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DIS ELECTRICAL JERSEY CLOSED TABLE TENNIS TOURNAMENT, DAY 3 MEDIA REPORT.

Day three of the DIS Electrical Jersey Closed Tournament threw up a few surprises and some of the top seeds were very lucky to survive. In the

Doubles “B” the top seeds Thomas Morgan and Sam Allen cruised through to the final with a three straight win over Harry and Sarah Cooper in the semis. The second seeded Fisher brothers had a very tricky first match and a few uncharacteristic errors at crucial points proved to be their downfall. Myles Hawgood and Jack Messervy played an excellent doubles match to gain their best win together 12 / 10, 11 / 9, 11 / 9. They went on to prove that this was no flash in the pan by also beating the strong pairing of Helen Liron and Lucy Walker in the semis in a five game thriller by coming back twice from behind to reach the final.

The Veterans Doubles had no surprises as the top two seeds both got through to the final without dropping a game. The final itself should be a pulsating one between these four highly experienced and wily doubles players in Clive Silverback Hansford and Bruce Gallichan against Eugene Yogi Ellis and Bobby Vincent.

The Open Doubles saw the first appearance of Craig Gascoyne and Dave Cronin as a doubles team as they lined up as the top seeds. In the previous round the shock result was that of CCC President Malcolm Gallichan and Martin Tupper beating the formidable junior duo of Luke Walker and Max Tupper. The old timers showed their experience as they ground out the result in a much applauded match 11 / 8 , 8 / 11 , 12 / 10 , 10 / 12 , 14 / 12. Their celebrations were short lived however as they were soundly beaten by Ellis and Vincent in the quarter finals by three straight. This set up a semi final against the top seeds who had had a similar three game win over juniors Scott Cassin and Hugo Tupper. The match was a very close and highly entertaining to watch affair with all four players going for their shots. Finally the extra power of Gascoyne told with a few swerving winners down the line to take the fourth game 11 / 7 and the match 3---1.

The eagerly awaited Junior Doubles saw the very young pairing of Under 11's Jordan Wykes and Philip Quinn competing in their first championship together as a doubles pairing. Both youngsters have improved at an incredible rate under the watchful eye of Development Officer Craig Gascoyne and J.T.T.A. coaches. Spurred on by a large crowd they played superbly against much older and stronger opposition in Tom Marsay and Sam Elliott in the last sixteen but finally succumbed to their more experienced opponents. In the bottom half of the draw the second seeds and defending champions Luke Walker and Max Tupper reached the quarter finals to face Thomas Morgan and Sam Allen and showed no mercy as they went through four straight. Glenn Brown and Matt Cooper had a closer tussle against Hawgood and Messervy. The match went to five with Brown and Cooper winning

11 / 7 in the fifth to set up the first semi-final against the number 2 seeds. In the top half of the draw the Fisher brothers found Scott Cassin and Hugo Tupper in very good form and despite some good winning shots they were unable to stop their stronger opponents going through. Top seeds Josh Band and Chris Corfield similarly reached the semis in four but with a closer score line of 12 / 10 , 11 / 5 , 11 / 4 , 13 / 11.

The two semi finals were the last matches of the night and both were absolute fizzing classics!! Walker and Tupper had to come back from a game down no fewer than three times to finally beat the resilient Brown and Cooper. The final score of a pulsating and hugely applauded encounter was 10 / 12 , 11 / 5 , 8 / 11 , 12 / 10 , 7 / 11 , 11 / 4 , 11 / 6. The top seeds also had a scare after having been two games and then three one up against Cassin and Tupper who played brilliantly to square the match at three all to force a decider. Band and Corfield then moved up the gears with Band making some exquisite interceptions thus taking the last important game with a match score of 11 / 7 , 11 / 2 , 8 / 11 , 11 / 7 , 9 / 11 , 8 / 11 , 11 / 5.

The tournament continues on Wednesday with the U21 Singles, Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles.