Who is the best table tennis player in the Carolinas today?
That would be Brian Pace.
Who is the best player in the southeast?
Hopefully we can find out in May, assuming we can lure players to attend
that have been absent from out tournaments recently.
Hearing this Nigel, Greg & Didi?
Even though we had no major issues & disagreements over the 2 days,
following proper service guidelines still seems to be the area of most contention.
Most players do not consistently serve legally.
Most serve mostly legal in such a manner that the opponent is not bothered.
After all, if your opponents illegal serve is not effective, who cares, right?
Actually this player is the worst offender.
The few players who serve illegally to gain an advantage can point at all the
players around them, also serving illegally, who are not challenged, claiming
some sort of discrimination. This is a situation that has no easy solution.
From my opening remarks to all players before the Open RR event:
"The top players have no more obligation to serve legally than any of the other
players in this tournament. You can not expect an umpire to observe & forgive
illegal activity all day long & then hold the finalists to a higher standard.
The best way to insure a well played semi-final & final match is to hold yourselves
to a higher standard raising the level of play & expectaions & setting an example
for all."
Onward:
A record 60 players signed up to play in 10 events over 2 days.
We had upsets as well as expected outcomes, but no one got a free pass.
Saturdays events went well & on time, we fell a little behind schedule sunday.
Hopefully that will improve with every tournament.
Tournament Director & Referee: John Pahl
Control Desk: Jesse Pahl
Umpire: Heiko Plankenhorn
Staff: Tom Miller & Christian Flohr.
Saturday Events
Under 1400 RR
3 preliminary groups of 4 advancing top 2 from each group.
Semi Finals
John Griffing over Richard Rowland 3-1
Bill Englebreth over Mike Stroupe 3-1
Donal Ip over Christian Amidi 3-1
Final RR x 3
1st: Griffing over Englebreth 3-0 & Ip 3-0
2nd: Ip over Englebreth 3-2
1st/$60 2nd/$30
Under 1700 RR
7 groups of 4 advancing top 2 to single elimination.
Armadillo Auriemmo & Khoa Vu over Elvis Lopez & David Roddick.
Mike Wetmore & Christian Flohr over John Grioffing & Richard Rowland.
Victor Plugovoy & Colton Carter over Gary Brande & Donald Ip.
Gyver Huang & Chris MacDougall over Mike Stroupe.
John Pahl & Joel Mitchell over Christian Amidi.
Israel Dumbuya & Drew Bogert over Lars Buchholz & Will Goldberg.
Gerard Schreuders & William Cruz over Bill Englebreth & Jared Stier.
Semi Finals
1628 Gyver Huang over 1688 Armadillo Auriemmo 6,-9,10,7.
1652 Mike Wetmore over 1639 Victor Plugovoy -6,10,11,13.
Final
Gyver Huang over Mike Wetmore 4,3,2.
1st/$80 2nd/$40
Under 2800 Doubles
Final
Chris MacDougall/Colton Carter over John Pahl/Jesse Pahl -8,8,9,-9,8.
1st/$60 2nd/$30
Under 3400 Doubles
Heiko Plankenhorn/Colton Carter over Elias Gomez/Victor Plugovoy
6,-7,7,-6,6.
1st/$80 2n/$40
Open Single Elimination
22 players signed up; 1st major upset of the day:
1760 Elias Gomez over 2003 Yishan Zhao 3-2
Semi Finals
1843 Ling Fan over 1954 Min Xu 7,-6,4,9.
2403 Brian Pace over 1889 Van Vu 7,8,7.
Final
Brian Pace over Ling Fan -8,7,-4,6,5.
1st/$80 2nd/$40
Great effort by Ling, who started out well, forcing Pace to loop off dead
balls & punch blocked many of his loops. She was actually ahead 4-1 in the
final game but lost focus serving too long allowing Pace to loop in winners.
I blame her coaches.
