Braithwaite and David cop separate U.S. titles
From Joe Chapman in New York
From Joe Chapman in New York
Guyana Chronicle
October 31, 2003
AS United States-based Guyanese players continued their round of the competitive table tennis circuit in New York City, George Braithwaite and Paul David have won singles competitions at separate tournaments over the past two weekends.
Braithwaite won the Over-50 title of the United States of America Table Tennis Association-sanctioned 2nd Chinatown Community Benevolent Association's (CCBA) Mogami Soymilk-sponsored Table Tennis Championships, two Sundays ago, while David emerged the Open winner of the Brownsville Striker tournament at the Brownsville Community Centre last Sunday.
Former Caribbean champion Braithwaite bounced back to beat Lim Ming Chui, after dropping the first game in the final, 7-11, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8.
The ageless Braithwaite showed remarkable agility to win the Over-50 title of the Chinatown tournament, beating Mark Berg and Daniel Green in the process before disposing of Lim Ming Chui.
A CCBA's new Open Champion emerged in Ernesto L. Ebuen of the Philippines who has a United States Tennis Association points rating of 2454. Ebuen was in sparkling form winning against the upcoming U.S. player Adam Hugh in the final 4-1 in games.
Hugh who has a points rating of 2466 and ranked in the top 20 senior men's players, had earned a semifinal win against Puerto Rico's David Fernandes, the highest ranked USA player (2546) in this tournament, 3-1.
Hugh had avenged the loss by his mother Lily Yip to Fernandes earlier in quarterfinal play. Yip has a current 2405 rating and represented the U.S. at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
Fernandes, who won the Caribbean and Central American Senior Singles title in 2000, however, could not stop the rampaging Hugh.
In the other semifinal, Ebuen was impressive disposing of last year's winner Yu Shao in straight sets at 11-8, 11-8,11-8.
Earlier, Guyana's Sydney Christophe who has a rating of 2450 was beaten in his opening game against fellow Guyanese player Shawn Embleton. But Embleton fell to Ebuen 3-2 in the quarterfinals.
Hugh, the United States number one ranked junior, carted off the Under-16 title in straight sets, beating his sister 13-year-old Judy Hugh who is also the top Girl's player in the U.S. Judy Hugh came back to win the under-2100 rated players beating Han Con Chao in the final 3-0.
Guyana's Usama Nasrudeen lost to Chan in the first round of this tournament.
In the Brownsville championship, David won the final of the Open competition after his opponent and past Czech women's national player, southpaw Peluchova Renata, currently ranked number two among women in the U.S., retired in the final.
Renata had injured her left knee in the semifinals and could not continue as David, looking in ominous form, was seemingly bent on securing the win after leading in the first game 7-5. The default win comes after David had beaten Embleton in semi-final play in five games.
Another veteran Guyanese player Vibert ‘Cardo’ Williams, a former national footballer, defeated George Braithwaite in one semifinal of the Over-45 Brownsville tournament but could not pull it off in the final, losing to Brian Maxwell in five games.
In the Under-2350 players championship, Embleton lost in the final 3-2 against Olusho Ksahimawo after beating Nasrudeen.
The young Nasrudeen then lost in the final of the under-2150 rated players to Jamaica's Michael Grant. Failing to qualify out of the round robin play of this tournament was former Guyana National women's champion Francine Abrams.