 The only event scheduled for Stan and I today was the U2200 at 6pm.
Only Stan had unfinished business from yesterday --- his second round of
single elimination play of the U2000 was scheduled for 9am. So, of
course, we had to get there early. Only I would be coaching him this
time. When he checked in, we found that his opponent would be Ky Nguyen
--- rated 1967 ---- a left-handed shakehands two-winged looper. He
seemed an ideal victim for Stan's long pips off-the-bounce block.
I had a chance to watch Ky play in the U3700 doubles event a bit
yesterday when he and his partner had lost a tough deuce in the fifth
match in the quarter-finals --- but not enough to help Stan any with his
strategy. However --- although his opponents rating was some 100 points
higher than his --- Stan and I were confident if his play continued as
it had been yesterday he should win it.
Using his strong service and long pips blocking, Stan was able to forge
an early lead in the first game. This is really to be expected ---
especially against a sub 2000 player --- since Stan does not use the
long pips at all during warmup (although the opponent is aware of its
existence from the examination of the opponent's rubber that happens
prior to the match). However, Ky is able to recover using his own
service and attack game and with the help of a service error or two from
Stan is able to pull out the first game 13-11.
I tell Stan that he is just a bit nervous right now -- what this being
the first game of the first match of the day --- and to just relax and
reduce the number of unforced errors and the match will turn in his
favor. Truthfully, I am just a bit concerned (for all the reasons
I mentioned above) but, of course, I don't let Stan know that. After
all, Stan had come back yesterday against Barbara Wei after a tight 11-9
loss in the first game and (as evidenced by their comparative ratings)
Barbara is a much better player than Ky. And although I myself may get
nervous after losing a first game after leading it for most of the way,
Stan is obviously a much better player than myself and thus a more
confident player --- and a hot player to boot.
And indeed Stan does come roaring back --- winning the next two games
decisively 11-3 and 11-4. Ky definitely appears flustered with Stan's
long pips game --- making numerous errors on those returns. It looks
like it is a mere formality now before Stan closes out the match the
next game. All I can tell Stan is to keep it up. He is playing
marvelously now. But what coaching is Ky receiving in his corner?
Well whatever it was, it worked as Ky wins the next game 11-6. Ky has
established a consistent strategy of serving no spin lightly to Stan's
backhand. Since Stan still blocks it back with his long pips, the return
is not as spinny or as wobbly as before and Ky is making fewer errors
from that return than he had in the previous games. This allows Ky to
eventually put his topspin attack into play and he is also much more
careful now when Stan blocks these attacking shots with the long
pips. This strategy does allow Stan to become the aggressor with his
inverted forehand but unfortunately Stan is now falling prey to errors
on these attacks a bit too often. The match comes down to a deciding
fifth game.
In our discussion before this critical fifth game, I focus on
reinforcing Stan's confidence and mental approach while Stan considers
tactics -- i.e. taking advantage of the no spin serves by returning
strongly with his inverted rubber rather than just blocking them with
the long pips. Unfortunately, the pattern of the fourth game repeats
and Stan loses again 11-6 and thus has been eliminated from the U2000.
Although Stan does open up more with his forehand, he is not as
consistent on that side as is Ky. Also Ky is a bit more consistent in
the topspin exchanges. Finally, even Stan's patented off-the-bounce long
pips block has faltered a bit since he had a bit more difficulty today
in finding the correct angle and force to use with it and thus a few too
many of those returns floated just long or dropped into the net.
Now both Stan and I are free until 6pm. I notice Barbara Wei and Chen
Yinghua practicing at one of the feature tables (I would find out later
that they are preparing for the Mixed Doubles event later that day). I
mention to Stan half-jokingly that he should take this opportunity to
re-introduce himself to Barbara in the hopes that she might let Chen
Yinghua know that you are the person that used long pips to beat her
yesterday. Perhaps Chen Yinghua would then hit a few balls with Stan to
show Barbara how to handle long pips --- what in essence would be a free
training clinic with Chen Yinghua for Stan! But unfortunately Stan
doesn't take the bait. Who knows when he will get this opportunity
again? :-)
We then decide to look around and see if any other fellow MSC players
are in action. We notice that Peter is playing in his U1800 RR group
so we head on over there. We asked him how he was doing and he said
OK. He was the B player in his group and had already beaten the C and
the D players and was just waiting to play the A player. He thought his
chances for advancing were good since the A player had already lost to
the D player and was losing to the C player as we arrived. Now I can
see where he would have been confident --- he had beaten the C and D
players 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 and 11-5, 11-8, 11-1 respectively. Considering
how the A player had such difficulty with those same two players, this
looked like it would be a piece of cake for Peter --- despite
their ratings. Ah, but that is why they play the game...
