Top Player to Miss Table Tennis Event

Jean-Phillipe Gatien of France, the top-seeded player and defending world champion, withdrew from the U.S. Open Table Tennis Championships because of a leg injury.

Two Swedes are now the favorites in the competition, which begins today at the Anaheim Convention Center. They are Jan Ove Walden, ranked second in the world men’s singles rankings, and Jorgen Persson, who won the 1991 world title.

In all, 850 players from 37 countries will compete for $80,000 in prize money. The winner of men’s singles competition will earn $10,000 and the women’s singles champ will win $5,000.

In addition to the 1993 U.S. Open winner, Cheng Yinghua, the U.S. will be represented by the current national men’s and women’s champions, Jim Butler and Amy Feng.

Team and mixed doubles events are scheduled Saturday and the men’s and women’s singles finals will be Sunday.