USATT Concludes 2025 State Series with Strong Showings in Illinois and Florida

The 2025 USATT State Series wrapped up in December with two successful events on opposite ends of the country, highlighting the continued growth and competitive strength of table tennis across the United States. From the Midwest to the Southeast, both events delivered high-level play, strong participation, and outstanding organization by their host clubs.

The Illinois and Florida events once again highlighted the important role local clubs play in delivering successful USATT State Series tournaments and advancing the sport across the country.

The 2025 USATT Illinois State Closed, hosted by the Chicago International Table Tennis Academy, took place from December 12–14 and drew over 100 players competing across eight events over three days of competition.

In the Men’s Singles, top seed Michael Wolski captured the gold medal after defeating Gediminas Mickus in the final. The Women’s Singles once again belonged to Amina Batkhuyag, who claimed her third consecutive Illinois State title. Aziza Abdrafikova finished second, while Christine Cha secured a third-place finish.

Additional event winners included Nathan To, who won the U19 Junior Singles, and Wojciech Wolski, who claimed the Over 45 Singles title. The tournament featured competitive fields across junior, open, and veteran divisions.

In the Southeast, the 2025 USATT Florida State Open, hosted by Broward Table Tennis Club, welcomed 177 players and offered over $10,000 in prize money, attracting many of the top players from the region and beyond. A total of 31 events were contested throughout the tournament.

Florida resident Daniel Gorak ensured the Men’s Singles title remained in-state, winning in straight sets against Alexandru Cazacu of Atlanta, GA in the final. Isaac Vila of the Dominican Republic and Mohammad Shouman completed the Men’s Singles podium.

In the Women’s Singles, Lijuan Wang captured the gold medal, followed by Kristal Melendez of Puerto Rico with silver. Esmerlyn Castro of the Dominican Republic and Aura Ocampo rounded out the podium.

Several athletes delivered standout performances across multiple events. Kristal Melendez emerged as one of the event’s MVPs by winning both the U2250 and U2350 events. Daniel Gorak and Alexandru Cazacu also met in the finals of both the Men’s Singles and the Giant Round Robin, demonstrating their dominance in their region.

As the final two State Series events of 2025 come to a close, USATT reminds all clubs that bidding for the 2026 USATT State Series Events remains open until December 19, 2025. Clubs interested in hosting are encouraged to submit their bids and continue supporting high-quality, competitive opportunities for players close to home.