Meet the Contenders!

^{#1 Ilija Lupulesku
Rating: 2768
Residence: Chicago, IL
Playing Style: Lefty steady two-winged shakehand looper
· Member, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team
· 2002 & 2003 U.S. National Men’s Singles Champion
· 2004 U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion, Mixed Doubles Finalist
· 2003 U.S. National Men’s and Mixed Doubles Champion
· 2002 U.S Open Elite Singles and Over 30 Champion
· 2001 North American Teams Champion
· 1990 European Men’s Doubles Champion, 3-time Finalist
· 1988 Olympic Men’s Doubles Silver Medalist
· 1987 World Men’s Doubles Finalist
· Two-time European Mixed Doubles Champion, 2-time Finalist
· Four-time Yugoslavian Men’s Singles Champion; 10-time Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles Champion}

^{#2 David Zhuang
Rating: 2706
Residence: West Windsor, NJ
Playing Style: Pips-out penholder, close-to-table attack
· 1999 Pan Am Games Men’s Singles & Teams Gold Medalist
· 4-Time U.S. Men’s National Singles Champion
· 7-Time U.S. Men’s National Doubles Champion
· 6-Time U.S. Men’s National Mixed Doubles Champion
· 2005 Le Chi/West Covina Open and Gardne State Open Champion
· 2004 Nationals Men’s Singles & Doubles Finalist
· 2003 U.S. National Men’s Doubles Champion, Men’s Singles Semifinalist
· Member of 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic Teams
· Member of 2003 U.S. Pan Am Team
· USOC Athlete of the Year for Table Tennis, 1996 & 2000}

^{#3 Cheng Yinghua
Rating: 2686
Hometown: Germantown, MD
Playing Style: Two-winged shakehand looper and blocker
· Four-time and Defending U.S. Men’s Singles Champion
· Five-time and Defending U.S. Mixed Doubles Champion
· Three-time U.S. Men’s Doubles Champion
· 1985 & 1993 U.S. Open Men’s Singles Champion
· 2004 U.S. Over 40 Men’s Singles Champion
· #1 ranked player in U.S. almost continuously, 1988-1998
· Member of Chinese National Team, 1977-87}

^{#4 Mark Hazinski
Rating: 2607
Residence: Mishawaka, IN
Playing Style: Shakehand power looper
· Member, 2004 U.S. National & Olympic Team
· 2004 U.S. Men’s Doubles & Under 22 Men’s Singles Champion
· 2005 U.S. Open Under 30 Men’s Singles Champion
· 2004 & 2005 St. Joseph Valley Open Singles & Doubles Champion
· 2003 USATT Men’s Player of the Year
· 2003 U.S. National Men’s Singles Finalist
· 2003 U.S. National Men’s Doubles Semifinalist
· 2003 U.S. Open Under 22 Men’s Semifinalist
· 2003 Canadian Junior Open Bronze Team Medalist
· 1998-2001 Junior Olympic Gold Medalist in Singles & Doubles
· 2000-2002 U.S. National Championships U-22 Champion in Singles
· 2001-2002 U.S. National Championships U-18 Champion}

^{#5 Han Xiao
Rating: 2565
Residence: Germantown, MD
Playing Style: Aggressive shakehand two-winged looper
· Member, 2005 U.S. National Men’s Team
· 2003 National Men’s Singles Quarterfinalist
· 2002 USA Men’s Doubles Champion, Singles Quarterfinalist
· 2002 USATT Male Player of the Year
· 2003 U.S National Championships Men’s Singles & Doubles Quarterfinalist
· 2003 Canadian Junior Open Boys’ Team Bronze Medalist
· #1 ranked Under 20 player in U.S.}

^{#6 Adam Hugh
Rating: 2559
Residence: Warren, NJ
Playing Style: All-around two-winged attacker
· Member, 2004 U.S. National Men’s Team
· Member, 2004 & 2005 U.S. National Boys’ Team
· 2005 U.S. Open Under 30 Men’s Singles Finalist
· 2004 U.S. Nationals Under 22 Men’s Finalist
· 2003 U.S. Nationals Men’s Singles Semifinalist
· #1 ranked Under 18 player in U.S.}

^{#7 Freddie Gabriel
Rating: 2552
Residence: El Sobrante, CA
Playing Style: All-around
· #8 in Men's Olympic Eligible}

^{#8-9 Eric Owens
Rating: 2524
Residence: Ft. Worth, TX
Playing Style: Aggressive shakehand looper with big forehand
· 2005 National Collegiate Men’s Singles, Doubles, Teams & Mixed Doubles Champion
· 2005 Buckeye Open and San Diego Open Champion
· 2001 National Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion
· Member of 2003 U.S. World & Pan Am Team
· Member of 2000 Olympic Team
· 1999 Pan Am Games Men’s Team Gold Medal
· 1998 & 2000 North American Men’s Doubles Champion
· 1996 U.S. Under 22 Men’s Singles Champion
· 30+ USA National Junior Titles}

^{#8-9 Barney J. Reed
Rating: 2524
Residence: San Diego, CA
Playing Style: Lefty shakehand two-winged looper
· 2004 Men’s Doubles Finalist
· 2004 Pac Rim Open Champion
· 2003 U.S. National Mixed Doubles Semifinalist, Men’s Doubles Quarterfinalist
· Former member, U.S. National Team
· 1998 National Men’s Doubles Champion
· 1998 North American Men’s Doubles Champion
· 2003 Eastern Open and Macy Block Open Champion}
 

