Premierships Decided in Dramatic Final Round

After a competitive season in both divisions of the Open Grade fixtures at Leichhardt Park Table Tennis Centre, the premierships were decided in the final round before the competition heads into a short recess over the school holidays.

With the competitions decided on a first-past-the-post points system, there were no major surprises in the top division. The leading pair of Joel Coughlan and Jakob Baker secured the premiership, maintaining the four-point lead they carried into the final round.

Coughlan was unavailable for the last match due to work commitments out of town, with Gerard Watts stepping in as a substitute. Watts performed admirably for one of the club’s strongest pairings. Their task was simple: secure a solid result to prevent any chance of being overtaken should another team produce a big win.

Watts and Baker faced Dane Coughlan and Ann-Louise Stewart and delivered a crucial victory. The doubles match proved decisive, as Dane Coughlan claimed both his singles as expected. The highlight was Baker’s narrow five-set win over Stewart, prevailing 8-11, 11-13, 11-4, 14-12, 11-8.

The team with the best chance of challenging for the title, Matthew Pettett and Erica Nolan, were up against tough opponents in Rayden Smith and Glen McDonald. Pettett and Nolan managed a narrow victory, but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap. Watts and Baker’s win ensured the top team retained their four-point margin, with Pettett and Nolan finishing as runners-up.

The second division provided even more drama. Heading into the final round, a virtual grand final was set between long-time leaders Pam Clarke and Linda O’Sullivan and the second-placed pair of Allan Clarke and Julien Wright, with just one point separating them. Other teams were too far behind to challenge.

The challengers needed a strong win to claim the premiership—and they came agonisingly close. Allan Clarke delivered a standout performance, winning both singles after struggling against the same opponents earlier in the season. He and Wright also took out the doubles in a solid display. Wright, playing his debut season, showed impressive form against experienced opposition. Despite losing in four sets to O’Sullivan, he pushed her hard and performed well against Pam Clarke too.

While Clarke and Wright won the match 3-2, it was only enough to draw level on points. The title was then decided on countback, using head-to-head results over the season. By the slimmest of margins—a single game advantage across their two encounters—Pam Clarke and Linda O’Sullivan were declared the premiers.