(a spreadsheet containing details for all events can be downloaded ==== Results )
Derby Closed 2018 Table Tennis Tournament (Report by Aubrey Henry)
This was played at the Draycott TT Centre on Sunday 7th January 2018. This is the sixth year where we have run the tournament early January and the number of entries would suggest that this is still a popular choice amongst the competitors.
The entry at 67 (67 entered, 3 dropped out, 3 entered on the day (due to a technical hitch)) was the highest for some time. Ian Taylor, Mike Starkie, John Cowell and myself ran the event on the day. Another committee member, Simon Varley, took the lead in updating the results on the notice board.
With 11 different events being contested on the day, the main event, ‘Open Singles’, was played as a straight knockout. Seven pre-lim matches played in the first round, before the seeded players (16) entered in round 2. Moh Shabir (one of the 3 players entered on the day, would have been the number1 seed) progressed thru the knockout to the final, beating Thomas Bowes, Jane Vickers, Shaun Bibby and Robin Pearce (in the semi-final). In the other half of the draw Simon Hall (the number 7 seed) beat Martin Coe, Adam Champion, Stuart McIntrye and Colin Ambrose (in the semi-final). It was a comfortable final for Moh Shabir, beating Simon Hall (3-0). Moh also went on to win the Over 40s final beating Shaun Bibby (3-0).
In the ‘drawn’ Doubles, Robin Pearce and Martin Shean beat Colin Ambrose and David Holness 3-1.
The ‘Handicap Singles’, again, the most popular event, with nearly all competitors opting to enter. Pat Hall (Melbourne) beat Adam Champion (Repton) 3-1 in the final.
The entries for the ‘Juniors’ (5) and ‘Ladies’ (7) was up on recent years. Daniel Allen coming out on top in the Juniors against Thomas Bowes (3-2), having saved 2 match points in the 4th. The Ladies final was contested by Jane Vickers and Sandra Hewitt, Jane winning in 3-0 .
Colin Ambrose (Draycott) retained his (the Over 60s) title for the fifth time, beating Pat Hall 3-1 in the final.
The Division 1 final was contested by two players from the same team, Paul Chadwick(LE) beat Richard Morton (LE) 11-9 in the fifth. 11-4 in the fifth. In the Division 2 final, Adam Champion (Repton) beat Andrew Pollitt (Littleover) 3-0. For the second year running, the Division 3 final was played between the ‘youngest’ and the ‘oldest’ competitors, Dexter Fiarbank (the youngest player) beat Brian Canavan (the oldest player) 3-2, 12-10 in the fifth. The Division 4 final was won by Nathan Dumelow (Melbourne) beating Martin Durand (Waingroves) 3-0.
I'd like to thank Graham Gobey and Paul Chadwick for their 'centre support' and all the teas and toasties. Ian Taylor, Mike Starkie, John Cowell and Simon Varley for giving up a large part of their day to administer the event. Last, but not least, all the players that entered because we wouldn’t have a tournament without you.
In total, 11 events were contested, with a total of 216 matches played on the day. By the time we played the last ‘final’ (19:30) most of the players had already gone home. Are we trying to do too much in one day? Should we re-visit ‘holding a Finals night’ or, splitting the events across 2 days?
Full Results
Open Singles - Moh Shabir bt Simon Hall 7, 12, 7
Ladies Singles – Jane Vickers bt Sandra Hewitt 9, 9, 4
Junior Open - Daniel Allen bt Thomas Bowes -7, 7, 9, -12, 9
Handicap Singles – Pat Hall bt Adam Champion -4, 9, 4, 8
Doubles – Robin Pearce/Martin Shean bt Colin Ambrose/David Holness -8, 5, 3, 9
Over 40s – Moh Shabir bt Shaun Bibby 7, 7, 8
Over 60s - Colin Ambrose bt Pat Hall 8, 2, -12, 7
Divisionals
Division 1 – Paul Chadwick bt Richard Morton -6, 4, -9, 9, 7
Division 2 – Adam Champion bt Andrew Pollitt 8, 9, 4
Division 3 – Dexter Fairbank bt Brian Canavan -15, 7, -7, 4, 10
Division 4 – Nathan Dumelow bt Martin Durand 7, 5, 9
