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Meet Our New Champions
22 Junior Events
Ariel Hsing - Part Three
Ariel is now a Freshman at Princeton University. The very consistent schedule of academics and athletics under the watchful eyes of her parents in California has clearly paid off - both in academics and athletics. But that schedule has been turned upside down with an across-the-country move, and the transition to college life. Its this change that left the most questions for the ladies’ draw at the Nationals; Would Ariel still be Ariel at the table? Ariel entered four events: Open Singles, U21 Singles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. In all of the events, she totalled one loss: she was upset by eventual winner Crystal Wang in the semifinal of the U21 event (losing 3-1 including a 16-14 loss in the final game). Each of the other events resulted in a National Title. After 2013, Hsing now has seven National Titles - three in singles and four in doubles.
Women’s Semifinals and Final
The most impressive story line of the Final may not be the top seed advancing, and eventually winning the event. Afterall, this wasn’t Ariel Hsing’s first time to the Final - In fact, perhaps the most impressive stat no one is talking about is that this was Ariel Hsing’s sixth consecutive trip to the Finals in this event. The most impressive story here may well be the rise of Prachi Jha - the eighth seed by rating who upset both the second and third seeds in her run to the finals. Across all events, Prachi Jha played 21 singles matches. Of those, she won 17, including winning the Junior Girls event. By rating, she lost only one match to anyone rated below her (and that player was 2249, only 6 points shy of her 2255 starting rating) contrast that with seven wins over players rated above her. Aside from the trophies, Prachi was also awarded with a rating gain of 127 points. In Ariel Hsing’s Semifinal match, she faced fourth seed Diane Chen. Chen, a smart and seasoned player in her 40s, kept Hsing out of rhythm. Hsing generally drove the pace of the points attacking whenever she could, while Chen masterfully changed pace and spin and placed the ball all over the table. Hsing jumped out to an early lead in the first game and protected the lead changing points to the end. But the match shifted
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New Faces: Jha and Eider
30
Classic Events
In fact, perhaps the most impressive stat no one is talking about is that this was Ariel Hsing’s sixth consecutive trip to the Finals... thereafter with Chen frustrating Hsing for the next two games (winning at 8 and 5) and most of the fourth game. The fourth game was decisive each players with a chance to win as the deuces pushed the score to 14 all. But at 14-all, Ariel found a winner down the line (into the backhand of the left-handed Chen). And then she went for a big serve return up 15-14 and managed a winner wide to Chen’s forehand. After winning game four and evening the score at 2-2, Hsing took control and closed out the match at 8 and 7. Hsing over Chen (5,-8,-5,14,8,7). The other semifinal was a repeat of the final of the Junior Girl’s event. In the earlier match, Prachi Jha had defeatued Erica Wu 3-1. She had matched Wu shot for shot with delicate service returns and blistering backhand exchanges to secure the upset. Wu entered the Women’s Singles event as the second seed and had not lost a game on her path to the semifinal, but the result of the second match mirrored the first - Jha over Wu (7,7,2,11). In the first game of the finals Hsing and Jha traded points to 4-4, but then Jha went on a 5-1 run to jump ahead 10-5. That game may have been sealed at that point, but the momentum may have changed with the next four hard-fought points - with Ariel Hsing fighting back to lose 11-8. In those closing moments (and in the losing effort), Hsing found her stroke and her pace. She changed direction on a blistering backhand exchange to hit a winner down the line, she spun a cross-court backhand and then hit a forehand winner cross-court, and she played a serve return deep down Jha’s middle and then quickly changed direction to Jha’s backhand. Jha sealed the first game victory when Hsing missed a forehand crosscourt. But in all four of those final closing-moment points, Hsing played for win-
Jan/Feb 2014 • usatt.org/MAGAZINE
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