We saw a tremendous day of play in the National Junior Cadet Championships in Hatfield at the Hertfordshire Sports Village. All the Junior Events were competed for today.
The Junior Boys Singles went to Gavin Evans, No 1 Seed in his first major competition since his injury layoff he was imperious dropping only one deuce game in his path to the Championship. His final opponent Number 4 seed Zac Zilesnick took a tremendous semi final win over No 2 seed Sean Cullen but was powerless in the face of Gavins’, speed and consistency.
Upsets all over the place in the Girls Singles, the upsets started as No 5 seed, 12 year old Tin-Tin Ho beat No 1 seed Karina Le Fevre in the quarter finals. The semi finals was a match to far for Tin Tin as number 4 seed Chloe Whyte took her place in the Final winning 3 games to 1. A further upset in the other semi final as No 3 seed Tressa Armitage defeated No 2 seed Lucy Davidson. The Final between Tressa and Chloe was a tremendous battle which swung first to Chloe as she took the first two games but Tressa responded to take the next two, the Final saw Chloe in front early but again Tressa levelled at 8-8, Chloe won the next point with a hard hit backhand right on to the corner of the table and from there she moved forward quickly to take the Championship 11-8 in the fifth game.
The Junior Boys doubles final was fought out between No 1 seeds, Sean Cullen and Daniel Lowe and No 2 seeds Sam Walker and Lewis Grey, once again the match swung first to the Derbyshire pair who took the first two games but Sam and Lewis responded to take the next two games and to stand 10-8 ahead in the fifth game but two superb loops from Daniel Lowe evened the game up and two points later the Champions were Sean Cullen and Daniel Lowe.
The Junior Girls Doubles was fought out between No 1 seeds Karina le Fevre and Tressa Armitage and no 3 seeds Jessica Dawson and Chloe White who put out No 2 seeds Yolanda King and Tin Tin Ho in the semi finals. The No 1 seeds took a tight first game but the Ormesby pairing took a just as close second game and then moved forward to dominate in games three in four.
There first event to start today was the Junior Mixed Doubles and after some tremendous battles in earlier rounds unseeded pairing of Daniel Lowe and Martha Travis faced no 2 seeds Sam Walker and Tressa Armitage in the final, the seeds took the first game but again this was reversed and Daniel and Martha took the next three games to take the Championship
To summarise Gavin superb, Daniel Lowe two Doubles Golds, Chloe Whyte two Golds, 1 Singles 1 Doubles and spare a thought for Tressa Amritage with three Silver Medals that might well have been a couple of Golds.
Photo: Gavin Evans, Junior Boys Singles Champion
Images courtesy tabletennisphotos.com