The old adage `save the best for last’ proved a truism on Wednesday when the eight-man round robin finals of the men’s division of the national table tennis championships began at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
It was vintage table tennis and the player who caught the attention of the sprinkling of spectators that turned up to witness the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA)’s marquee event was veteran player Colin France, bulging biceps and all.
France, a former three-time men’s singles winner of a few decades ago, seemed bent on becoming the first player over 50 years old to win the coveted men’s singles title.
His match with former champion Godfrey Munroe was easily the highlight of the evening’s encounters with France returning most of Munroe’s powerful forehand loops and forcing the younger player into errors.
Munroe held the lead in the first game but it was France who won the set 11-8.
The second set was highlighted by some excellent retrieveing from France which on occasions forced him tantalizingly close to the barriers.
After a close tussle Munroe prevailed 11-8 and he took the third game by a similar margin.
France took a 9-5 lead in the fourth game and seemed on his way to forcing a decider but he served the ball into the net when leading 10-7 and Munroe duly took the next two points on his serve to `deuce’ the game before running out a deserving 12-10 winner.
Franklyn on the other hand hardly worked up a sweat toying with Nigel Bryan, Paul Meusa and Darwin Walcott on his way to racking up a 4-0 score the same as Munroe. His style was relaxed but he did explode with a few crisp backhand and forehand loops on occasions.
The two players are down to play in this afternoon’s first round and the title could be decided in that match although there are other variables.
France and Matthew Khan are in second position with three wins and one loss. Khan’s loss was to France who beat him in straight games 12-10, 11-2, 11-7 but he won in four games over Edinho Lewis whose match with France was another entertaining encounter which went the full five games before France triumphed.
That match produced the play of the evening: a running backhand flick from France that sped past Lewis as a pumped up France celebrated like Courtney Walsh taking a wicket.
There was a dispute in the third game between Munroe and Meusa with Munroe leading 3-2.
The game was held up for over five minutes as both players claimed the point which was eventually replayed.
Munroe seemed affected by the dispute and was seemingly seething underneath and though he led 10-8 in the fourth, game was unable to close out Meusa who also came from 8-10 down in the fifth game to knot the score at 10 before bowing out 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 10-12.
Results
Round One
Christopher Franklyyn beat Darwin Walcott 11-2, 11-3, 11-3; Matthew Khan beat Edinho Lewis 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10; France beat meusa 12-10, 11-8, 11-7; Munroe beat Nigel Bryan 11-7, 11-5-11-5.
Round Two
Franklyn beat lewis 11-8, 11-5, 11-7; Muesa beat Walcott 11-6, 11-6, 11-8; Khan beat Bryan 11-6, 11-6, 11-7; Munroe beat France 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10.
Round three
Franklyn beat Meusa 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, Bryan beat lewis 11-4, 11-4, 3-11, 11-9; Munroe beat Walcott 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 and France beat Khan 12-10, 11-2, 11-7.
Round Four
Franklyn beat Bryan 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-4, Munroe beat Meusa 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 12-10 and Khan beat Walcott 11-2, 11-2 11-3.