Starlet Loveridge shocks men's no. 1

ALICE LOVERIDGE has collected her biggest scalp yet on the first night of a new domestic table tennis season. The 12-year-old London Olympics hope swept aside no less a player than island men's champion Phil Ogier.

'She played very well and beat me fair and square,' said last season's runner-up in the Division One averages, who was approaching his 21st birthday when Loveridge was born.

The youngster stormed the match 11-7, 11-6, 11-4, Ogier admitting that he had lost before he knew it in one of the crucial early rubbers of the Whistlers A-Lions B clash.

'I have no arguments at all,' said the Lions star who absolved himself of complacency but admitted it was not always easy to prepare yourself mentally against such youthful opposition.

'I was a little bit off colour. It's a strange feeling to get yourself up to playing someone so young.'

But the island champion has no doubt that Loveridge, a double national champion at under-11 and under-14 level, is improving rapidly.

'She's been putting in a lot of hours and been away at training camps. It seems to be paying off.'

Loveridge, who has been identified as a potential member of the women's squad for the 2012 Olympics, has been promoted to the Whistlers first team for the new season after playing largely in Division Two last winter.

On her Whistlers debut night she also beat Liam Robilliard and pushed Peter Bretel, a former island champion, hard before losing in four.

With colleagues Mark Pipet and Phil Hunkin winning two apiece and combining to take the doubles rubber, Whistlers edged the match 6-4.

Ogier recovered from his early shock to beat both Pipet and Hunkin.

Three days later, Loveridge was playing the lead role in the Guernsey women's dream start to a new British League Second Division campaign.

Playing at three behind Kay Chivers (one) and Dawn Morgan (two), she won nine of her 10 matches as the Sarnians unexpectedly finished joint top of the six teams in round one in Hereford.

'We did better than I anticipated,' said Chivers. 'We all played exceptionally well.'

Loveridge's only defeat came in the drawn match against fellow table-toppers Irish Ladies.

Morgan finished the weekend with seven wins from 10 matches and Chivers enjoyed a 50% record.

'The next round is in January and if we can continue the form, there's a good chance we will go up,' said Chivers.