a crowd-pleasing win against Nigel, -7,8,9,-7,-9,6,6. Courageous play when trailing 3-2 carries the day! For Han, against Gao, the hole is deeper, as the Bundesliga veteran surges out in front, three games to one! But Han shows that he has arrived, is ready, as, consulting with Paul David between games, he aggressively carries the war to the right-handed Gao and wins! (-6,8,-9,-5,6,8,6). Gao wonders where this new tiger has come from, and now only eight players remain to compete for the $2,000 first place prize.

Quarterfinals

David Zhuang vs. Barney Reed

Delaware can’t be David’s favorite place, as it was here two years ago that he lost a Semifinal to Keinath after holding a two-point lead in the final game. Additional grist for the mental mill, only two months ago Barney upset David in the semis at the Quaker City Open in Philadelphia. Would this rematch establish a new pecking order? Give David yet another unpleasant Newark memory? It apparently never enters his mind as a possibility, as he takes out Barney in four straight games, 7,9,7 and 7. Barney does not look as fresh and energetic as he did in Philly, and it shows in the result, as he can’t mount a sustained attack on David’s blocking game.

Thomas Keinath vs. Tahl Leibovitz

Tahl demonstrates amazing courage every time he plays; given the myriad of physical ailments he battles. But even the able-bodied wilt before Keinath’s complete mastery of table tennis. It takes less than 20 minutes to play this match, as despite Tahl’s best effort (and some amazing around-the-net-post loops) Keinath wins 4,6,6,4. By the fourth game, Tahl is visibly resigned and that doesn’t happen often. Thomas is looking good for a third title!

Michael Oyebode vs. Gao Yan Jun

Gao can never really get going against the speedy Oyebode, whose off-the-bounce play hurries even the best players. Mike exploits every opening, often going down the lines with his attack, and wins in straight games, 8,8,7,9. Mike certainly looks like a champion with this win, and his Semi will be with Keinath. Does he have enough?

Han Xiao vs. Razvan Cretu

Has Han ever defeated Razvan in the past? No one seems to recall it ever having happened. From the first point it’s clear that this is the best match of the round. Razvan is pulling every serve tactic he knows, often to great effect, including one short looks-like-topspin-but-is-heavy-underspin that seems to bite the bottom of the net each time he reveals it. Han wins the first game 11-9, only to have Cretu immediately answer by an identical score. Many of the points are toe-to-toe power exchanges that boom boom boom leave the crowd cheering. It seems to me, as the match progresses, that Han adjusts to the serve a little better, is dragging the loop just a little wider, and Razvan, playing all out, leaves the table open in chasing those down. It’s six games and a win for the youngster, 9,-9,7,7,-9,7 as Han advances to the Semifinal, leaving Cretu with QF money.

Semifinals

Thomas Keinath vs. Michael Oyebode

After the convincing shellacking of Leibovitz, Keinath runs into a buzzsaw here. The curly-headed Thomas falls quickly down two games, 10 and 5! The crowd is buzzing as Michael is doing everything right, and again is scoring consistently with forehand loops and backhand blocks down the line. Keinath can’t let this continue if he expects to win, but how can he stop it? He begins to vary his pace, particularly to Oyebode’s backhand, and that small change throws Mike’s timing off, as he is too early, then too late, then too early, and Keinath forces corner-to-corner rallies. He accepts the challenge to stay right at the table, and stamina carries the day. It’s Oyebode who wilts first, now lunging to try to get his forehand on down-the-line backhand blocks from the German. It helps that Michael serves into the net in game four, when trailing 9-10, a moment Oyebode cannot seem to shrug off. After a shaky start, Keinath has righted himself and advances to the Championship match, -10,-5,6,9,8,7.

