Despite the fact that there were only 10 participants signed up for the 2011 VEISHEA tennis table tournament, the competition remained fierce Tuesday in a small corner of the Lied Recreation Athletic Center.

During the double-elimination competition, the players struggled to out-maneuver their opponents and keep themselves in the game. For two hours there was only the sound of soft tapping as players whipped their paddles back and forth.

The sounds from all tables were similar, but the talent of the individuals involved was varied. Some were casual players and others, like twins Ryan and Anthony Lueck, had been playing for most of their lives. The Luecks are juniors at Iowa State, and Anthony has won two champion’s T-shirts in intramurals for table tennis.

“We started playing ping-pong when we were about 10 years old,” Ryan Lueck said. “We got a table tennis for Christmas actually. We just kind of took to it ever since and we played for fun. We always had each other to play against.”

The pair didn’t have to compete against each other during the tournament, but practiced together while waiting for their turn.

Ryan lost in a semi-final match, and Anthony lost in a quarterfinal. Before the final match, Ryan correctly guessed the eventual winner, junior Zuchen Deng.

Deng, who hails from China and is studying civil engineering at Iowa State, learned table tennis from his father when he was young. He played through the ranks with quick reflexes. He often managed to return shots until other players made mistakes, sometimes standing far back from the table.

His serious play was paired with a happy smile after he shook his final opponent’s hand, who returned the smile to his conqueror.

“I know him very well,” Deng said. “We’re friends and we’re in the table tennis club. I’ve played him a lot. It’s not very serious since we’re friends.”