Kentish Express Ashford & District
Top two seeds battle it out in five-set final
Table tennis
Mani Khapung is a new name on the Ashford & District Table Tennis Championships’ roll of honour after winning the men’s singles title, beating top seed Keith Yarnley.
Khapung won a tight fiveset match 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 3-11, 11-3, which also earned him the David Cue Merit Award for outstanding performance of the tournament.
Second seed Khapung controlled things early on, dominating rallies with his powerful forehand, before Yarnley used all of his experience to turn things around, taking the third and fourth legs.
Momentum seemed to be with Yarnley but Khapung made a fine start to the decider, opening up a big lead which he never relinquished.
Second seeds Matthew King and Nick Owen beat defending champions Kevin Powell and Malcolm Skates to win the men’s doubles in another game that went the distance, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5.
Powell enjoyed some consolation, partnering Denise Glenister to win the mixed doubles title, beating defending champions Michelle Kingsland and Kevin Beasley.
Kingsland won her third ladies’ singles crown, defeating Glenister in straight sets, before teaming up with mother Jenny Swain to retain the ladies’ doubles in a close four-set contest against Glenister and Heather Robertson.
Matthew King won his second veterans over-40 title, beating top seeds Yarnley and Owen on the way. Owen, along with Chris Hooper, justified their doubles top seeding by beating holders Alan Provan and Kevin Beasley in the final.
Yarnley won the over-50s singles final, defeating Alan Provan in the final, while Hooper was over-60s winner, beating Roy Coles.
Matt Hills won the divisional singles A title, following a five-set battle against Brian Cook.
Junior Bradley Crust claimed the B trophy, defeating top seed Douglas Ho in the final.
He followed up with victory in the consolation singles event, beating Dennis Haylen.
Tom Down and Jamie MacDonald were divisional doubles winners, overcoming Haylen and Shaun Small.
Beasley and Ben Uden claimed the allocated doubles, after a four-set win over Michelle Kingsland and Heather Robertson.
Tom Down won the under-17 singles, beating Daniel Housden in straight sets, while sister Ella was under-14 winner, in five sets over Harvey Horsley.
The siblings then joined up to win the junior doubles – four-set victors over Crust and Housden.
Joe Haylen won the non-league junior singles title, defeating Spencer Hewins in the final.
He then partnered Peter Dodds to lift the doubles, after a 12-10 decider over Ella Down and Oliver Nash.
Down won the Stan Hastie Junior Award for most improved player throughout the year.
President Michael Claughton presented senior trophies, with chairman David Twiddy handing over the junior prizes.
PW F A Ps Postling A ............. 8 7 57 15 57 Little Chart A......... 8 5 43 29 43 Challock A ............ 8 5 37 35 37 Iron Romm A......... 7 3 29 34 29 Little Chart B......... 5 3 20 25 20 Iron Room B.......... 6 1 18 36 18 Ruckinge A ........... 6 1 16 38 16 Challock B ............ 4 1 14 22 14
Postling A 6 Iron Room A 3, Challock B 3 Little Chart A 6, Iron Room B 4 Challock A 5.
PW F A Ps Ruckinge B ........... 7 6 43 20 43 Postling B ............. 7 4 38 25 38 Ruckinge C ........... 8 4 34 38 34 Ashford TT A ......... 6 4 32 22 32 Little Chart C......... 7 4 30 33 30 Hamstreet A.......... 6 3 28 26 28 Ashford TT B ......... 6 1 22 32 22 Cheriton Mot Hse .. 7 1 16 47 16
Ruckinge B 7 Ruckinge C 2, Little Chart C 3 Postling B 6, Ashford TT B 6 Cheriton Motor House 3.
PW F A Ps Ruckinge F ........... 7 6 44 19 44 Sportsmen A ......... 7 6 42 21 42 Sportsmen B ......... 8 5 39 33 39 Challock C ............ 6 3 26 28 26 Ashford TT C ......... 6 3 24 30 24 Rolvenden............. 6 1 24 30 24 Ruckinge E ........... 7 2 22 41 22 Ruckinge D ........... 7 1 22 41 22
Rolvenden 4 Sportsmen A 5, Ruckinge D 3 Ruckinge E 6, Sportsmen B 2 Ruckinge F 7.
PW F A Ps Little Chart Post .... 6 6 45 9 45 Challock D ............ 7 3 33 30 33 Hamstreet B.......... 6 5 30 24 30 Ashford TT D......... 5 3 27 18 27 Kennington ........... 7 2 27 36 27 Ashford TT E ......... 6 2 19 35 19 Challock E............. 5 1 15 30 15 Ashford TT F ......... 4 1 11 25 11
Ashford TT D 7 Hamstreet B 2, Challock D 8 Challock E 1, Ashford TT E 5 Kennington 4.