Dave Robson
1st April 2009, 09:36 AM
Darlington Table Tennis League held the finals of their 2009 closed championship on the evening of Tuesday 17th March at the towns Railway Athletic Club.
After over four hours of high quality table tennis seven new title holders emerged alongside four retaining holders in what can only be described as the night of the comeback.
King (or more accurately Queen) of the comeback was DTTC’s Sarah Robinson who alongside Claire Wilson saved two match points on their way to retain the Ladies Doubles title they had won for the previous three years. Not content with that, Sarah then saved three match points at 2-0 down to take the Ladies Singles title away from holder Alison McKim (RA), after five tense ends.
Not to be outdone Railway Athletics’ Mike Thorns also saved three match points at 2-0 down to eventually wear down DSRM’s Steve Holmes, with table tennis that can only be described as consistent and so win the Division 2 title he had previously held two years ago.
Richard Daniel (DSRM) also overcame an early deficit to win the newly introduced Over 60 Singles event, beating Alf Crow (RA) in another five ender in what was becoming an organizer’s nightmare.
Away from the comebacks Chris Close (DTTC) beat team mate Michael Hahn in the Handicap Singles. Starting 2 up (to 21) Chris used his greater experience to win without the need for the start utilizing some clever choice of service at key points.
The most successful player on show was DTTC’s former Scottish international Keith Rodger who retained his Men’s Singles, Veteran Singles and Mixed Doubles (with Sarah Robinson) titles as well as winning the Men’s Doubles for the first time with team mate Philip Robinson.
Philip was Keith’s opponent in the Men’s Singles final after the pair had overcome Tony Langley and Mark Walpole (both RA) respectively in semi-finals earlier in the evening. Both players fresh from success with the Northfield club in British League served up some quality high powered table tennis. Employing fast top spin forehands at every opportunity, Robinson attempted to out power Rodger who responded in turn with spin attacks from both wings along with some tight serving to emerge victorious 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 and so round off a great evenings table tennis.
Full Results
Men’s Singles S F
K Rodger(DTTC) bt M Walpole(RA) -7, 5, 3, 9
P Robinson(DTTC) bt T Langley(RA) 5, -9, -11, 9, 4
Handicap Singles
C Close(DTTC) bt M Hahn(DTTC) 17, -19, 11
Division 2 Singles
M Thorns(RA) bt S Holmes(DSRM) -9, -10, 10, 4, 7
Over 60 Singles
R Daniel(DSRM) bt A Crow(RA) -2, 11, -7, 9, 6
Mixed Doubles
K Rodger/S Robinson(DTTC) bt A Williamson/A McKim(RA) 5, 4, 3
Hard Bat Singles
N Corking(DSRM) bt G Pontone(RA) 9, 9, -9, 7
Veteran Singles
K Rodger(DTTC) bt T Langley(RA) 8, 8, 6
Pot Luck Doubles
P Robinson/S Hahn(DTTC) bt N Corking(DSRM)/M Musa(DTTC) 5, 7, -10, 6
Ladies Doubles
S Robinson/C Wilson(DTTC) bt J Youdale/S Barraclough(DSRM)-8, -9, 8, 11, 7
Men’s Doubles
K Rodger/P Robinson(DTTC) bt T Langley/M Walpole(RA) -9, 4, 5, 9
Ladies Singles
S Robinson(DTTC) bt A McKim(RA) -9, -10, 10, 7, 7
Men’s Singles
K Rodger(DTTC) bt P Robinson(DTTC) 5, 10, 8
Ian Robinson
After over four hours of high quality table tennis seven new title holders emerged alongside four retaining holders in what can only be described as the night of the comeback.
King (or more accurately Queen) of the comeback was DTTC’s Sarah Robinson who alongside Claire Wilson saved two match points on their way to retain the Ladies Doubles title they had won for the previous three years. Not content with that, Sarah then saved three match points at 2-0 down to take the Ladies Singles title away from holder Alison McKim (RA), after five tense ends.
Not to be outdone Railway Athletics’ Mike Thorns also saved three match points at 2-0 down to eventually wear down DSRM’s Steve Holmes, with table tennis that can only be described as consistent and so win the Division 2 title he had previously held two years ago.
Richard Daniel (DSRM) also overcame an early deficit to win the newly introduced Over 60 Singles event, beating Alf Crow (RA) in another five ender in what was becoming an organizer’s nightmare.
Away from the comebacks Chris Close (DTTC) beat team mate Michael Hahn in the Handicap Singles. Starting 2 up (to 21) Chris used his greater experience to win without the need for the start utilizing some clever choice of service at key points.
The most successful player on show was DTTC’s former Scottish international Keith Rodger who retained his Men’s Singles, Veteran Singles and Mixed Doubles (with Sarah Robinson) titles as well as winning the Men’s Doubles for the first time with team mate Philip Robinson.
Philip was Keith’s opponent in the Men’s Singles final after the pair had overcome Tony Langley and Mark Walpole (both RA) respectively in semi-finals earlier in the evening. Both players fresh from success with the Northfield club in British League served up some quality high powered table tennis. Employing fast top spin forehands at every opportunity, Robinson attempted to out power Rodger who responded in turn with spin attacks from both wings along with some tight serving to emerge victorious 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 and so round off a great evenings table tennis.
Full Results
Men’s Singles S F
K Rodger(DTTC) bt M Walpole(RA) -7, 5, 3, 9
P Robinson(DTTC) bt T Langley(RA) 5, -9, -11, 9, 4
Handicap Singles
C Close(DTTC) bt M Hahn(DTTC) 17, -19, 11
Division 2 Singles
M Thorns(RA) bt S Holmes(DSRM) -9, -10, 10, 4, 7
Over 60 Singles
R Daniel(DSRM) bt A Crow(RA) -2, 11, -7, 9, 6
Mixed Doubles
K Rodger/S Robinson(DTTC) bt A Williamson/A McKim(RA) 5, 4, 3
Hard Bat Singles
N Corking(DSRM) bt G Pontone(RA) 9, 9, -9, 7
Veteran Singles
K Rodger(DTTC) bt T Langley(RA) 8, 8, 6
Pot Luck Doubles
P Robinson/S Hahn(DTTC) bt N Corking(DSRM)/M Musa(DTTC) 5, 7, -10, 6
Ladies Doubles
S Robinson/C Wilson(DTTC) bt J Youdale/S Barraclough(DSRM)-8, -9, 8, 11, 7
Men’s Doubles
K Rodger/P Robinson(DTTC) bt T Langley/M Walpole(RA) -9, 4, 5, 9
Ladies Singles
S Robinson(DTTC) bt A McKim(RA) -9, -10, 10, 7, 7
Men’s Singles
K Rodger(DTTC) bt P Robinson(DTTC) 5, 10, 8
Ian Robinson