Top Eight Women

^{#1 Jasna Reed
Rating: 2463
Residence: Chicago, IL
Playing Style: All-around shakehander
· Member, 2005 U.S. National & 2004 Olympic Team
· 2004 Women’s Singles & Mixed Doubles Finalist
· 2003 U.S. National Women’s Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles Champion
· 2001-2003 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion
· 2003 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles Gold Medalist
· 1988 Olympic Women’s Doubles Bronze Medal
· 1992 European Women’s Doubles Champion
· 15-time Yugoslavian Champion in Women’s Singles, Doubles, Teams & Mixed Doubles}

^{#2 Tawny Banh
Rating: 2455
Residence: San Gabriel, CA
Playing Style: Shakehand close to table with aggressive forehand loop, backhand hit
· Member, 2005 U.S. National & 2004 Olympic Team
· 2004 Women’s Doubles Champion, Women’s Singles Semifinalist
· 2005 SoCal Women’s Singles Champion, Open Semifinalist
· 2003 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion, Women’s Singles Finalist
· 2003 Pan Am Game Women’s Doubles Silver Medal, Women’s Singles Bronze Medal
· 2002-03 North American Championships Women’s Singles & Doubles Finalist
· 1999 Pan Am Games Team Gold Medalist
· 1995 Pan Am Games Women’s Team Silver Medal, Women’s Singles Bronze Medal}

^{#3 Lily Yip
Rating: 2423
Residence: Warren, NJ
Playing Style: Pips-out penhold fast attack, strong backhand block
· Member, 2005 U.S. National Team
· 2004 National Women’s Doubles Finalist
· 2003 Pan Am Games Women’s Singles Silver Medalist
· 2003 U.S. National Women’s Singles Semifinalist, Women’s and Mixed Doubles Finalist, Over 40 Women’s Singles & Hardbat Singles Champion
· 1995 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles Gold Medal, Women’s Singles & Teams Silver Medal; 1991 Pan Am Games Women’s Doubles & Teams Gold Medal, Women’s Singles Silver Medal
· 1992-95 U.S. National Women’s Singles Finalist
· 1992-1995 U.S. National Women’s Doubles Champion
· Member, U.S. Olympic Team, 1992 & 1996}

^{#4 Jackie Lee
Rating: 2399
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Playing Style: Two-winged aggressive shakehand attacker
· Member, 2005 U.S. National Team
· 2005 National Collegiate Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion
· 2004 Nationals Under 22 Women, Under 2400 Champion
· 2004 Nationals Women’s Singles Semifinalist
· 2003 U.S. Open Under 18 & 22 Champion
· 2003 North American Under 18 Girls’ Singles Finalist
· 2002 U.S Open Mixed Doubles & Under 16 Girls’ Singles Champion; Under 22 & Under 18 Girls’ Singles Finalist
· 2002 U.S. National Mixed Doubles Champion, Girls’ Singles Under 22 & Under 19 Finalist
· 2002 Pan Am Games Junior Championships Under 18 Girls’ Champion
· Joe Ferrell Memorial Award 1995-97}

^{#5 Yao Xi “Crystal” Huang
Rating: 2383
Residence: San Gabriel, California
Playing Style: Lefty penholder, forehand pips-out hitter with reverse inverted backhand loop.
· 2005 U.S. Open Under 30 Women’s Singles Champion
· 2004 SoCal Open Women’s Singles Champion, 2005 Runner-up
· 1990-92 Member of Hunan Province Team in China
· 1993-98 Member of Dongguang City Team in China}

^{#6 Whitney Ping
Rating: 2316
Residence: Beaverton, OR
Playing Style: Two-winged mid-distance shakehand looper
· Member, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team
· 2004 Nationals Under 22 Women’s Singles Finalist
· 2002 U.S. National Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist, Under 22 & 18 Girls’ Champion
· 2002 North American Junior Girls’ Finalist
· 2001 Canadian International Junior Open Cadet Girls’ Champion}

^{#7 Nan Li
Rating: 2288
Hometown: Denver, CO
Playing Style: Close to table fast attacking player
· 2005 U.S. Open Under 30 Women Semifinalist
· 1996 U.S. Nationals Under 22 Women’s Finalist, Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist
· 1996 U.S. Youth Cup Under 16 & Under 18 Girls’ Champion
· 1995 U.S. Open National All-Star Junior Girls’ Champion
· 1995 & 1996 U.S. Under 18 Girls’ Champion
· 1994 U.S. Under 16 Girls’ Champion, Under 22 Women’s Finalist
· 1993 U.S. Under 14 Girls’ Champion
· 1995 U.S. Open Under 18 Girls’ Champion
· 1994 U.S. Open Under 14 & Under 16 Girls’ Champion
· 1995 Global Youth Championships 3rd Under 17 Girls}
 

^{#8 Judy Hugh
Rating: 2269
Hometown: Warren, NJ
Playing Style: All-around shakehand attacker
· 2003 & 2004 National Women’s Doubles Finalist with mom Lily Yip (losing deuce in the fifth in 2004)
· #1 Finisher at 2005 Junior Girls’ Team Trials
· 2005 U.S. Open Under 30 Women’s Singles Finalist
· #1 ranked in U.S. In Under 16 and Under 18 Girls
· 2003 Nationals Women’s Singles Quarterfinalist
· 2003 Canadian ITTF World Junior Tour Cadet Girls’ Singles Gold Medalist}

Photo Credits
©2004 Gerry Chua: Han Xiao, Freddie Gabriel, Eric Owens, Jasna Reed, Jackie Lee, Whitney Ping, Judy Hugh
©2004 John Oros: David Zhuang, Cheng Yinghua, Tawny Banh, Lily Yip.
©2004 Tom Nguyen: Yao Xi Huang, Jackie Lee
©2004 Kingston Gee: Nan Li
©2004 Killerspin: Ilija Lupulesku, Adam Hugh, Mark Hazinski, Barney J. Reed.