1999 HTTC Open

Razvan Cretu Dominates the Open Singles

June 5th saw the latest Houston Table Tennis Center USATT tournament.  For the first time in 8 years, Terry competed in a singles event (and umpired of course).  Sue also entered her first tournament since 1996!  Both had been training hard 5 days a week for the last 3 months.  Sue even had Table Tennis in her dreams.  The efforts paid off as Sue won not only her first tourny game but dominated a match 2 straight as well!  For Terry's part, he competed against players 300-500 rating points and more above his. He did well taking games and duecing up some of the highest players.  It was rewarding to be on the courts again. 

There were 11 events in this 2 star tournament.  The premiere was of course the Open Singles.  With the top 5 Houston players; Jim Butler (US #4), Eric Owens (US #6), Darko Rop (US #7), Viktor Subonj (US #10), & Niraj Oak (US #30), choosing not to compete, there was little to stand in the way of New Orleans' Razvan Cretu (US #14).  Not that there was not great competition, there was.  But 2400 level players stand little chance against a 2600 level.  This event was true to form.  Top contenders consisted of Taju Oshodi, Roberto Byles, Earnest Virgo, Hector Bennet, Carry Bodden, Roxanna Kis Subonj,  John Beaumont, Randy Medcalf, Hoan Nguyen, David Wang, Bob O'Niell, & Howard Lamb.  Advancing to the semis were Byles, Cretu, Oshodi & Virgo.

Only a horribly under-rated Earnest Virgo seriously challenged Razvan in this tournament. What a serious challenge it was too!  19 in the 5th is about as tight as it gets.  Taju and Byles had a hotly contested match.  In the end, Taju proved stronger and powered through Roberto's defense.  It mattered little to Cretu who sat chatting with Jim Butler casually waiting for his victom to be determined.  Congratulations to the center and to Tournament Director Robert Mayer for pulling off another quality event, this time with almost 60 entrants.  The next significant Houston tournament is the Sunbelt Teams in August and then this fall, the major 4 star Southern Open in October!  Hope to see you there.

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