Press Report

It's that time of the year when Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League players suddenly discover their competitive edge. Reputations can be made and broken and a poor season can easily be transformed by one day of brilliance.......... This year's Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League Closed Tournament takes place at Anglia Polytechnic University, Park Road, Chelmsford over the weekend of 28-30 January 2005 commencing on Friday 28 January 2005 at 19.00 hours with the Veterans events. Admission is free throughout the weekend and former players will be most welcome to pop in.

All eyes will be on Vytas Rybakas who last season became the League's youngest ever Mens Singles Champion when he beat his team-mate John Holland in a superb Final. Vytas, will this year have to cope with the pressures of being no.one seed. His biggest challenge should come from David Cole, the Champion back in 1986 and a 3-1 winner over Vytas in their recent League match. The evergreen John Holland is seeded third and Paul Davison, a semi-finalist in 2003 is the fourth seed. Of the next four seeded players Kevin Read and Steve Joslin stick out most. The fleet-footed Read is a match for anyone on his day whilst the talented Joslin, Champion in 1995 and 1996 still has the "class" to make things happen. The other two seeds Hamish Innes and Charles Sweeney don't necessarily strike you as capable of winning the Tournament but both are very capable of pushing the best players on their day. Jon Hill, Peter Ballard, Wasim Qureshi and Ian Whiteside are also exempted from having to take part in the Qualifying Groups. The Group stages always produce some interesting clashes and with just one player to qualify Group One looks to be the most competitive. Step into action - John Cleasby, Mo Hardy and Steve Northcott. Group seven has also produced a clash that should be well worth watching - Neil Gooday versus Paul Grant.

Julie Vansertima is an outstanding favourite to win the Ladies Singles for a record-breaking fourteenth time. Cathy Eakin, runner-up last year isn't playing this time round so Julie will be expected to face either Jean Chasmer or Linda Murray in the Final. Expect the County Junior players Laura Pyman, Hannah Pitt and Lorna Staff to also give a good account of themselves. Julie will also be trying to retain her Ladies Doubles crown with Jean Chasmer where they will be bidding to win their fourth title.

The Mens Doubles is interesting as three of the four seeded pairs feature an attacking player paired with a more defensive partner. Second seeds Paul Davison and Steve Joslin, runners-up in 1995 break that mould. Dave Cole, bidding for his ninth win in this event pairs up with John Holland and they are due to meet Peter Ballard/Hamish Innes in the Semi-Final. Ian Whiteside/Kevin Read are the other seeded pairing. Other partnerships capable of hitting the headlines look to be John Cleasby/Peter Barrett, father and son combination Jon and Alistair Hill and Adrian Pitt/Neil Gooday.

The holders David Cole and Julie Vansertima are the obvious favourites in the Mixed Doubles and their Final opponents are again expected to be Ray Sutton and Cathy Eakin. However, this event is very strong this year and other pairings capable of making their mark include 2004 Essex Champions Linda Murray and Kevin Read, Paul Davison and Jean Chasmer, John Holland and Melanie Bonnett as well as Ian Whiteside and Nicola Pippen.

As reigning Mens Singles Champion Vytas Rybakas should dominate the Junior events. Ranked no. 12 in England with two years left in the Junior (Under 18) age group you won't be able to get odds against him winning the Under 21 Singles, Under 18 Singles and Under 16 Singles. Simon Webber is expected to face him in the Under 21 Singles Final whilst Greg Green is seeded to face him in the Finals of the Under 18 Singles and Under 16 Singles.Greg will face tough challenges from the likes of Tom Hill, Rykki Vansertima, Adam Pitt, Sam Pitt and Haydn Upson for the right to face Vytas. Greg Green and Tom Hill should come into their own in the Junior Doubles although they will be wary of taking Lorna Staff and Laura Pyman too lightly in the Final. Greg and Tom also face a potentially tricky semi-final clash against Haydn Upson/Rykki Vansertima.

Laura Pyman is favourite to retain her Junior Girls Singles title although both Lorna Staff and Hannah Pitt wil be out to make life as difficult as possible for her. Rykki Vansertima, winner of the Under 13 Singles last season is this year's favourite for the Under 14 Singles although he faces tough challenges from team-mate Haydn Upson as well as his Baddow Village clubmates Adam Pitt, Sam Pitt and Hannah Pitt. William O'Donnell looks the most dangerous of the non Baddow Village players.

John Holland will again be bidding to retain all three Veteran titles. He is seeded no. one at Over 40, Over 50 and Over 60 levels. The likes of Steve Kerns, George Reeves, Hamish Innes and Peter Ballard will try to prevent Holland from monopolising Friday night's play in the Over 40 age-group whilst Hamish Innes is expected to line-up against Holland in the Over 50s Final and Ballard is expected to take his place in the Over 60s Final.

Sunday's play is dominated by the divisional Singles and this year's 2-Down Competition looks amongst the most evenly matched on record. The standard of play is high as well, with many of the main protagonists more than capable of holding their own against the best first division players. Peter Barrett is seeded one and team-mate Waseem Qureshi is seeded two but both players will be wary of just how evenly matched the other seeded players are. Former winners Bryn Thomas, Neil Gooday and Adrian Pitt already know what is required to win the title whilst only the fool-hardy will discount the claims of such fluent stroke-makers as Steve Northcott, John Cleasby or Gary Brignall.

Former winner Matt Brown is no. one seed in the 4-Down Singles although Martyn Green, undefeated in division five starts this event as equal favourite. Other players to watch out for include the up-and-coming Junior contingent of Greg Green, Steve Clift and Rykki Vansertima. Clift's first round battle against Graham Pryke looks the pick of the first round action.