Well, when Peter's match does start he does just eke out the first game
11-9. His elder opponent plays shakehands with an excellent backhand
which he often uses to end an exchange. His forehand is not nearly as
powerful nor as consistent -- drawing errors sometimes on relatively
easy balls --- but certainly capable of finishing the point as
well. He does not appear to be fazed at all by Peter's short
pips (perhaps he plays frequently against this at his home club).
Anyway he comes back and wins the next game 11-8. Now Stan and I are
becoming a bit concerned. Stan coaches Peter and tells him to try and
play more to his opponent's forehand.
Peter does take the third game at 11-8, but again it is tight. The
back-and-forth nature of this match continues when his opponent takes
the next game at 11-8 to even the match at 2-2. All too often in the
rallies Peter takes the early advantage only is unable to put him away
until eventually his opponent takes advantage of a rather loose ball to
end the point --- usually with the backhand. It came down to a fifth
and deciding game.
I recollect that Peter was able to edge in front 9-7 --- and it is his
serve. So if he could win his next two service points, he advances for
sure. Unfortunately though, he loses both of them and his opponents two
service points as well to lose the match in a heartbreaker. But still
there is confusion after this match as to who shall advance.
Peter is initially under the impression that he will advance since
his 2-1 record is at least tied for the best in the group and his 8-3
record in games is certainly better than any in the group. I think he
had been under the impression that his last opponent --- the A player
--- had lost to both the C and D players in the group. It was just then
that we found out from the A player that he had actually come back from
0-2 down to beat the C player. Now since the C player had already
beaten the D player, this meant that Peter and the A player were both
2-1 in the group and the C and the D players were both 1-2. Thus it was
just a 2-way tie and thus the head-to-head result alone determines who
advances --- the percentage of games won vs. lost is immaterial. In
this case, the A player who had just beaten Peter would advance.
He was very gracious though and told Peter they should show the results
to the referee and have the referee settle it, but I knew that Peter
would not advance.
I just wonder if Peter had known in advance that he had to win this last
match to advance whether the outcome would have been any different. I
guess we will never know...
There are no more MSCTT'ers in action at the moment so Stan decides to
leave the hall and return to his family for lunch before returning for
tonight's U2200 event. But I prefer to take in all the action around
me. There might not be any MSCTT'ers playing, but there could be Palo
Alto Table Tennis Club players I know, or even some national level
elite players --- whether they be cadets, juniors, or open. Eventually
I run across Patrick and he wants me to coach him in his upcoming OPEN
second round single elimination match. Who am I to refuse his request?
His scheduled opening round opponent defaulted, so Patrick has the
misfortune of having to play Ramin Samari --- rated 2353 --- in HIS
opening OPEN match. I say misfortune since it is my assumption is that
he would have had an easier opponent in the first round then Ramin
Samari --- whose rating allowed hit to get a bye into the second round.
I always like to warm up with the easiest possible match and build up to
the toughest match. But who knows? Patrick may be different.
Some of you may already be familiar with Ramin Samari. He played out of
Palo Alto Table Tennis Club before moving to Southern California just a
couple of years ago. I am sure he played in Bruce's Hai Hwa
tournament. He is a left-handed shakehands two-winged looper --- with
excellent power on both wings. Earlier in the tournament he
had defeated two venerable veterans --- George Braithwaite (rated 2266)
in the Men's Over 40 Singles and David Sakai (rated 2232) in the U2400
event. So Patrick had his hands full.
I told Patrick what I knew of Ramin Samari's style before the
match. Patrick played well but dropped the first game 11-7 and the
second at deuce 12-10. Ramin was just a bit too consistent and powerful
in his strokes in the topspin rallies. I did notice that the points
that Patrick did win tended to be rallies in which Ramin looped into
Patrick's backhand. Patrick blocked these shots not passively but with
force and often won the point outright right then --- or at least
eventually as Ramin continued to loop there.
I remember my advice to Patrick after the second game was quite simple.
I told him to watch out for loops to your forehand. Ramin could not
like the trend the match was taking, and he couldn't help but notice the
effectiveness of your backhand block. I certainly did. None-the-less,
Ramin was able to close out the match by winning the next game 11-4.
There were the expected loops to Patrick's forehand, but in general it
was just the overall consistency and power of his game compared to that
of Patrick.
