World’s Best Defensive Players Joo Sae-Hyuk and Hou Ying Chao Compete at 2015 Butterfly Los Angeles Open
by Barbara Wei

Known for reviving the modern defensive style, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Joo Sae-Hyuk from South Korea will headline this year’s hotly anticipated Butterfly Los Angeles Open which will take place over Labor Day weekend in El Monte, California. Joo Sae-Hyuk, currently ranked #13 in the world, has been ranked as high as #5, and is considered to be one of the few players who can directly challenge China’s dominance in the sport. Competing with Joo Sae-Hyuk for the $10,000 first prize is another top defender and former top 10 in the world, Hou Yingchao from China. Joining these two defensive specialists as potential candidates for top honors will be Tao Wenzhang, 2014 US Open Champion, and Wang Jinxin, 2015 US Open champion. Prior to the official start of the Open Championship event, the four leading names will thrill the crowd in an exhibition match on the first day of play. On the Women’s side, 2014 Los Angeles Open Women’s Champion Tang Liying and 2013 Los Angeles Open and 2015 US Pan Am team member Zheng Jiaqi lead the standings, with 2015 Seattle Open Women’s Champion and Runner-Up Wang Bo and Zha Wenting close behind.

The 2015 Butterfly Los Angeles Open will feature a total of 15 events and over $32,000 in prize money. This year, the organizing committee has added two new events: a hotly contested Under 12 age event which will showcase the future of USA table tennis and an Under 3800 doubles event. Over 300 participants and 2,000 spectators are expected at this year’s competition which will take place at the Los Angeles Badminton Club, in El Monte, California, 20 minutes outside of downtown Los Angeles.

In its 5^th year, the Los Angeles Open never fails to disappoint either players or spectators. To register or learn more about the tournament, visit laopentt.com or contact Craig Krum at 909-227-0822. Entries will be accepted until Thursday September 3, 2015.

Continual coverage of the Butterfly LA Open and stories about the athletes will be available at ButterflyOnline.com, or via Butterfly North America’s Twitter (Twitter.com/ButterflyOnline) and Facebook (Facebook.com/ButterflyTableTennis) pages.