Loveridge powers to open tournament win

ALL the 'big guns' of junior table tennis were in action in the first of the Deutsche Bank Open tournaments of the season. In total 32 players took part at the Guernsey Table Tennis Centre as the outcome of the eight groups of four and the first-round draw was a quality quarter-final line-up.

One of those last-eight ties was arguably the match of the competition as Matthew Stubbington took on the in-form Andrew Stone.

The first three games were really close, going 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 in favour of Stubbington.

However, when Stone turned up the power and won the fourth 11-3, everyone expected him to hammer home the advantage and take the match.

But Stubbington showed true character and dug deep to win the fifth game and the match 11-3.

The other quarter-finals saw Liam Robilliard beat Joshua Stacey, Oliver Langlois beat Paula Le Ber and Alice Loveridge beat Lawrence Stacey.

This last match impressed the supporters as young Stacey pushed Loveridge all the way in each game.

The first eventually went the latter's way 13-11 and both the other games ended 11-8 in her favour.

In the semi-finals, straight-games victories went to Loveridge over Robilliard and to Langlois, who ended Stubbington's fine run in a very tight match.

And so the two shining stars of junior table tennis in 2007 came head to head in a fitting finale to the year.

The match did not disappoint, but Loveridge came out on top with an 11-6, 11-2, 11-9 victory.

Next month, Guernsey hosts the 2008 Mini Champs event, in association with the European Table Tennis Union.

With such an exciting event in prospect, many of these youngsters will be hoping to perform on the European stage against some of the world's finest under-13s.

With many other tournaments and international events scheduled for this year, it is hoped the next 12 months will be another great year for the juniors and that many will taste success at the highest level.