Sunday Events
Under 1850 RR
6 groups of 4, advancing top 2 to Single elimination.
Preliminary round upsets:
1688 Arm Auriemmo over 1843 Ling Fan
1406 Colton Carter over 1728 Russell Buxton & 1629 Phil Dulin
1628 Gyver Huang over 1744 Yuri Godin, 1780 Eric Bailey, 1760 Elias Gomez
1581 Tim Hoagland over 1756 Ray Filz
1766 Lefty Miller over 1824 Stan Gee
1760 Tom Griffin over 1843 Ling Fan
Semi Finals
1760 Tom Griffin over 1838 Salil Surendran 8,5,6.
1628 Gyver Huang over 1688 Arm Auriemmo 8,-5,3,14.
Final
Tom Griffin over Gyver Huang -6,8,12,12.
1st/$100 2nd/$60
Open RR
8 groups of 4, advancing top 2 to single elimination.
Preliminary round upsets:
1628 Gyver Huang over 1760 Elias Gomez & 1889 Van Vu.
1940 Amir Amidi over 2017 Chris Obrian 3-0
1/4 Finals
2403 Brian Pace over 1948 Tom Miller 3-0
1894 Usher Huang over 1940 Amir Amidi 3-1
2068 Pablo Perez over 1954 Min Xu 3-2
2003 Yishan Zhao over 2010 Rodrigo Merida 3-2
Semi Finals
Brian Pace over Usher Huang 5,6,3.
Pablo Perez over Yishan Zhao 9,7,9.
Final
Brian Pace over Pablo Perez 13,-8,7,-8,7.
Even though Pace is the favorite by 300 points, it has become obvious this
weekend (as well as last tournament) what it takes to be competetive at his
level. We have strong players with great loops; but if you want to go head
to head with a 2400 looper, you better get in the 1st attack, & be prepared
to counter more than once. Pace favors his forehand, & those with geat
backhands might score points as long as he obliges to that side.
Saturdays Open SE final showed loopers can be frustrated by dead balls &
punch blocks, but still the gap proved to be too much for our Ling Fan.
(Where are you Coach Peng?)
Pablo Perez is an all around attacker relying on placement over power for
both his attacks & blocks. His serves are also a level above the rest of the
pack, either short enough to snub Paces attack, or just long enough to tempt
Pace to open, but not at 100% allowing Perez to gain advantage with deft blocks.
All the games were competetive & entertaining, both players served well &
were an example of good overall technique & sportsmanship.
Pace was able to loop clear winners off Perez' serve more & more in the last 2
games; either because Pace willed himself to put out more effort, or Perez'
serves wandered just a bit too long, or a combination of both.
Either way spectators should have walked away with some clues as to improving
their own game by emulating these 2 disparate styles.
1st/$150 2nd/$80
Over 1850 / Under 2050 Single Elimination
This event offered extra/more competetive matches for Open RR players.
Upsets:
1861 Heiko Plankenhorn over 1894 Usher Huang 3-2
1966 Le Ly over 2003 Yishan Zhao 3-2
1889 Van Vu over 1985 Ty Petty 3-0
Semi Final
2033 Jim McQueen over 1948 Tom Miller 3-1
2017 Chris Obrian over 1966 Ly Le 3-1
Final
Jim McQueen over Chris Obrian 3-2
1st/$50
Under 3800 Doubles
Usher Huang/Gyver Huang over Min Xu/Tom Griffin 3-2
1st/$100 2nd/$60
Matches of note:
Any match against the far superior team of Ty Petty/John Pahl.
Any team that advanced over them clearly cheated.
Open Hardbat
1st/$50 to Ty Petty
2nd & 3rd/split prize to Jim McQueen & Chris Obrian.
Ty Petty is a level above all the competition here.
He can attack or defend the ball with authority hitting outright winners
off balls most would place back safely.
We wish him luck at the Cary Cup hardbat event.
pics coutesy Rick Thigpen
