San Antonio 2016 Winter Open

Highlights…. San Antonio 2016 Winter Open – February 6-7, 2016
-by Joe Cummings, Tournament Director

Open Singles, Championship Division:

The number 4 seed, Tong Zhang (2532), a member of the Mississippi College National Collegiate Championship team (NCTTA), won the top title by upsetting the number 1 seed, Kewei Li (2696) of Houston 8, 8, 9. Newcomer to the USA, 18-year old Qing Wei Sun, bested the number 5 seed, Rajat Hubli (2495) of Cambridge MA in straight games for third place in the top division. Hubli had advanced to the final four by knocking off the number 2 seed Yi Chi Zhang (2567) in straight games.

In the U-2200 finals, Nicolas Alvarez, San Antonio, rallied from being down 0-2, and 8-10 in the third game, to defeat fellow San Antonian, Mark Conrad, at deuce in the fifth.

Mike Kenny, Austin, defeated Song Li, San Antonio, to win the Seniors 60+ event.

Other results as follows:

A Singles: Soon Jae Park, Houston, defeated Mark Conrad, San Antonio

B Singles: Pat Bonney, San Antonio, defeated Manny Velazquez, Tomball TX

C Singles: Glen Liu, Austin, defeated Artie Sanders, San Antonio

D Singles: Maxim Gao, Austin, defeated Robby Sluss, San Marcos TX

TD Joe Cummings appreciates all the tournament volunteer help, especially Luis Berrones, Scott Kressner, Clark Nicholl, Dan Reynolds, Norman Everston and Loren Williams – with special thanks to Gabriel Diaz deLeon and Harry Sikand for helping with the draw sheets during tourney action time.

For photos and a complete roster list, and other finalists including the U-1800 and U-1400 events, go to the club Facebook page: San Antonio Table Tennis Club.

Visit the San Antonio Table Tennis Club website for more information on this “We Are Butterfly” Club and Pro Shop.