On Ramin's serve, Ramin was able to generate a series of loops that
would eventually give him the point if not immediately give it to him
with a third-ball attack if the return was not up to par. On Patrick's
serve, Patrick would often gain the advantage of the initial loop but
this would only result in a loop exchange (or eventually an exchange
where Ramin is looping and Patrick is blocking) which still resulted in
Ramin winning the point. At least Patrick could see another example of
what is needed to reach the 2300+ level of play.
After this I recover enough from the daze of watching numerous other
matches to at least remember to have a deli sandwich from the deli shop
at the hall before it is time for me to check in for my U2200 match that
evening.
I am the C player in the group. Joseph Wang from Maryland --- who will
later on in this tournament tryout and make the United States Boy's
Cadet team (meaning he is one of the top four boys no older than 15) ---
and rated at 2052 is the A player. He is a traditional two-wing
shakehands looper. John Ochsner from Washington --- rated 2033 --- is
the B player. He plays shakehands with short pips on his backhand and
inverted rubber on his forehand --- and is (thank God) an adult.
Patrick had defeated him in four games earlier in the U2300 event. The
D player is another youngster --- Wesley Fan --- rated 1796. Hmmm.
Could this be the younger brother of Alden Fan who I had played in my
U2300 RR group yesterday? Perhaps but I don't know for sure since I
didn't ask. But I later find out that he entered the Boy's Primary
School Singles event. So at least I know now that he was no older than
13. Arghhh!
The first match is A vs. C so I play Joseph Wang. This is unfortunate
for me since it doesn't let me get a feel of my game with an easier
opponent before taking on what is likely to be my most difficult
opponent. Joseph is able to control me with his forehand loops in
taking the first two games 11-6 and 11-6. I do at least get the
satisfaction of taking him 11-9 in the third game before he closes me
out 11-4 in the fourth.
I then watch the B vs. D match to scout my next opponent --- John
Ochsner --- and he defeats Wesley Fan in three straight although the
games are relatively close at 11-8, 11-9, and 11-8. I notice that
his best stroke is a quick off-the-bounce block with his short pips
backhand. But many of his points are won due to mistakes on very
aggressive play by Wesley. Don't these kids know how to push? Do they
have to attack everything?
Next is my match against John. I am able to squeek out the first two
games 11-7 and 11-8 --- primarily using my service and forehand. But
he recovers and takes the third game quite easily 11-4. He is returning
service better now and also forcing backhand-to-backhand exchanges by
serving to my backhand and then dominating the ensuing rally with his
short pips --- often forcing me off the table before ending the point
with a forehand smash. If this pattern continues, I am in trouble.
However, I recover to win the fourth and final game 11-7. He continues
his service pattern but I am able to get at least a bit more comfortable
in my initial backhand stroke in order to allow me to win the ensuing
rally at least a few times. And I serve exclusively to his forehand to
try and force the forehand-to-forehand exchanges which I have
been winning. His forehand service return is not nearly as strong as
his backhand service return so I can consistently either loop or smash
the return back to his forehand --- and his forehand block is not nearly
as good as his backhand block. Although I am not varying the location
of my service, I am varying the spin and depth and these alone are
enough for me to control the point.
Note that I was not aware of John's 2000+ rating at the time I played
him. I had assumed it was something in the 1800+ range a bit higher
than mine --- particularly from the nature of his rather unorthodox
style. Normally 2000+ rating players
dominant stroke is their forehand loop --- such as Joseph Wang's, for
instance.
Therefore I was not all that surprised when I had gotten up on John 2-0
and eventually beat him 3-1. Had I known that his rating was just 20
points below that of Joseph, I might have been a bit more unsure of
myself.
Still if John beat Joseph 3-1 in the A vs. B match coming up, I might
possibly advance --- since we would all be 1-1 against each other with
all those matches being decided 3-1. It would then come down to points.
Of course, all of this assumes that all three of us defeated the D
player --- Wesley. We all did, with only Joseph losing so much as a
game from him (the first 14-12, after which he blitzed him 11-4, 11-3,
and 11-3). The scores in my match with Wesley were 11-3, 11-6, and
11-6. But anyway, I didn't anticipate this happening, since I had so
much more difficulty against Joseph than I had with John. So instead I
decided to go see how Stan was doing in his U2200 RR group.
