– Denzel Hopkinson’s rise in the sport of table tennis has been nothing short of meteoric
By Donald Duff
At first glance, Denzel Hopkinson appears to be your average teenager, now discovering the joys of life and sport.
He speaks softly, almost hesitantly, as if unsure of himself and his shy smile coupled with his good manners make him one of the most well-liked youngsters on the table tennis scene.
He is also the fastest rising star on the local scene and the reasons for his rapid development are three-fold.
On the one hand, Hopkison is one of the few young players to have his own coach, who is none other than former three-time national men’s singles champion and current number two male player, Colin France.
The second reason is his father, Harold `Top Gun’ Hopkinson and the third is that Denzel has a love and desire to play table tennis that is unparalled among his peers.
Last September, young Hopkinson was still grappling to come to terms with the basics of the sport even though he was a member of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) squad training for the Cadet championships in Santo Domingo.
With National Sports Commission coach Linden Johnson in China, the job of training the young cadets was given to France with startling results.
France continued to train the youngster following the team’s return from Santo Domingo.
The improvement was phenomenal.
Hopkinson jnr. was awarded the most improved player title at this year’s National Open championships in February, when he reached the final of the boys U-14 category and at this year’s 13th annual Caribbean and Cadet championships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Denzel Hopkinson won the coveted gold in the boys’ doubles teaming up with Nigel Bryan.
He, however, went down to Mesasch Pillai in the quarter-final of the boys’ singles blowing a 2-0 lead in the process.
Speaking of that defeat Denzel said: “I had won the first two games easily and then he changed tactics and started to play the ball very short to my backhand and eventually seized the attack before me,” he said.
His father, Harold, said: “One of the things he learnt at the Caribbean is that tennis is not about firing all the time, you also have to think.”
The older Hopkinson, at one time was one of the top hand-gun shooters in the country and the younger Hopkinson, has a thing for firing although Denzel’s ammunition is celluloid balls and not bullets.
Harold Hopkinson’s skill with the hand-gun earned him the sobriquet “Top-Gun” and his son Denzel’s nickname is `Agent Sub Zero’.
Harold Hopkinson is very supportive of his son.
“As a parent I’m glad that he is playing table tennis. I have threatened him that if he does not bring up his school grades that he cannot play tennis.
“I have seen the level of his school work go up because he likes the game so much. I give him whatever he wants,” Hopkinson snr. added.
Hopkinson snr. said after he had seen his son’s potential he decided to invest in the youngster.
He not only hired a coach but he also purchased a table tennis robot which Denzel uses twice a week.
But Hopkinson snr. is upset at having to pay duty on the equipment.
“As a parent I am upset at having to pay duty on a sports item.”
But the robot was not the only expense incurred as Hopkinson snr. also had to purchase equipment on a regular basis.
“We went through a series of equipment to fine tune his game and at the moment he is using a Tibhar Rapid Carbon blade and Butterfly Bryce FX rubbers.”
He has a bit of advice for parents.“Don’t push your kids, if they kinda like the sport, support them.”
Hopkinson snr. is supplementing his son’s training with overseas trips and Denzel recently went to Trinidad to participate in the Silver Bowl Open tournament there where he lost in the quarter-finals.
Denzel recalls dabbling with the sport while a student at North Georgetown Primary whilst he was preparing to write the Common Entrance Examinations.
“We used to play downstairs in the PE room,” he recalled.
His first tour last year in Santo Domingo saw him teaming up with Brian Duncan and overseas-based Jamal Abrams to play in the team tournament.
Denzel, like most youngsters his age also likes cricket and football.
The young Hopkinson trains every day under France’s watchful eyes. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays he trains at the Sports Hall and he also does a stint of Physical Training.
Hopkinson snr. said his son and France has a special bond.
“One thing I can say is that I hardly say anything. Colin has adopted him. They pull alright together although Colin is a bit tough as a coach but the results are showing.”
Denzel is currently participating in the National Sports Commission Independence tournament which is underway and last night he told me he was still unbeaten.
He is in the same division with Caribbean U-15 boys singles champion Bryan and should the two reach in the finals, Bryan had better watch out. For Denzel Hopkinson is not done yet improving.
