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News
& Views from the Colchester Table Tennis League
with Press Officer Martyn Green
4th January 2010
SPERO TAKES ESSEX MENS SINGLES CROWN
Ilford’s Matthew Spero was the surprise Winner of the Open Singles
at the 2010 Essex Closed Table TennisTournament played at BATTS in Harlow
over the weekend of aturday/Sunday 02/03 January.
Although this event will not make the same amount of headlines as some
minor match at Old Trafford on the same day it represented a fantastic
success for the hard-hitting left-handed Spero (ranked no. 155 nationally)
who got the better of England no. 48 Ashley Stokes in the Final 6-11,
11-9, 11-5, 11-7 with a superbly executed display of controlled hitting.
In an evenly contested event the first big shock took place in the group
stages when Ilford Veteran defender John Tendler beat no. two seed Ashley
Stokes (BATTS) in four ends which relegated Ashley to second place in
his group. Ashley’s “punishment” was a first round meeting
against the holder Umair Mauthoor (Ilford) and in a fast and at times
breath-taking encounter Ashley edged home 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, 11-13, 11-9.
Elsewhere, John Tendler’s impressive run continued and he got the
better of Phil Walker (Ilford) 13-11, 8-11, 11-13, 11-3, 12-10 as well
as Luca Mariano (Ilford) 3-0 to set up a Semi-Final meeting against Matt
Spero who had earlier ousted John Payne (BATTS) 4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 5-11,
11-5. Smooth-flowing Mariano had made his mark beating Zayd Mauthoor 12-10,
9-11, 11-8, 11-7. Spero gave Tendler no chance in their Semi-Final and
romped home 3-0. Stokes dominated the other half of the draw beating Robin
Ashleigh (Ilford) 3-0 and Steve Joslin (Colchester) 3-1. Steve had eased
his way past old rival Steve Kerns (Chelmsford) 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 13-11
and Hard-Bat specialist Fred Dove (BATTS) 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3.
Stokes ended Joslin’s bid for “comeback glory” 8- 11,
11-9, 11-6, 12-10 to set up his Final encounter against Matt Spero.
There was a small measure of consolation for Ashley Stokes in the Mens
Doubles when he paired up with Matthew Mulley (Chelmsford) to take the
title. They beat the holders Zayd and Umair Mauthoor 11-6, 11-6, 4-11,
11-7 in the Final having needed five ends to get the better of scratch-pairing
John Payne and Michael Copleston (Romford) 11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7
a round earlier. Zayd and Umair Mauthoor were also hard-pushed to reach
the Final and they had to use all their experience and guile to edge out
Michael Andrews /Anthony Greenwood (Colchester) 14-12, 11-9, 16-14 in
their Semi-Final.
John Payne, the Veterans Singles Champion in 2002 and 2003 became Champion
for the third time although he was made to fight by Ray Lam (Ilford).
Payne looked far from comfortable and it was only in the fifth end that
he put daylight between himself and his opponent. Payne eventually won
13-11, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6. Payne also tasted defeat in his group matches
losing 3-1 to the hard- hitting Phil Walker. John Tendler, the surprise
package in the Mens Singles fared even worse and he did not qualify from
his group, succumbing in five ends against Graham Frankel (West Essex).
Ashley Stokes was a strong favourite for the Under 21 Singles and he did
not disappoint. He stormed home 15-13, 11-6, 11-7 against Luca Mariano
and 11-7, 11- 3, 11-7 against Mark Mulley to take the title. Mark Mulley
had made his mark by getting the better of brother Matthew 8-11, 11-7,
16-14, 11-13, 11-7 in a very hard-fought Semi-Final.
Sunday’s action was completed by a top-class Restricted Singles
Final. Former England top 10 Junior Steve Joslin had looked to be recovering
his form well as he battled his way to the Open Singles Semi-Final but
he met a very powerful and aggressive opponent in his Final encounter.
Mario Martinka (BATTS) hit some spell-binding backhands to beat Joslin
3-11, 11-2, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8. Martinka had to come from behind in his
Semi-Final to get the better of Michael Andrews 9-11, 11-7, 8-11, 14-12,
11-5 whilst Joslin also survived a few uncomfortable moments before he
beat Colchester team-mate Anthony Greenwood 12- 10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6.
Certain events held over the weekend were poorly supported, none more
so than the Over 40s Doubles. In a straight Final Steve Kerns/Paul Martindill
(Ilford) took the title by getting the better of Ray Lam/John Tendler
11-7, 11-9, 11-8.
For a County that runs four Veterans teams and holds an Inter-League competition
which features five Over 40s Divisions and two Over 60s Divisions this
level of entry is absolutely abysmal and needs to be looked at by the
County Management Committee urgently.
Entries in the Junior events were also well down in numbers, which contrasts
sharply with the well supported BATTS One Star events held periodically
throughout the Season. Luca Mariano was the top act in the Open Under
18 Singles as befits his superb performance at the English Junior National
Championships when he reached the Under 18 Boys Doubles Final with Matthew
Mulley. Luca took the title for a second time by beating Owen Warren (Southend)
11-6, 11-8, 11-7 and Evangeline Collier (BATTS Team Peniel) 11-4, 11-7,
11-7 in the Final. Evangeline, who had impressed on her recent debut for
the County Senior first team made her mark here as well and she scored
a superb win over Brandon Crouchman (Chelmsford) 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 8-11,
11-9.
Brandon put this disappointment firmly behind him and he captured the
Under 15 Singles by getting the better of Scott Dowsett (Chelmsford) 11-9,
11-5, 11-4 in the Final. Brandon beat Charlie Williams (Romford) 11-5,
11-6, 11-3 at the Semi-Final stage whilst Scott had to battle to get the
better of Liam Williams (Harlow) 11-4, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5.
Charlie Williams became Essex Under 13 Singles Champion for the first
time. He took the title beating Thomas Herbert (Romford)11-6, 11-9, 11-5
in his Semi- Final and Nandeep Panesar (Ilford) 11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8
in the Final.
Alex George (Harlow) claimed the Essex Under 18 Restricted Singles title.
He beat Jamal Dennison (West Essex) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 in the Final.
Full results were as follows:-
Open Singles - Matt Spero beat Ashley Stokes 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7.
Open Doubles - Matthew Mulley/Ashley Stokes beat Zayd/Umair Mauthoor 11-6,
11- 6, 4-11, 11-7.
Under 21 Singles - Ashley Stokes beat Mark Mulley 11-7, 11-3, 11-7.
Over 40s Singles - John Payne beat Ray Lam 13-11, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6.
Restricted Singles - Mario Martinka beat Steve Joslin 3-11, 11-2, 13-11,
9-11, 11-8.
Over 40s Doubles - Paul Martindill/Steve Kerns beat John Tendler/Ray Lam
11-7,
11-9, 11-8.
Under 18 Open Singles - Luca Mariano beat Evangeline Collier 11-4, 11-7,
11-7.
Under 15 Open Singles - Brandon Crouchman beat Scott Dowsett 11-9, 11-5,
11-4.
Under 13 Open Singles - Charlie Williams beat Nandeep Panesar 11-8, 11-4,
6- 11, 11-8.
Under 18 Restricted Singles - Alex George beat Jamal Dennison 11-5, 11-7,
11- 8.
Steve Kerns
Press & Publicity Officer
Essex County Table Tennis Association
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