Close contests in table tennis playoffs
The action at the recent playoffs of the Sports Challenges Inter-Venue table tennis league had spectators on the edge of their seats.
The recent playoffs of the fourth installment of the Sports Challenges Inter-Venue Table Tennis League, has again produced a lot of action and excitement.
There was also plenty of tension with all matches going down to the wire, while one match was actually decided by a tiebreaker.
It has been an incredibly competitive season, with only eight points separating the top three teams on the log.
In the first of the semifinals, the Centurion Snipers hosted the East Eagles. The Eagles started strong, moving four points clear before the Snipers started fighting back. After the nine singles games, the Snipers led by two, but the Eagles equalized with the doubles match that followed. The regulation-play score stood on 21-all, and a tiebreaker followed, which the Snipers won 2-0.
The second semifinal was equally closely-matched, with the Moot Mavericks leading the East Emperors by 14-13 after the nine singles games. Wynand Lange and Jaco Mare showed why they went almost unbeaten the whole season when they pulled it off 3-1 for the Mavericks in the doubles game. The final score was 20-15 to the Mavericks.
The grand final followed the next week at Fanie’s Place in Centurion. This time the Mavericks seemed more focused, winning six of the singles games to lead by 17-11 before the doubles. The Snipers still had a chance to draw level by winning the doubles 3-0. But it was not to be. When the Mavericks won the first set, the match was won.
This result means that the Moot outfit won three titles on the trot, with the three new players keeping alive the legacy left by the previous three who upgraded to the Gauteng North Table Tennis Board’s leagues for this season.
Sports Challenges also announced the launch of the first annual Provincial Masters Series, an open event aimed at showcasing the best talent in Gauteng during the off-season. The series runs over eight legs on Wednesday nights from 8 November until 31 January, taking a break during the December holidays.
The best players based on log points accrued during the eight legs will be invited to a Top 8 Final on 6 February next year. The total prize purse for the series is R5000 and it is sure to attract the best Gauteng has to offer.
For more information on getting involved with amateur and competitive table tennis, visit www.playtabletennis.co.za or contact Chris van der Walt at [email protected].
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