2009 ESSEX CLOSED TOURNAMENT

The hot favourite - Ilford’s Umair Mauthoor, ranked no. 50 in England at Mens level became the 2009 Essex Closed Mens Singles Champion in the event which was played at BATTS, Harlow over the weekend of Saturday/Sunday 25/26 April 2009. For good measure Umair also won the Mens Doubles with his brother Zayd. Mauthoor’s Final opponent was 12 year-old Peniel Academy Schoolboy (he is 13 next week) - Jared Patel, ranked no. two in England at Under 13 level, who as a late entry to the event certainly made his mark on proceedings. Patel scored three top draw wins to make the Final beating Kevin Read (Southend) 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, then Fred Dove (BATTS) 5-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 and then Surprise Semi-Finalist Dave Bowles (Southend) after one of the closest and most exciting matches of the Season. The 12 year-old prodigy looked dead and buried (rephrase that - he was dead and buried) trailing 10-2 in the third end against a clearly inform Bowles. Somehow Jared managed to erode in to his opponent’s lead and he amazingly salvaged the game 14-12. Patel went on to win a truly spell- binding clash 8-11, 5-11, 14-12, 13-11, 12-10. However, there was no fairy-tale ending and as expected the all-action Umair Mauthoor dominated the Final winning 11-7, 13-11, 11-3.

Other players to impress were Philip Walker (Ilford) a four game winner over Azarel Adebanjo (Peniel Academy) and Paul Martindill (Ilford), a superb straight-sets winner against Zayd Mauthoor (Ilford). Martindill eventually lost 3-1 to Dave Bowles. Top seed John Dennison (West Essex) became the Veterans Singles Champion in his first appearance in the event. He eased his way past Chris Herbert (Romford) 11-3, 11-7, 13-11, then Dave Bowles (9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9) and in the Final he beat Paul Beck (BATTS) 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 having already beaten Beck in his Group encounter. Paul Beck did well to beat both Fred Dove 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 and Raymond Lam (Ilford) 7-11, 11-2, 13-11, 11-6 whilst Lam had made his mark by getting the better of Philip Walker (Ilford) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10. Walker had edged out the seeded Steve Kerns (Braintree) 12-10 in the fifth end in the Qualifying Group matches. Top seeded Umair and Zayd Mauthoor won the Open Doubles title, but only just. They were taken all the way in the Final by Kevin Read/David Evans (Harlow) who matched everything the Mauthoor brothers threw at them. Umair and Zayd shaded it 5-11, 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10. Kevin and David had scored two fine wins to make the Final, beating Fred Dove/Ray Lam 8-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-3 and Paul Beck/Dave Bowles 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 15-13.

There was further success for Kevin Read who held off the challenge of impressive newcomer Mindaugas Sinkus (Southend) in a tense five-set Final of the Restricted Singles, the event for players who have not played County Table Tennis. Kevin just shaded this one 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 having also needed five ends to get the better of a battling John Cleasby (Chelmsford) 11- 3, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 after a furious Semi-Final encounter. Sinkus had played well to beat Philip Walker 12-10, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5 in the penultimate round.

Matthew Mulley (Chelmsford) who has made giant strides this Season demonstrated this improvement in the Under 21 Singles event. He powered his way to the title, getting the better of Joe Stannard (Romford) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6, Azarel Adebanjo 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 and then Anthony Kent (Romford) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 in the Final. Romford’s Anthony Kent stopped the Final from becoming a Family affair by beating Mark Mulley (Matthew‘s older brother) 9-11, 11-7, 1- 11, 11-9, 11-9 in a widely fluctuating Semi-Final.

Anthony Kent is the 2009 Under 18 Boys Champion but he was pushed all the way by Philip Lawson (Braintree) who gave a terrific account of himself in the Final. Kent just prevailed 3-11, 11-8, 11-9, 1-11, 12-10. Kent had to work hard to get the better of Alex Holland (Peniel Academy) over five ends 14-16, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5 and then Romford team-mate Joe Stannard 11-6, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8 but it was the Final where he had to really dig deep. Stannard had ousted Chelmsford’s Brandon Crouchman 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 a round earlier.

Philip Lawson who scarcely put a foot wrong all day became the Under 15 Boys Champion beating Brandon Crouchman 12-10, 12-10, 11-5 in the Final. Crouchman had excelled to beat Alex Holland (Peniel Academy) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 in the Semi- Final whilst Lawson had to pull out all the stops to get the better of Mayur Taylor (Becontree) 8-11, 10-12, 14-12, 11-8, 11-6. Crouchman saw off his Chelmsford team-mate Scott Dowsett 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in the last eight.

The Favourite, Alex Holland made no mistake in the Boys Under 13 Singles and he sailed through to take the title beating Matthew Callcut (Peniel Academy) 11- 5, 11-6, 11-4 and Liam Williams (Harlow) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9. Williams had needed four games to get the better of Ben Page (NETTS) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-0 a round earlier.

There were some close games in the Under 18 Boys Restricted Singles and it was Adam Dukes (Romford) who came through to take the title. He beat Tim Hunt (Peniel Academy) 13-11, 12-10, 11-7 in the Final having also got the better of Jamal Dennison (West Essex) 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 14-12 and James Denyer (Clacton) 11-13, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4. Denyer had edged out Scott Dowsett 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 2-11, 14-12 in a first round thriller.

Steve Kerns

Press & Publicity Officer

Essex County Table Tennis Association