David Zhuang vs. Han Xiao

David’s pips and flat ball returns are nasty elements for anyone to deal with, and Han, who can accurately be described as “unflappable,” is definitely getting flapped here, as he drops the first two games, 7 and 2. He’s having no trouble tracking the ball, but his forehand returns are (net) just not (net) climbing (net) against David’s flat hitting. To make matters worse, in the third game, David begins to twiddle, now throwing inverted topspin loops into the mix and keeping Han unsettled and uncomfortable. And was that? Yes, it was, even a penhold backhand loop from David to give Han yet something else to think about as a possibility. Han does better in the fourth, but it’s too many adjustments made too late against the veteran.

David advances in straight games, 7,2,5,9. After the match, Larry Hodges, the famous tactician, advances the theory that it’s the second loop that matters here, and that Han has to learn to go hard/soft/hard against David’s game. That’s a choice that will have to wait for a rematch!

Championship Match

Thomas Keinath vs. David Zhuang

You could not ask for a better scene. David, out to avenge his loss in 2002, has played at a high level all weekend. Keinath, simply amazing, has shown that he is not Superman, having dropped those first two games to Oyebode. Add in a couple hundred spectators, most of them knowledgeable about the game, two dedicated cheering sections, with New Jersey’s favorite on the right and Keinath’s Manhattan friends on the left. Oh! and there’s that small matter of the $2,000 for the winner and more modest $800 for the runner-up. All eyes are on the Championship court, spectators seated on all four sides, as Thomas takes the first game, 12-10. Nothing here will be easy, but David’s fans certainly feel comfortable as their champion takes one, then two, now three! straight games, 9,6 and 8. David is playing like he is thirty years old again, but in between games, wife/coach/mother Joannie has no smiles for her player. She seems to urge him to end it now. But Thomas takes a big early lead, avoids the blowout, and notches game five by a score of 11-7. Game six, and David is right on the verge, a 10-7 match point lead. But Keinath is absolutely fearless. He takes several powerful forehands straight through David’s forehand … deuce! But David has the serve, yet wastes that advantage when he catches the net cord ... and the ball sails long! Up 11-10, Keinath unleashes another FH winner, and it’s just-like-that, three games apiece. Would that prey on your mind? Is it too much like 2002 again to be believed? David needs to reestablish himself if he wants this title and yes! does so in dramatic fashion, winning the first five points of game seven. But there’s mental toughness on both sides as Keinath refuses to fold, and 2-7, 6-8 pulls himself back into the game. David is making unforced errors, pushing long, playing tentatively. He knows it, you can see, but each shot has that brief “am I about to do the right thing?” hesitancy that each of us has felt ourselves, if not under such a glaring spotlight. Keinath is absolutely on fire, no hesitation, and against the odds, recovers from the 0-5 deficit to tie the game from down 6-9, 9-9 in the seventh!

In a perfect universe, time would freeze, and both these worthy Champions would stand poised forever, tied at 3 games apiece, 9 points apiece in the seventh game. The spectators, all staring at the court, filled with anticipation and dread, hope and anxiety, hanging on the uncertainty of the next half-minute of play. It is symmetry. It is perfect balance. It cannot last, but then, just then, for a moment it did. Two points. A weekend’s long exertions all hang on two points. It’s nerves of steel to face such a moment, and both players do.

Thirty seconds later and the air is split by a cry of agony, followed by one of pure ecstasy. “Nooooooooo!” “Ja! Ja! Ja!” David’s racket goes flying into a barrier, followed in a half second by David himself, feet pointed in front of him, pounding the floor in frustration and kicking the barriers in disbelief and despair. Keinath is bouncing, bouncing, his arms high in victory, in a group hug as his supporters pour into the court. The crowd, cheering, screaming, sighing and in an excited commotion as Thomas Keinath, two-time defending STIGA Open Champion, makes it three in a row, coming back from a 1-3 game deficit, coming back from 7-10 match point in Game Six, coming back from 0-5, 6-9 in Game Seven, to earn Victory. It is an incredible, charged moment. But this does not last either, as David is quickly to his feet and earnestly, honestly, congratulating Keinath on a courageous effort. It is the most dramatic match I have ever seen.

