Double the excitement table tennis

ROUND 7 of the Sunraysia Table Tennis pennant featured doubles matches only, a new innovation introduced by the STTA and played on a trial basis this season.

Known as ‘doubles round’, the matches pitted all teams against each other on the one night, with three doubles taking place in each match.

Teams then moved onto the next match-up, with a point up for grabs for each victory over an opposition pair.

Points were then included on the current season’s ladder.

The format for each team-versus-team contest was player one and two meeting the opposite team’s same numbers, then one and three going head-to-head before a final encounter of players two and three teaming up.

There were some outstanding matches played as doubles is an exciting and important component of the sport.

The Mallee Bearings trio of Joel Thomas, Liam Wood and Daniel Jansen were the big achievers for the round, winning against every team and picking up five points to move to the top of the ladder.

The trio were successful in 10 of their 15 matches, with Thomas and Wood going through undefeated.

In an outstanding performance the Tankard Dental number two and three players Thanh Nguyen and Paul Kealley were also undefeated.

In partnership with skipper Reece Kurrle they won three of their matches to collect three points for the night.

Other teams to perform well and also gain three points from their five starts were the Choices Flooring squad of Wayne Carmichael, Mark Dorman and Ed Hung, and Cookes Pools & Spas made up of Kate Carmichael, Casper McCarthy and Russell Walder.

Leading doubles combinations for the round of five matches were Thomas and Wood with five, Nguyen and Kealley and with five, Carmichael and Walder with four, and Dorman and Hung with four.

Players to perform well individually were Thomas with wins from 10 matches played, Carmichael, Hung, Nguyen and Wood all with seven.

Ladder after round 7: