Bay Area Fantastic Three Finished Top 3 in the US Team Trials

Congratulations to the girls! We are so proud of you!

It was a 3-way tie between Ariel, Natalie, and Lily.

• Ariel over Lily 4-0
• Lily over Natalie 4-3
  
• Natalie over Ariel 4-2
  

The final order is:

1. Ariel Hsing
2. Natalie Sun
3. Lily Zhang

Complete result

Ariel and Lily in Austria

(A pause in proceedings for the Werner Schlager on Tour players,
resplendent in their Joola shirts. Photo by Bettina Mueller)

Full story is at:
http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=20524&Category=general&Competition_ID=&

After the camp, Ariel and Lily will play the Safir Junior tournament in Sweden from 2/24 to 2/28.

Go girls!

Ticket to Singapore

http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=20437&Competition_ID=1930&

2/1/2010 YOG Continental Qualification Event - Pan America

Brazil’s 15 year old Eric Jouti and 14 year old Ariel Hsing from the United States booked their places in the Youth Olympic Games to be held in August 2010 in Singapore, following success on the opening day of action, Monday 1st February 2010, at the Pan American Continental Qualification Tournament in San Salvador.

Both players were in sparkling form in El Salvador's prinicipal city.

They finished the day with bright smiles across their faces and justified their highly seeded places in the draw.

Brazilian Progress
Eric Jouti, the no.2 seed in the Boys’ Singles competition, beat Cuba’s Hector Solja, Puerto Rico’s Brandon Echevvaria and Chile’s Gustavo Gomez to book his place in the final where he accounted for top seed, Argentina’s Pablo Saragovi.

The latter had impressed en route to the final with wins over Guatemala’s Gabriel Orellana, America’s Michael Landers and Ecuador’s Rodrigo Tapia.

Fine Form
Similarly, Ariel Hsing, seeded no.1, was in fine form; her victims en route to the top place being Mexico’s Emilia Ortega, Argentina’s Agustina Iwaa, Peru’s Maria Soto and Brazil's Caroline Kumahara.

More Opportunities
One place in each of the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles events have therefore been decided; two more remain for the boys and two for the girls.

A second knock-out competition will be held on Tuesday 2nd February and a third on Wednesday 3rd February 2010.

The Stage is Set

(Fan Yiyong)

Check out the on-line coverage for the turnament and the web streaming schedule.
http://www.usatt.org/magazine/2009_US_Nationals/

• Draw and result
  
• Tournament preview
  
• Slideshow - 12/15/2009

Ariel Turned 14 Today!

Happy 14th birthday, Ariel!

• World ranking as of November 2009
  
• Girls Under 15: 18th
  
• Girls Under 18: 75th
  
• Girls Under 21: 146th
  

USATT Developmental Coach

Guess who won it? The Bay Area's Rajul Sheth! What? It was an old news? I thought it was when I read the press release. It turns out Rajul repeated the title again this year! I swear I did not nominate him this time.:-)

Congratulations!

http://www.usatt.org/news1/2009_coaches%20_of_the_year.shtml

US Girls Updates

Gustavo Levisman (far left) and Emilia Georghe (far right) prepared their teams in Tokyo. Photo By: Courtesy of Dejan Papic

• Prachi Jha not only got a Bronze medal in Venezuela. She made the quarter-final in the Girls' singles! Doing so, she pre-qualified for the 2010 Cadet Championship event in Dominic Republic.Congratulations.
  
• Ariel and Lily will start to compete in the 2009 ITTF Cadet Challenge & ITTF Junior Circuit Finals in Tokyo tomorrow. Let's root for them!