Sophie Chiang aims to repeat last year’s feat as the only defending champion at the Under-10 to Under-13 National Championships this weekend.

The Cambridge player is top seed in the Under-12 Girls’ Singles at Arena Sports Kettering, one of two titles she won last year in Preston, when she also took the Under-11 crown.

Chiang beat Amy Marriott 3-2 (12-10, 10-12, 7-11, 13-11, 12-10) in a thrilling U11 final and the seedings point to a repeat of that match in the higher age group this year as Rotherham’s Marriott is ranked No 2.

If Chiang is to again take two titles, she will need to do so from No 6 in the Under-13s, in which Ruby Chan and Mari Baldwin are the top two.

Although Chiang is the only one of last year’s champions who has the chance to defend one of her titles, there are a number of winners who are stepping up in age.

They include last year’s Under-12 champion Jamie Liu, who is top seed in the U13s this year, and he too is scheduled to face a repeat clash in the final against No 2 seed Louis Price.

The Under-11 Boys’ champion Bertie Kelly is also back and is seeded No 7 in the Under-12s, with Under-12 National Cup champion Naphong Boonyaprapa topping the seedings.

The other returning champion is Connor Green, who took the Under-10s last season and is top seed in the Under-11s this time around. The player he beat in the Under-10s, Oliver Maric-Murray, is top seed at that age group as he looks to go one better in 2017.

There is also a round-robin Under-10 Girls’ event, plus Boys’ and Girls’ Doubles competitions at Under-13s.

For full details of the draw, click here to view the programme online.

We will be live streaming two tables from the event on our YouTube channel – further details to follow.