Championship Standard Carries Over in Return to Fixtures

The city’s leading table tennis players returned to fixtures last week after completing a highly competitive and successful annual Closed Championships, held over the previous fortnight. In what may be a historic first for the club, husband-and-wife duo Matthew and Kelsey Pettett claimed the prestigious men’s and women’s open singles titles in the same year.

Despite the shift back to regular fixtures, the high standard of play from the championships clearly carried over, with a number of standout performances on display.

Nick Green, who had pushed Matthew Pettett to five tight sets in the men’s semi-finals the week before, carried his form through with an undefeated scorecard. He edged out Leo Lai in a five-set thriller and followed it up with a strong four-set win over in-form Kelsey Pettett. Both Pettett and Lai overcame spirited resistance from Ann-Louise Stewart, before Lai prevailed 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 in one of the night’s closest contests.

Another marquee clash saw frontrunners Rayden Smith and Dane Coughlan go the distance, producing long rallies and plenty of tension. Smith rallied from two sets to one down to take the match 10-12, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9.

Oliver Wright delivered his first undefeated fixture since joining the competition last season. His comeback five-set victory over the crafty Helga Leitner, who was filling in, was particularly impressive. Wright also staged a gritty turnaround against Joe Clifton, fighting back from two sets to one down to claim his first win over the defender.

Newcomer Jeff Jordan celebrated his first victory against Patricia Green’s defensive game in four sets, while Hilton Kane showed great fight against more seasoned opponents. After dropping the first two sets to Linda O’Sullivan, he forced the match to five and also pushed Julien Wright hard, stealing a set and keeping the remaining games competitive.

Away from fixtures, the Leichhardt Park Table Tennis Centre continues to host a range of sessions for players of all levels. Club Night on Mondays from 7.30pm remains a popular choice for social players, with newcomers always welcome. The Top Table competition on Thursdays (7.30pm) offers a fun twist with time-limited matches and court promotions.

Practice sessions run on Saturdays from 2.30–4.30pm and Wednesdays from 9.00–11.00am.

For younger players, the club’s main junior coaching session takes place each Thursday from 4.30pm during school terms. Many successful players have emerged from this program, and beginners are encouraged to get involved. Equipment is provided—participants just need non-marking sports shoes to get started in a sport they can enjoy for life.