Zhang, who competed at London 2012, needed just 36 minutes to defeat Ying Lu 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 on the second of three days of action.

A member of the US’s gold medal-winning women’s team at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, Zhang is also a two-time US national women's champion having taken the honour in 2012 and 2014.

"It's an absolutely amazing feeling to have the stars and stripes on your chest, a very humbling feeling," said the 19-year-old.

"I was only 16 when I played in 2012 and I feel that I have matured and am a more experienced player now."

Chen Wang and Timothy Wang, competitors at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 respectively, won the first two qualifying spots on the opening day of action at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex's Special Events Center.

In the women's final, number one seed Chen Wang beat number two seed Ying Lu 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8.

After dropping the opening game, Wang made a tactical adjustment to step in closer to the table against the unorthodox 36-year-old left-hander and began to dominate the match with stinging backhands.

Wang, who did not compete from 2008 to 2014 to start a family, finished the 37-minute match by forcing Lu into a backhand mistake.

"I feel like this is another chance for me," said the 42-year-old, quarter-finalist at Beijing 2008 in the best ever showing by an American at the Olympics. 

"This is a little bit different journey for me but I feel really excited and that I can still play the same game as before."

Wang was on the verge of elimination in the quarter-finals; down match point in the sixth game against Crystal Wang, before rallying to win the last two games.

Meanwhile in the men’s final, seventh seed Timothy Wang fought off a strong challenge from number eight seed Sharon Alguetti 19-17, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10 after 62 minutes.

Wang's victory came after a disappointing 2015, which saw the three-time US national men's champion hit a low point of the season in December when he lost his first match at the national championships.

"I have been in a little bit of slump but I have a new coach and new club and better preparation for this tournament and I am getting back to where I want to be," said the 24-year-old.

Wang battled all day, opening with a 4-2 win against Tahl Leibovitz and then a gruelling seven-game victory against Krish Avvari in the quarter-finals.

The three past Olympians now advance to April’s North American Trials in the Canadian city Markham, where the final qualifying step for Rio 2016 will take place.  

Joining them are teenage trio Kanak Jha, Crystal Wang and Sharon Alguetti, all of whom claimed victories in Greensboro.

Jha, 15, who lost in the second qualifying tournament men's final on Friday (February 5), used that experience to rally for a 14-12, 12-14, 6-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7 victory over Krish Avvari today.

In today's women's final, 13-year-old Wang overpowered Angela Guan with a flurry of big forehand winners to triumph 13-11, 11-1, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10.

Jha’s conqueror on Friday was Alguetti, who beat his opponent 11-4, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9.

Ninety-three-year-old Bill Guilfoil, who was bidding to become the oldest Olympian of all time at Rio 2016, lost in the opening round of both of the qualifying tournaments that he competed in.