It takes a special courage of a different sort for me to approach David Zhuang 15 minutes later now sitting alone at courtside as he slowly puts on his street shoes. “David ... thank you. That was a great match.” “Thanks, Alan.” “It’s not so bad,” I continue. “You put things right with Barney. You reminded Han who is Boss. You got eight hundred dollars.” “I’m fine,” and David reassures me with a smile. “I’ll be back. I had a really good time!” and as David and his family gather for the drive home, I’m forced to reflect on the courage that these players all show, laying themselves on the line at tournament after tournament, discarding their losses and cherishing their wins as they return to training for their next contest.

So. It was absolutely the best tournament I’ve ever seen! A spectator said to me as he was leaving “This was great! It should be like this every time!” But every time is different, and time cannot be stopped. “Make sure you come to the Eastern Open, in July, in New Jersey,” I urge him, “and we’ll see what happens next!”

Open Singles – Final: Thomas Keinath d. David Zhuang, 10,-9,-6,-8,7,10,9; SF: Keinath d. Michael Oyebode-10,-5,6,9,8,7; Zhuang d. Han Xiao, 7,2,5,9; QF: Keinath d. Tahl Leibovitz, 4,6,6,4; Oyebode d. Gao Yan Jun, 8,8,7,9; Xiao d. Razvan Cretu, 9,-9,7,7,-9,7; Zhuang d. Barney J. Reed, 7,9,7,7

Open Preliminaries

Group A: 1^st Thomas Keinath, 3-0 (d. Cretu, def; d. David, 7,4,-9,3,3; d. Asgarali, 7,4,7,7); 2^nd Razvan Cretu, 2-1 (d. David, -8,6,7,8,-0,6; d. Asgarali, 8,8,9,8); 3^rd Khaleel Asgarali, 1-2 (d. Paul David, def.); 4^th Paul David, 0-3.

Group B: 1^st David Zhuang, 3-0 (d. Leibovitz, 4,5,4,9; d. Evans, -12,2,2,3,4; d. Soskic, 8,6,2,4); 2^nd Tahl Leibovitz, 2-1 (d. Evans, 5,-9,-9,6,9,-6,2; d. Soskic, 6,7,9,2); 3^rd Vukman Soskic, 1-2 (d. Evans, def.); 4^th Keith Evans, 0-3.

Group C: 1^st Michael Oyebode, 2-0 (d. Reed, 10,-9,-10,6,8,-6,10; d. Wetzler, 5,7,3,-5,7); 2^nd Barney J. Reed, 1-1 (d. Wetzler, 5,7,3,-5,7); 3^rd John Wetzler, 0-2.

Group D: 1^st Han Xiao, 3-0 (d. Gao, -6,8,-9,-5,6,8,6; d. Webb, 8,9,4,9; d. Mualem, 12,6,7,7); 2^nd Gao, 2-1 (d. Webb, 8,-9,7,7,7; d. Mualem, 4,5,8,8); 3^rd Patrick Mualem, 1-2 (d. Nigel Webb, -7,8,9,-7,-9,6,6); 4^th Nigel Webb, 0-3.

Women’s Singles: Wang Chen d. N.R. Indu, 3,6,7,6.

Over 40: Keith Evans d. Valeriy Ort, 7,6,6,9.

Over 50: Prakash Keshav d. Robert Saperstein, -4,5,9,9,9.

Over 60: Martin Theil d. James McCoy, -9,8,4,11,11.

Under 18: Khaleel Asgarali d. Reza Ghiasi, 6,4,12,8.

Under 16 Boys: Thomas An d. Taiyee Chien, -9,5,9,-9,-4,10,7.

Under 13 Boys: Thomas An d. Reza Ghiasi, -8,-4,9,6,14,8.

Under 10 Boys: 1^st Justin Kung; 2^nd Spence Friend.

Under 16 Girls: 1^st Yasmine Zaghmout; 2^nd Stephanie Shih.

Under 13 Girls: 1^st Mable Ng; 2^nd Leona Madison.

Under 10 Girls: 1^st Annie Guo; 2^nd Mackenzie Friend.

U2500: Razvan Cretu d. Paul David, 4,6,4,10.