August 24, 2010
2010 Indiana Open
 Stephen Clyde |  Samson Dubina |
by Robert Clyde
From seven states across the Midwest and East Coast some seventy players braved the mid-August heat and humidity of central Indiana to compete in the Butterfly-sponsored 2010 Indiana Open. At stake over the two day tournament, played at the Table Tennis Club of Indianapolis, was more than $1,700 in cash prizes and awards.
Top seeds in the tournament were 2009 U.S. Mens Singles Finalist and former U.S. National Team member Samson Dubina, and 2010 Indiana Mens Singles Champion and recent U.S. top ten junior, Stephen Clyde. Among the entrees were seventeen juniors, four of whom were playing in their first-ever USATT sanctioned tournament. Overall, these juniors made a great showing, placing in eight of the twelve events.
In the Over 1500 Singles event the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals as expected, with Dubina and Clyde prevailing to reach the final. With the match tied at one game a piece, Clyde held a 9 8 lead late in the third, but Dubina was able to run out the game to take a 2 1 advantage into the fourth. Dubinas experience prevailed in the fourth, and he captured the event with a 3 1 victory.
Later, in Open Singles, the premier event of the weekend, the top four players again reached the semifinals. When Dubina bested 2010 Indiana State Doubles and Over 40 Champion, Brian Bartley, and Clyde downed Pierce Scott, a rising young player who is currently the top-rated junior in the Midwest, a rematch of the earlier final between the top two seeds was set.
In the Open final, Clyde looked sharp early. He jumped out to a 7 1 lead and took game one at 5. Unfazed by his younger opponent, Dubina reasserted himself to take the second at 7 and knot the match at 1 1. As the third unfolded Clydes game, particularly on offense, appeared to go somewhat flat. Dubina increased the pressure, and aided by several errors by his opponent, captured the third at 5, taking an important 2 1 advantage into the fourth. The fifth point of game four quickly developed into a forehand-to-forehand counter-looping rally in which Clyde turned to his left and ripped a winner with his backhand. Following a timeout by Samson, Clydes confidence seemed to grow. Attacking more aggressively he claimed game four at 6 to push the match to a fifth and final game. Although he trailed 4 1 and 6 3 early, Dubina fought back and tied the game at 9 9. But Clyde was not to be denied. On a flipped serve to the wide forehand and a backhand loop to his opponents middle, Clyde seized the final two points, closed out the fifth 11 9, and claimed his second Indiana Open championship in three years.
Complete results are as follows:
| Open | First Place Stephen Clyde Second Place Samson Dubina Semifinalists Brian Bartley / Pierce Scott |
| Over 1500 | First Place Samson Dubina Second Place Stephen Clyde Semifinalists Alex Mehrabian / Pierce Scott |
| U2125 | First Place Pierce Scott Second Place Alex Mehrabian |
| U1950 | First Place Tadao Inui Second Place Rick Hicks, Jr. |
| U1775 | First Place Tim Tonn Second Place Jaroslav Stastny |
| U1675 | First Place Julian Shin Second Place Christos Dusmanis |
| U1550 | First Place John Fioretti Second Place Brandon Eiler |
| U1350 | First Place Doug Boyle Second Place Craig Simon |
| U1150 | First Place Roberto Mesa Second Place Jack Allen |
| U900 | First Place Jaymee Stout Second Place James Stout |
| U4400 Doubles | First Place Stephen Clyde / Brian Bartley Second Place Keith Brewster / Amer Shaw |
| U3600 Doubles | First Place Julian Shin / Kevin Kuchar Second Place Lee Seibold / Brandon Eiler |
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