FORT WORTH, TX: For the second year in a row, Texas Wesleyan University's
Yahao Zhang will represent the United States as a member of Team USA. Zhang won Sunday's men's draw at the Team USA Table Tennis Team Trials and will represent his country at the Table Tennis World Championships next month in Tokyo, Japan.
The team trial was hosted by Texas Wesleyan in the Sid Richardson Center Friday-Sunday. Four male and four female players secured positions on the team. The fifth and final spot on each team will be made by coaches' decision. The winner of single elimination tournaments Friday and Saturday were selected to the team, while both finalists from Sunday's draw were selected.
Zhang, who also represented Team USA last year, rolled through Sunday's draw. He defeated Shashin Shodhan in five sets and then topped Cory Eider in straight sets to reach the semifinals. With a national team spot on the line, Zhang met Yu Shao in the semis. After dropping the first set, Zhang won sets two and three, but Shao surged back ahead with wins in the fourth and fifth sets. Zhang took the sixth set 11-9 and then prevailed 11-5 in the seventh and decisive frame.
As added icing on the cake, Zhang went on to defeat Jim Butler in Sunday's final, again coming from behind for a 4-3 win.
Texas Wesleyan's
Razvan Cretu was defeated in the first round on Sunday.
Chance Friend reached the quarterfinal and finished eighth overall.
In addition to Zhang and Butler, Adam Hugh and Timothy Wang earned spots on the men's team this weekend.
On the women's side, Crystal Wang defeated Erica Wu on Sunday. Prachi Jha and Lily Zhang also earned spots on the women's team this weekend.
Team USA will travel to Tokyo for the Table Tennis World Championships April 28-May 5.
Texas Wesleyan Table Tennis is among the most successful collegiate athletic programs of all-time. The Rams have won ten consecutive NCTTA National Team Championships. In addition, they have won a total of 53 national championships since the program's inception in 2001.