Stan was also the C player in his RR group so he played the A player in
the first match. This player happened to be Aldis Presley --- rated 1974
--- which was the stronger of the two left-handers that we had played in
our opening U3700 doubles match. I was busy in my own matches at the
time so I find out when I get there that Stan had already won that match
quite handily in three straight games --- 11-5, 11-9, and 11-8. In
fact, he had already won his next match against the B player, Noel
Roberts --- actually rated higher at 2054 due to his excellent play just
prior to this tournament and who had beaten me 3-0 yesterday in my U2300
RR group --- in four tight games 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, and 11-9. So all
Stan had to do to advance was defeat the D player, Rob Sharp (rated
1728) --- which he did in style by taking three straight 11-7, 11-5, and
11-8.
I was quite confident that Stan was going to take that match so I took
the opportunity to sneak back to take a peek at the match in my U2200 RR
group between Joseph Wang and John Ochsner. I got there just in time to
see Joseph win the last point of a game before the two traded sides. I
asked his mother who was watching what the game score was and was a bit
surprised when she told me it was now 2-2. If instead John had won that
last game, he would have won 3-1 and thus it would have gone to
percentage of points won vs. points lost as to who advanced. But as it
stood now, Joseph was assured of advancing --- regardless of the outcome
of the last game. I left then but found out later that he won it
12-10. But the closeness of this match certainly gave justification to
John's rating and also showed how a different style can give some
players --- even excellent players --- quite a fit.
And so the familiar pattern of yesterday continues --- I am done for the
day and Stan has to play a single elimination match. At least tonight,
he has only to play a single match. If he is successful in it, his next
scheduled match for the U2200 event will not be until tomorrow morning.
It will be a while before Stan's single elimination match, so I race
over to see how Bruce is doing in his U2200 RR group which happens to be
on the opposite side of the hall. Peter and Michael are already there.
Bruce tells me that he has already won his first two matches --- against
the D and C players in the group, respectively. Bruce is the B player
in the group, and thus the outcome of his upcoming match with the A
player --- John Monaco from Ohio (rated 2125) --- will decide who will
advance.
Although Bruce's play improves steadily, he loses in three straight
11-3, 11-6, and
11-9. His opponent makes use of some spinny serves, a consistent heavy
downspin push, exceptional blocking, and an excellent backhand kill to
prevail. I don't recollect him causing any damage with his loop (or
even if he had one), but I do recollect that he was able to stymie most
of Bruce's loop efforts either with his heavy downspin push that Bruce
was unable to lift or his block when Bruce did succeed in lifting it.
But alas, if the scoring trend had continued Bruce would have
prevailed if the match had only been best-of-seven instead of just
best-of-five. I had nothing to do now but go back and wait for Stan's
U2200 single elimination match
It is not long before Stan has to check in. His opponent is a veteran
of table tennis (meaning that he is at least my age, ha ha) from Nevada
rated 2025 who uses the shakehands grip with inverted rubber on the
forehand and short pips on the backhand. Stan's entourage (family and
friends) who have gathered for this match think this is an excellent
draw for him. Certainly it is not as difficult as his first single
elimination round match in the U2300 last night with Rey Domingo (rating
2289). Although considering the outcome of that match and the outcome
of his first match this morning, perhaps this is not a good thing?
However, we aren't feeling nearly so good when Stan loses the first
game 13-11. This game followed the rather familiar pattern where Stan
gets up early but eventually his opponent recovers from the opening
salvo of Stan's serves and off-the-bounce long pips blocks to win the
game after taking full advantage of a late service error by Stan. This
had happened in his U2000 match to Ky Nguyen. Ky had taken advantage of
it to eventually win that match. Would it happen again here in the
U2200's?
Well, we feel a bit better when Stan takes the next game 11-5 to even
the match. Stan is attacking well with his forehand when served there
but mainly his oppenent is having fits with Stan's long pips ---
especially in exchanges between the two backhands where he eventually
pops it out long. Stan still could be in trouble though if his opponent
is able to make adjustments as Ky had done earlier.
Ah, but he is not as Stan takes the next two games as well although they
are fairly tight 11-9 and 11-8. His opponent is able to lengthen the
rallies and Stan does make some errors when trying to end some exchanges
with a forehand loop kill, but Stan's serve remains strong and his
consistency in the rallies is a bit better than his opponent. All
Right! Yet another meaningful early morning match to look forward to.
The other events coming up tomorrow are the U2100 at 1:30pm and the
U1900 at 5:15pm.
Stan's play was the highlight of the second day of the tournament for
MSCTT'ers as well, but there were other results that day for other MSC
players although I was not there to watch them:
Stay tuned for Day 3. I don't expect it to be nearly as long as this
chapter but I guess that is what I said about Day 2 and look what
happened...
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