T-Tonics Classic
Atlanta, Ga.
October 19, 1996

By Michael Wetzel

ATLANTA -- Brazilian native Ernesto Kawamoto went on a drive -- a loop
drive -- and zoomed past the field to take the top 2 honors in the annual
T-Tonics Classic Table Tennis Tournament in Atlanta, Oct. 19.

With a low turnout in the championship division, director W.C. Cleveland
decided to cancel that division leaving the tournament's top players to
duke it out in the U-2050 and U-1850 divisions.

While the local Central Atlanta Table Tennis Club members included the
top 5 seeded players who, licking their chops, appeared to be the
favorites, it was Kawamoto, currently practicing in Huntsville, Ala., 
who proved the hungriest.

Kawamoto had a busy morning waltzing through the U-1850 round-robin
undefeated.  With deceiving serves and forehand loop that didn't miss,
he dropped only three games in the division.

He defeated Atlantan Kunle Ogundele 21-12, 18-21, 21-19 in the semis
before bettering upstart Alnoor Dhanani of Chattanooga, TN 21-8, 17-21, 
22-20 in the finals.

Kawamoto's only loss of the day came when local hitter Alford Smith beat
him in three games in the U-2050 prelims.

In the first round of playoffs, the Brazilian edged Tim Austin of
Augusta, Ga., in two straight before meeting another local favorite, 
Mike Rose, in the semis.  Losing the first game at 17, Kawamoto started
ripping his forehand past the defensive Rose and bounced back to win at
15 and 18.

Both tired, finalists Smith and Kawamoto decided to split the U-2050
title.  Kawamoto earned $265 on the day.  Rose got $40 for third in the
U-2050's.

Dhanani earned second place money in the U-1850 and U-1650 division to
take home $130.

In the U-3800 doubles play, Olympic competition manager Richard McAfee
teamed with Ross Brown of Athens to win.  They defeated George Cooper of
Atlanta and Bill Neely of Knoxville, TN in the finals.

In the semis, McAfee and Brown dropped their first game to Ed Watts of
Huntsville, Ala. and Michael Wetzel of Decatur, Ala., 14-21 and were
trailing 11-17 and 18-20 in the second before finding their range.  
They escaped with a 25-23 and 21-14 comeback.

Cooper and Neely ousted Rose and Ogundele in the other semi.

Assisting Cleveland with the tournament were Mark Abrams, Robert Brown,
Rose, Ogundele, McAfee and Wetzel.

RESULTS:
Singles:
Class "A", U-2050: 1st Ernesto Kawamoto; 2nd Alford Smith; 3rd Mike Rose
Class "B", U-1850: 1st Ernesto Kawamoto; 2nd Alnoor Dhanini; 3rd Kunle
Ogundele
Class "C", U-1650: 1st Zhiyi Sha; 2nd Alnoor Dhanini; 3rd Tommie Dailey
Class "D", U-1450: 1st Raymond To; 2nd Keith Lipham; 3rd Jason Yates
Novice, U-1250: 1st Azam Pasha; 2nd Bijan Dhanani; 3rd Sher Rehman
Juniors (Under 18):  1st Azam Pash; 2nd Omair Pasha; 3rd Philip Mar
Juniors (Under 13):  1st Sher Rehman; 2nd Bijan Dhanani; 3rd Adam
Bragman

Doubles:
U-3800: 1st Richard McAfee/Ross Brown; 2nd Bill Neely/George Cooper;
         3rd Mike Rose/Kunle Ogundele
Juniors (Under 18): 1st Heath Wiggins/Adam Bragman; 2nd Greg Keller/Dan
Ivey
         3rd Ari Mazer/David Bragman

Posted by Chip Patton
crpatton@ingr.com

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