COLE HOT ON FINALS NIGHT

With five games decided in straight games this year’s M&G sponsored Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League Finals didn’t quite have the drama of previous years although it did give David Cole (ECC) who last won the mens singles title back in 1986 the perfect opportunity to display just how well he has maintained his playing standard. Is the 2004 version of Cole a stronger player than the youthful one who won the title 19 years ago ?. Quite possibly. He has retained his levels of fitness and speed about the Court and with all that extra experience he knows just the right moment when to throw in a new serve or when to change his tactics. He almost certainly has a better backhand than he had then.

The first mens singles semi-final pitted last year’s Champion Vytas Rybakas (Elmtree Graphics) with Kevin Read (Danbury) who had played so well at the weekend. With two wins over Vytas this season Kevin looked capable of making life very difficult for the County’s top junior player. It just wasn’t Kevin’s night. Vytas took an early lead and although Kevin fought back strongly from 10-4 down to 10-9, when he lost the first end it appeared to give Vytas a big lift. The game was much more fluent and open in the second end and although Kevin hit some spectacular forehand winners past his opponent Vytas was always the player moving his opponent about more. Vytas made a flying start in the third end and he went on to win 11-9, 11-7, 11-1.

The second game saw Vytas paired with left-hander Simon Webber (ECC) in the under 21 singles final. Without any experience of having played on a big occasion before Simon acquitted himself admirably. Favouring his forehand he built up a 9-4 lead in the first end only for Vytas to raise his game considerably to take the next seven points. The second game was close throughout and Simon did really well to match his renowned opponent all the way before again missing out 11-9. However, in the third game Vytas’s game really clicked into top gear from the start and he moved effortlessly away to win 11-1.

David Cole’s challenge began with a mens singles semi-final win against John Holland (Elmtree Graphics), last year’s mens singles runner-up. Cole was the quicker into his stride and attacking furiously with his forehand at every opportunity he took the first end. The second and third games were much closer and Holland countered some sizzling Cole attacks with some deep defence as well as with some inspired blocking, where he managed to force Cole’s loop back at him down the opposite side of the table. There was never much between the two players before Cole sneaked home 11-6, 12-10, 11-8.

John Holland, had little chance to rest before he was back in action in the veterans singles final. His opponent Steve Kerns was making his first Finals night singles appearance and he took the longer to settle losing the first end heavily 11-4. Kerns came out much stronger in the second and third ends and with some forceful forehand hitting he took games two and three 11-8, 11-8. It looked good for Kerns in the fourth end as well as he built up an 8-5 lead. But, Holland hit back strongly using all his experience and showing much of the fight that had seen him get out of trouble at the weekend in his epic veterans battles with Peter Ballard. Kerns had his chance to steal the match at 10-9 but Holland survived and from 6-6 and 8-8 in the fifth end he held his game together really well on the vital points to seal the match 11-4, 8-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8. The closest game of the night.

After the break David Cole and Julie Vansertima retained their mixed doubles title. Their opponents Paul Davison (ECC) and Jean Chasmer (Danbury) were not over-awed but the difference here was Julie’s ability to cope with the rampaging attack of her male opponent. Whilst June made a brave attempt to retrieve David’s powerful attacking shots Julie actually looked as if she was comfortable doing so. She was able to block Paul’s loops to the opposite sides of the table regularly thereby putting Jean under all kinds of pressure. David and Julie eventually ran out 11-7, 11-4,11-9 winners.

The mens doubles saw John Holland become the fifth partner to win the mens doubles in tandem with David Cole, as David took the title for the fourth time on the trot. Their opponents Ian Whiteside (Danbury) and Kevin Read had caused one of the biggest shocks of the weekend by ousting second seeds Paul Davison and Steve Joslin. Here, they gave another excellent demonstration of team-work. With an inform Whiteside looking particularly comfortable against Cole’s loops and Read showing a lot of restraint in his choice of attacking shots they took the second end 11-6, and although they lost the third game 11-4 they came very close to snatching the fourth end. Down 10-5 Read and Whiteside enjoyed their best sustained spell of the match as they surged back to 10-10. It was a relieved Cole and Holland who finally crossed the finishing line after a 11-8, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10 triumph.

Julie Vansertima was a heavy favourite to take an unprecedented fourteenth ladies singles title and she didn’t disappoint. Warmed up and bang on form after a series of excellent matches against highly rated male opponents at the weekend she raced away to an 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 victory over a game Linda Murray (Excalibur). Hard-hitting counter attacking rallies with the ball taken early were the order of the day here. Linda played well and contributed to some excellent open rallies but it was Julie who has the ability to change the direction of her attack so easily who dominated. Julie was always ahead and she never looked like losing.

So, to the much anticipated mens singles final. Would it be Vytas, the reigning Champion or the very experienced David Cole who would go on to take the title ?. David is the probably league’s quickest and most mobile looper whilst Vytas has the best "containing" game in the League. When Vytas can get his bat to a ball there is every chance he will be able to return it with "interest". Would he be able to contain David enough to take the title?. The answer was no, as David called the shots in the first two games as he built up leads in both ends. Even Vytas’s tightly returned pushes were insufficient to prevent David unleashing his renowned forehand loop and it was David who dominated as a result of this. Not always pretty but hugely effective. A determined Vytas played really well in the third end which he won 11-9 but he was having to take risks to stay in contention. It all fell apart for him in the fourth end as David came out all guns blazing to race home 11-3. After a gap of 19 years David took the title 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3 to become a triple Champion. In two years time he will be eligible to play as a veteran and who would bet against him going onto become a quadruple champion some time in the near future ?