High-standard start for summer table tennis

SUNRAYSIA Table Tennis Association has begun its 10-round summer competition with some excellent table tennis.

New teams have been selected, giving some players the opportunity to advance grades.

Pennant 2 aggregate winner Tom Morrison has been promoted on the back of an excellent season, while Pennant 2 regulars, youngster Jamie Kealley and veteran Jason Gifkins, made their Pennant 1 debuts as well.

The closest match was the 6-5 victory by Regional Taxation Services over Mallee Bearings, despite Bearings skipper Jackson Tung winning three singles matches.

Tung’s teammates Liam Wood and Tom Morrison won a singles match each, however, it was their inability to win in doubles that proved costly.

Regional Taxation Services teammates Kate Carmichael and Thanh Nguyen won two singles each, while Carmichael participated in both comfortable doubles’ victories with Nguyen and Gifkins.

Carmichael missed out on a clean sweep, losing her final singles match in straight sets to Tung, whose early-season form is ominous.

Weightmans Packaging, led by Wayne Carmichael, accounted for Cookes Pools & Spas 7-4, Carmichael has begun the season as he left off in the winter by winning three singles matches as well as participating in both hard-fought doubles’ victories.

For Cookes Mark Dorman, back after a season off, played well to win two singles. He was rusty early, trailing Russell Walder two games to love before recovering to win in five sets.

His only blemish in singles was a four-set loss against fellow leftie Wayne Carmichael. This was the usual hard-fought match between the two, who have had many fine contests over the past 40 years.

Dorman’s teammate Dylan Wood also started the season well, winning two singles, however the lack of doubles success resulted in a win for Weightmans.

In the other contest the Tankard Dental trio of Rohan Reimers, Paul Kealley and Jamie Kealley winning three, two and one singles respectively in a sound 8-3 victory over Choices Flooring Mildura.

Sixteen-year-old Kealley made a solid Pennant 1 debut, winning a singles as well as combining with Reimers to win the second doubles match. He also took opposing No.2 Leon Brown to five sets before Brown took control late in the match.

For Choices Flooring, Reece Kurrle played well, winning two singles, however, opponents Tankard Dental have shown they could be a force this season.

Sunraysia Table Tennis 2024 Summer Pennant round 1 results:

Pennant 1: Weightmans Packaging 7 (Wayne Carmichael 3, Russell Walder, Lee Leeson 1) d Cookes Pools & Spas 4 (Mark Dorman, Dylan Wood 2); Regional Taxation Services 6 (Kate Carmichael, Thanh Nguyen 2) d Mallee Bearings 5 (Jackson Tung 3, Liam Wood, Tom Morrison 1); Tankard Dental 8 (Rohan Reimers 3, Paul Kealley 2, Jamie Kealley 1) d Choices Flooring Mildura 3 (Reece Kurrle 2, Leon Brown 1)

Pennant 2: Pinnacle Packers 5 (Rasin Bhuiyan 3, Ryan Peterson 2) d Weightmans Packaging 4 (Josh Arnold 2, James Jarvis 1); Cookes Pools & Spas 8 (Ashley Morrison, David Sergi 3, Nhat Dat 1) d Mallee Meats 3 (John Fitzpatrick, Mark Cleary 1)

Pennant 3: Dunkley Scales 6 (Koby Grace 2, Hayden Wilson, Derek Hung 1) d Mallee Meats 5 (Karly Leach 3, Curtis Crabtree 2); Exposed Signage/Apparel 6 (Steve Parker 3, Ted Cleary 2) d Weightmans Packaging 5 (Nick Kiapekos, Maria Starikov, Gary Leach 1); Regional Taxation Services 6 (Steve Pongrac, Tom Gilmour 2, Nathan Beard 1) d Sammy’s Slammers 5 (Sam Campbell, Deegan Kerslake 2)

For further information on table tennis, call Gavin Carmichael on 0408 237 907.