KNIGHTON PARK TABLE TENNIS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
A veritable feast of good table tennis on Finals Night so ably organised by Club Secretary, Gordon Sanders, once again, ranging from raw aggression to a bit of guile, and some wonderfully close ties. Eight days of qualification had gone before with each event played in groups in order to give everyone a good night’s table tennis
Club Singles – Semi Finals.
Adam Cross beat Les Baker 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6).
Karen Smith beat Michal Godziebiewski 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-8.
Final
Adam Cross beat Karen Smith 3-1 (11-3, 13-15, 11-9, 11-9).
Adam retained his title with Karen fighting back very well from an early first game set back, with some excellent rallies. Both the third and fourth games could have gone the other way.
Junior Boys Singles
Adam Cross beat Tobit Dehnen 3-2 (8-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11).
Although officially an under 18’s event both boys are 15 which bodes well. Tobit played a blinder and looked odds-on at 9-3 up in the fifth. Adam, however, kept his nerve very well to triumph ahead of his Club Singles success.
Handicap Singles (21 up).
Aman Rashid beat Conor Wilde (received 4) -16, 20, 21.
Marvellous final which went right to the wire and, at 21-21 in the final game, was, literally, there for the taking by either player. Both lads showed class in abundance with the winner just 14 years old.
Handicap Doubles (21 up).
Steve Bessant/Martin Pember beat James Morley/Jim Burdett 20, 12.
Off scratch the eventual winners were pleased to take the first, giving them the edge going into the second game.
Veterans Singles.
Les Baker beat John Underwood 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-8).
Les had already beaten John at the group stages and the gulf in which division they play (Les One, John Two) was apparent, but Les could not afford to relax.
Karen Rogers earlier in the week retained the Ladies Singles title against Shirley Pickering as well as beating Les Baker in the Hard Bat Singles.
Last, but certainly by no means least, £33.20 was raised on the night for Rainbows Children’s Hospice.