1 star USATT tournament, 46 players, 6 events, $640 prize money.
Question: Is a 200+ point difference in ratings harder to overcome at higher levels?
Upsets happen & this tournament was no different.
When 2401 Brian Pace entered our tournament, I was concerned that his 236 points over
the next highest rated player would be too much of a difference to offer competetive
entertaining matches. It turns out our other players stepped up to the challenge.
Not to say the #1 seed didn't win, it just wasn't easy.
This is the 1st tournament where all players advanced out of RR groups:
top 2 to championship single elimination, bottom 2 to consolation SE.
The purpose was to offer more matches. It turned out many players ended up playing
the same opponents twice: once in the championship round of 1 event;
then again in the consolation round of the next event.
Because of this, our next tournament will advance only the top 2 to SE,
so make sure you enter multiple events if you want more matches.
Pictures courtesy Guido Schnabel
U1500 RR
Championship
Only upset was 1326 Mike Stroupe over 1383 Israel Dumbuya in semi final.
Final: Mark Gatlin (1443) over Mike Stroupe 8,7,8.
1st place: $50 2nd place $30
Consolation Final: Carter Colton (unrated) over 1163 Donald Ip.
U1800 RR
Upsets:
1150 Bill Englebreth over 1480 David England
1613 Eric Bailey over 1787 Yuri Godin 3-1.
1749 Ray Filz over 1796 Edem Komlanvi 3-2.
1693 Yishan Zhao over 1749 Filz 3-1 & 1796 Komlanvi 3-1.
Championship
Upsets: 1749 Ray Filz over 1788 Kareem Olugbenga 3-2.
1685 Armadillo Auriemmo over 1765 Elias Gomez 3-2.
1693 Yishan Zhao over 1787 Yuri Godin.
Final: 1693 Yishan Zhao over 1753 Bilal Soylu 8,9,8.
1st place: $80 2nd place $40
Consolation Final
1495 William Cruz over 1443 Mark Gatlin (def)
Open RR
Gr1: Brian Pace over Uko Marcus, Stan Gee & William Cruz
Gr2: 3 way tie: 2165 Eugene Utsalo over 1693 Yishan Zhao 3-0,
Zhao over 1858 Spencer Ip 3-1, Ip over Utsalo 3-1.
Utsalo & Ip advance, Zhao & Pahl fall to consolation round.
Gr3: Pablo Perez over Chi Tran, Edem Komlanvi & Eric Bailey.
Gr4: Steve Wang over Van Vu, Kareem Olugbenga & Mike Wetmore.
Gr5: Guido Schnabel (1895) over Chris Obrian (2040), Yuri Godin & Vic Plugovoy.
Gr6: DJ Settle over Elias Gomez, Rao Shujing & Arm Auriemmo.
Gr7: Le ly over Bilal Soylu (1753), Tom Miller (2006) & Ray Filz.
Championship SE Round 1
2035 DJ Settle over 2040 Chris Obrian 3-1
2401 Brian Pace over 1753 Bilal Soyly 3-0
UR Steve Wang over 1876 Chi Tran 3-0
2068 Pablo Perez over 1858 Spencer Ip 3-0
1895 Guido Schnabel over 1894 Van Vu 3-0
1989 Le Ly over 1765 Elias Gomez 3-0
2165 Eugene Utsalo over 1872 Uko Marcus
Round 2
UR Steve Wang over DJ Settle 3-1
2068 Pablo Perez over 1895 Guido Schnabel 3-0
2165 Eugene Utsalo over 1989 Ly Le 3-2
Semi Finals
2401 Brian Pace over unrated Steve Wang -8,-7,12,8,9.
Pace is a looping machine, but Wang has obviously been frustarating loopers all his
life back in mainland China. Medium pips on his backhand provide defensive spin
variations, while he turns on the offense with inverted forehand loops at every
opportunity. Good safe serves made it difficult for Pace to open, but eventually he
imposed his will over Wangs.
Great entertaining match.
2165 Eugene Utsalo over 2068 Pablo Perez -9, 8,10,9.
utsalo has good serves. Very little motion creating enormous spin giving everyone
trouble; same with his backhand, very powerful & spinny with a deceptive stroke.
Perez handled the serves well & was able to keep the ball on the table forcing
errors from Utsalo taking the 1st game. The rest of the match was very even,
with Utsalo eventually winning with backhands blocked long by Perez.
Final
Pace over Utsalo 8,-9,8,7.
Pace has good high level safe serves, Utsalo had his short motion spinny serves.
Neither fooled the other, but both had to be careful to serve just right or
Utsalo would suffer the wrath of the Pace forehand, or Utsalo would open with a
spinny backhand flip. In the 2nd game Pace had trouble countering off the Utsalo
backhand while Utsalo was able to block away a few loops as well.
Pace came out for game 3 & 4 with visible new determination.
He wasn't out to win, he was out to end it in 4.
Pace went for everything looping off the serve, Utsalos flip or block, nothing was
safe from being turned into a point ending projectile.
Entertaining match appreciated by all.
1st place: $150 2nd place: $80
Open Consolation Final
Yishan Zhao over Eric Bailey -7,5,6,7
Open Doubles
Brian Pace & Chris Obrian over Steve Wang & Guido Schnabel in the final 8,12,-9,9.
Both Wang & Schnabel play with medium or pips on 1 side,
so it was the loopers against the choppers.
Both Wang & Schnabel also were quick to put away the ball after forcing an error,
so it was important for Pace & Obrian to attack 1st & keep the pressure on.
The 1st game took the defensive players too long to get a handle on Paces loops.
By the 2nd, it became a more competetive match.
Wang/Schnabel won the 3rd game with short dead serves & flat hit attacks.
Lesson to doubles enthusiasts: it takes 2 to win.
The difference in the 4th game was Obrians looping contributions at Pace's insistance.
Pace made many impressive loops & counters over the 4 games, but both players need to
contribute to forge a win.
Better to initiate attack if you are a hitter or looper regardless of the outcome than
play it safe & lose wishing you had done more.
Pace & Obrian split $60.
U3500 Doubles
Final: Chi Tran & John Pahl over Elias Gomez & Eric Bailey 3-2
U3000 Doubles
Final: Gerard Schreuders & Richard Rowland over Carter Colton & Chris Kennedy 3-1
