EARLY SEASON TOURNAMENT 2023

SOUTH DEVON & TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE – SPONSORED BY ALBANY FLORISTS

2023-24 SEASON

EARLY SEASON TOURNAMENT

The local league’s Early Season Tournament was held at the Torbay Leisure Centre on Sunday 12^th November and attracted a good number of players who took part in three different events.

First up and main event was the handicapped Collins Cup. A very competitive field of 32 players from many different clubs and with mixed abilities took part, with handicaps stretching to as much as +8 points/game for the weaker player. The eight group winners being; Svetlozar Gandev, Stuart Shipley, Ian Saxby, Rhys Lush, Chris Harper, Dan Webster-Hall, David Davies and Kevin Nicholls. Kevin Nicholls defeated Dan Webster-Hall in one semi-final while Ian Saxby got the better of Svetlozar Gandev in the other. Kevin Nicholls’ excellent spinney defence was too strong for Ian Saxby in the final, Kevin winning 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 to lift the Collins Cup.

The consolation final was won by Curtis Sage who defeated Martin Dilkes 4-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 13-11.

League sponsor, Sonja Ryland (Albany Florists) presents the Collins Cup to Kevin Nicholls

Next up was the Handicap Doubles where the pairs are matched up according to their ability. Some excellent pairs were thrown together for the first time with many exciting close encounters taking place.

Nick Williamson and Svetlozar Gandev fought their way through to the semi-finals and won the first two games of the semi only to lose the next three to Pete Sercombe and Jim Mcivor. The second semi final saw Dan Webster-Hall and Peter Moretta defeat Curtis Sage and Chris Garner. Dan Webster-Hall and Peter Moretta went on to defeat Jim McIvor and Pete Sercombe 11-3, 11-9, 12-10 in the final to win the Doubles Cup.

Sonja Ryland presents the Doubles Cup to Dan Webster-Hall and Peter Moretta

The Final event takes us back to the ‘Good old days’ playing to 21 points with a traditional hard bat, the Excell Shield. Matches of unpredictable length often played with safety in mind do tend to go on a bit! Having said that it was good to see some of the more aggressive players winning through the early rounds.

The last four in the competition were all current first division players who adapted well to playing with the hard bat. Kevin Nicholls defeated Curtis Sage in the first semi-final while Rhys Lush just edged out Naomi Jackson in the second semi-final. Kevin Nicholls collected his second title of the day with an impressive 21-16, 21-19 victory over Rhys Lush in the final of the Excell Shield.