The annual Rockhampton Closed Table Tennis Championships are set to kick off on Tuesday, August 13, at the Leichhardt Park playing centre. Local tournament players eager to participate have until the end of this week to nominate.
The first night will feature the highly anticipated open men’s and women’s singles events, both beginning with round-robin matches. The women’s singles will be decided that night, while the victors from the men’s singles round-robin will advance to the knock-out draw on Tuesday, August 20. Players who don’t progress will compete in a second division event also held in the tournament's second week.
Veteran players will take to the courts on Wednesday, August 14, to contest the over-40 singles and doubles events. When the tournament concludes on August 20, the men’s singles knock-out stages, the second division finals, and the open doubles event will be the main attractions.
Based on recent form in top-grade fixtures, this tournament promises some thrilling high-quality contests. In the premier men’s open singles, all eyes will be on the city’s leading four players: Matthew Pettett, Rayden Smith, and brothers Dane and Joel Coughlan.
In the fiercely contested women’s open singles, Ann-Louise Stewart and Erica Nolan are the top contenders, but don’t count out Monica Deeth, Pam Clarke, and Linda O’Sullivan, who all have the potential to shake things up if they have a strong performance in the qualifying rounds. The second division knock-out singles is also expected to deliver some hard-fought matches, as many solid players are likely to be vying for the title.
Recent matches in the local fixtures have set the stage for an intense tournament. Joel Coughlan and Rayden Smith's recent face-off was a classic showdown. Coughlan narrowly won the first two sets, but Smith battled back to take the next two. In the decider, both players exchanged powerful rallies, with Coughlan eventually seizing control to secure a hard-earned victory.
In another close contest, Gerard Watts and Nick Green engaged in a nail-biting encounter that saw fortunes swing back and forth. Watts, the city’s longest-serving top-grade player, emerged victorious in a thrilling final set, winning 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 10-12, 13-11.
Erica Nolan’s clash with rising junior star Judd Carr showcased the youngster's potential. Despite falling behind by two games, Carr rallied to force a decider, where Nolan’s experience ultimately prevailed. However, Carr’s performance suggests he will be a formidable competitor in future tournaments.
Ann-Louise Stewart also demonstrated strong form leading into the closed titles. She outlasted Relly Pingol in a five-set marathon and held her own against Dane Coughlan, winning one set and pushing him in the others.
As always, updated fixture results can be found at the following webpage: https://www.rockhamptontabletennis.com/fixtures-v2