Albany Open 2006
Playing up down south ...
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The Albany Open was conducted on the weekend of 4th-5th March, 2006, at the Albany Table Tennis Club. I'll do my best to get the full results to put up later on, but for the moment here are the results and happenings that stand out in my memory. Off the tableThe size of the field was very impressive at around 84 competitors - a record for a country tournament (I believe!). Thanks to everyone who entered, especially to those folk from Geraldton who faced an 10-11 hour drive to get down to Albany. Maybe next year the Dakar rally guys? Once again, the famous Albany hospitality was out in force, with everyone made to feel welcome, and a general spirit of fun and socialising almost overshadowing the play on the tables! In fact, due to the size of the entry, some events needed to be shortened in games - and not one complaint was made. Amazing but true! The Albany canteen volunteers did another terrific job - every time we go down we look forward to sampling some of the home-cooked goodies on offer. A big thank you to everyone who helped out in the canteen - I know us players really appreciate it. Finally, well done to Peter Muller, Bob Lake, and Chris and Rebecca Hibbert, who did a sterling job behind the control desk to keep things running as well as they did - no joke with such a large entry to get through, and with many players in multiple events.
On the tableMens Singles
As with all events, the Mens singles were conducted in good spirits by all. It was great to see the country players so eager to have a go against the more experienced Perth players. And with the inclusion of several juniors in the field there was no shortage of good matches taking place. Giovanni Cnapich was wowing the crowd with his speed and power, Jeff Drew impressing everyone with his customary smoothness and precision, Chris Hibbert was mixing defence and attack to come up with many spectacular rallies, and yours truly was grinding away trying to put down the challengers as fast as possible. But many others were also having their own successes, with a good win here or a close match there being a triumph of their own. The first semifinal was played between myself (#3 seed) and Giovanni Cnapich (#2 seed). You can find more detailed thoughts on the match from my point of view in my table tennis blog. In the end, I got through with a 4-1 win. The second semifinal matched up Jeff Drew (#1 seed) and Chris Hibbert (unseeded), who had earlier defeated the #4 seed Irwin Parker. Chris put up a good fight, entertaining the crowd with his skills away from the table, but in the end Jeff took the match 4-2. The final was a see-sawing affair between Jeff and myself. I was leading 2-0, then down 2-3, then won the last 2 games to take the match 4-3 (check my blog for more on my thoughts of the game). It was a great match and the enthusiastic Albany crowd showed their approval with plenty of applause during and after the match.
Womens Singles The early surprise in the Womens Singles was the #4 seed, Nita Teoh, being knocked out by the unseeded Tjen Joeng in the second round, 12-10 in the fifth (early rounds being played to best of 5 games). Tjen has been improving steadily this year and made the most of her good form. The first semifinal then saw #1 seed Becky Sparkes and Tjen battle it out. Tjen put up a good fight but in the end the sheer class of Becky (who has been ranked as high as #10 in the England Womens ranks, I believe) saw her take the match 4-0. In the second semifinal, #2 seed Yuko Mayama was up against #3 seed Nanako Nomura. Again, Nanako gave her best but could stop Yuko advancing 4-1. The final was another high-calibre affair, with both Becky and Yuko showing their skills off to the appreciative Albany spectators. Both players have very good forehand attacks, both with spin and speed, while on the backhand Becky has a nice counterhit and occasional loop with the smooth rubber, and Yuko uses short pimples to drive through the ball. The rallies of each game were hotly contested, with many of incredible speed. It was definitely one of the best womens singles matches played in WA for many a year, not surprising considering both of these ladies are having good results in local pennants competing against our men! But in the end Becky was just that little bit too good on the day, despite a vocal Yuko cheer squad from the Fremantle club, and she won the Albany Womens Singles 4-2. Mens Doubles The final of the mens doubles put the four mens singles semifinalists together. #1 seeds were Jeff Drew and myself, while the #2 seeds were Chris Hibbert and Gio Cnapich. Some excellent rallies were played, but in the end the combination of Drew and Letts took the final 3-0 (15-13 in the third though!). Womens Doubles The #1 seeds of Becky Sparkes and Nanako Nomura defeated the #2 seeds Yuko Mayama and Nita Teoh 3-1, in what was probably the best womens doubles match we have seen in quite a while. Well done ladies! Mixed Doubles The mixed doubles event saw #1 seeds Richard Ajayi and Becky Sparkes take on the #2 seeds Gio Cnapich and Nanako Nomura. In a match where both teams 'got on a roll' and took many points in a row, the #1 seeds eventually proved to be that little bit better when it mattered and took the match 3-0 or 3-1. Other events and highlights I'll list the results of other events as soon as I can get my hands on them, but until then here are just some general highlights that have stuck in my mind.
So all in all, it was another great tournament hosted by the Albany club - well done to all concerned. There were some rumours going around that next year might be hosted by a combined Mandurah/Bunbury consortium - it would be great to have another venue for the country tournament, so let's hope that it gets up and running there in 2007! Greg Letts 14th March 2006 Copyright Greg Letts 2006
Have a comment you'd like to add to this page? Email me and I'll add your two cent's worth below.
COMMENTSTuesday 14th March 2006 Jeff Tran wrote: Greg, I enjoy your comments and coverage of the tournament. For the records, Greg Evans and I did win the Country Mens Doubles with 13-11 in the fifth and the shaved heads was a physics decision to reduce wind resistance! Cheers Greg replies: Reduce wind resistance hmmm? And there I was thinking you two were trying to reflect the lights into your opponents' eyes! BTW, congrats on winning the Country Mens Doubles and Singles as well. Greg
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