(by Steve Hopkins)
This year’s rendition of the US Open Table Tennis Championships included nearly thirteen hundred players taking part in 115 events with the truly open title events at the top (Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles), age events from from U11 up to 85 and Over, rating events (both Adult and Junior versions from U1000 up to U2000 as well as U2600, U2400, and U2200), Para events, Classic events (sandpaper and hardbat), a Parkinson Open, and Family Generational Doubles. The venue is the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Action started on Tuesday, and as we enter the final weekend, many of the Age and Rating events have already concluded, with many others set to finish today. This clears the stage for the premier Men’s/Women’s/Doubles events to be center stage (and center court) tomorrow.
Some familiar names have already appeared throughout the leaderboard. Jimmy Butler has already accumulated three titles (50+ Men’s Singles, and teamed with Derek May he has also won 40& Over Men’s Doubles and 50& Over Men’s Doubles). The May family are featured prominently again this year, not just Derek in a pair of Doubles wins, but also his father Pete who won in 80 & Over Men’s Doubles. It wouldn’t be a major championship without Sweeris and Sakai names on the leaderboard – this year that includes Dell Sweeris winning a pair of Doubles titles and also Men’s 80+ Singles, and Connie Mae Sweeris won a pair of Doubles titles (75 & Over Mixed with Dell and 75 & Over Women’s with Donna Sakai). Donna Sakai has one title (75 & Over Women’s Doubles) and three other medals, and her husband David Sakai has three medals of his own. Lily Yip has already won three titles (Women’s 50+ Singles, 40 & Over Women’s Doubles, and 50 & Over Mixed Doubles) and Patty Martinez-Kahn has one gold, and three other medals so far (with several events still to play).
The featured events will be covered in separate article. We’ll have a recap of all events when the tournament concludes. For full results, visit the Omnipong results site.
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