2024 SDTTL Annual Closed Championships
REPORT
Mitchell Jones & Jamie Elliott star in
Sdttl’s 2024 Annual Closed Championships
Thursday, 22nd February, saw the Finals Night of the Southend & Districts' Table Tennis League’s 2024 Closed Championships. Held at the Plumberow Primary School: home of the Hockley Table Tennis Club. Thank you, Brian Bissenden, and your Hockley TTC colleagues, for setting up the Hall and thank you Plumberow Junior School for the use of your superb facilities.
The evening was run by Committee Member Anthon Ranjit-Singh, assisted by fellow Committee Members Jim Stait, George Reeves, Charles Sweeny, Duncan Taylor and Kevin Read. Thank you.
The 1st Match of the evening was the Over 40s Singles. Kevin Read faced Duncan Taylor. They have met many times in recent years, always close encounters, with, on this occasion, Kevin running out the winner 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5.
Next followed the first Men’s Singles Semi Final which saw the No 2 Seed and new to our League, former English Ranked, Mitchell Jones. Mitchell winning 11-7, 11-9, 11-3 against the No 3 Seed Liam Squirrell.
The 3rd Match of the evening, the 2nd Men’s Semi Final, saw the reigning Men’s Champion Duncan Taylor, and Number 1 Seed, play the No 4 Seed Reece Seddan. Duncan winning 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11.
Match No 4 saw Mitchell Jones and Jo Hills take the Mixed Doubles’ title, with a 3-1 victory over Kevin Read & Caroline Cole, winning 11-9, 11-3, 8-11, 13-11.
Match 5 saw 2 emerging talents, both members of the Matchpoint TTC. Jamie Elliott proving too strong for his club opponent Alex Bowden winning 3-0. They are sure to become strong Men players in the future. Great effort by both players and well-done Jamie who won 11-2, 11-6, 11-6.
Match 6, the Men’s Doubles. Liam Squirrell and Reece Seddon ran out 3 sets to 1 victors against perennial Doubles Champions Duncan Taylor and Kevin Read, in a very entertaining match, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 11-5.
Match 7. Ladies Doubles Final. Debbie Oneill and Hannah Harbour won a close match against Caroline Cole and Lucy Elliott, winning 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7.
Match 8, the penultimate Final, saw Lin Roff play Jo Hills. This proved to be the tightest Final of the night. Jo moved into a 2 Set lead, but Lin gradually clawed her way back to eventually win 7-11, 3-11, 21-19, 11-5, 13-11: Jo twice within 2 points of winning. Great effort from both Ladies.
Match 9. The final match of the evening was the eagerly awaited clash between current Champion Duncan Taylor and Mitchell Jones. It proved to be a great match to watch, with Mitchell winning 11-5, 11-4, 11-5: Great effort from both players and great to see Mitchell playing in our League, after many successful years in the Watford League.
A great evening run by Anthon and his team.
Thanks to all those who helped set up, all those who helped run it, the Plumberow Junior School, and the Hockley Table Tennis Club. And thank you to all our Members and families, who supported the evening.
Earlier, the weekend before, the Vets (Friday) and the Restricted’s (Saturday) were concluded at the Rayleigh Leisure Centre.
On Friday, we had the various Vets Events, run by Anthon, assisted by David Barnes and others. All events, except the Over 40s Singles, were decided on the day: the Over 40s Final being played on Finals night.
O50s John Poysden bt Sanjay Saptarshi 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5
O60s John Poysden bt Keith Willett 8-11, 14-12, 11-9, 11-3
O70s Ian Sangster bt Bill Smith 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
080s Douglass Brown bt Ken Field 11-3, 11-6, 11-3
O40s Doubles. Colin Chatfield & Babul McLeod bt Kevin Read & Duncan Taylor 4-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7
Over 40s Plate Richard Kidd bt Anthon Ranjit-Singh 8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5
Over 50s Plate Richard Riebold bt Peter Moxham 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10
Over 60s Plate Trevor Hayes bt Steve Kemp 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4
Over 70s Plate Paul Strutt bt Steve Walter 13-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3
Vets Doubles Plate Debbie Oneill & Caroline Cole bt Jenne Seibolt & Randy Santiago 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5
On Saturday we had the Restricted Divisional Events and the Under 21s. The day was run by Mel Jones, assisted by Duncan Taylor.
Premier Restricted Kieran Skeggs bt Sanjay Saptarshi 11-8, 11-8, 11-5
Div 1 Restricted Barrie Delf bt Jo Hills 11-9. 8-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7
Div 2 Restricted Jamie Elliott bt Arun Joy 4-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-8
Div 3 Restricted Alex Bowden bt Trevor Hayes 11-9, 11-6, 11-13, 11-8
Under 21s Prem & Div 1 Under 21s. As there was only 1 Entrant, Jake Nelson, the Title was awarded to Jake.
Your Southend & District Table Tennis League - SDTTL – 2024 Closed Championships Committee hope that all those who entered enjoyed their Weekend and we thank all those that supported us and helped in any way. We thank the Clubs, Players, and in the case of our Juniors, their Parents and Coaches
The Closed Championships’ arrangements commenced with a Meeting of all those involved in the setting up and running the Closed Championships, set up by Jayne Johnson:-
Big Thank You’s to:
Berti Makolli who set up the Google Forms Entry Programme & for taking photos of all the Final’s winners and posting them as they happened onto the Southend & DTTL’s Facebook Page.
Jayne Johnson who did the big job of collating the entries onto XL and setting up each Event.
Anthon Ranjit-Singh who took on the setting up of the Friday Events. Setting up each Event and fitting in Plate Events for each category
Our Seedings & Eligibility Committee, for seeding each event: Committee being John Poysden, George Reeves, Kevin Read, Duncan Taylor and Charles Sweeny.
Jim Stait, our Safeguarding Officer: there throughout the Championships, to protect the interests and safety of all players, who were juniors or vulnerable adults.
Paul Read, bought prizes, and came down on Sunday and sold Raffle Tickets, raising £45 for our Funds.
Thank you to all those who helped out on the Control Table.
- On Friday Anthon Ranjit-Singh ran the Table, helped by David Barnes.
- On Saturday Mel Jones ran the Table, helped by Duncan Taylor.
- And on Sunday, Jayne Johnson ran the Table, helped by myself.
Other Committee Members who helped were Bill Smith and Paul Strutt.
Unable to attend this year were Stuart Gibbs and Gordon Swan, health problems and Dale Gutteridge, work. But over the years all 3 have always been ready to help. We wish Stuart & Gordon good recoveries.
So, you can see that we had a massive contribution from our SDTTL Closed Championships' Committee in running these Championships, great support from all Clubs and great support from our members.
Thank you all.
