Armstrong Wins Men’s Table Tennis Title

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 13

Armstrong Wins Men’s Table Tennis Title

J. Armstrong, the fifth national seed, added another local title to his remarkable tally when he beat the unseeded M. J. Flewellen in the final of the men’s singles in the Canterbury Table Tennis Association s Easter tournament, at the Sehvyn Street Hall, on Saturday.

His all-round play was far too consistent for Flewellen in the first two games, but Flewellen fought back to lead 16-14 in the third game. Armstrong tightened his game a little more to win the match 21-9, 21-9, 21-19. Earlier Flewellen had caused a major surprise in beating G. R. Saunders, the second seed, 17-21,23-21,22-20. 18-21, 21-17, in the second round. He went on to beat K. J. Cassidy in straight games and the fourth seed, M. A. Cox, in four to enter the final. N. B. Radford, seeded No. 3, was expected to give Armstrong a good game in their semi-final but Armstrong won 21-11, 21-6. 21-12. Mrs Y. M. Boulton had little difficultv beating Miss M. P Green. 21-14. 21-8, 21-9 in the final of a small women s singles field. Miss Green, still a junior, could find no answer to Mrs Boulton’s steady play. In the semi-finals Mrs Boulton had to draw on all her considerable experience to beat an improving Miss J. Stead. Miss Stead won two of the first three games, but wilted in the last two. These two players combined to take the women s doubles title. Superior combination by Saunders and M. R. Spinks beat Armstrong and J. Lelliott in the final of the men’s doubles, 21-17, 21- 18-21, 21-17. Results were: Men Singles.—Quarter-finals: M. J. Flewellen beat K. J. Cassidy, 22- 21-17, 21-14: M. A. Cox beat M, R. Spinks, 14-21, 14-21, 22-20, 21-14, 21-18: N. B. Radford beat R. B. McCallum. 21-14, 21-10, 21-13: J. Armstrong beat A. Alabaster, 21-12, 21-14, 21-9. Semifinals: Flewellen beat Cox 21-18, 21-17. 11-21, 21-16: Armstrong beat Radford, 21-11, 21-6. 21-12. Final: Armstrong beat Flewellen 21-9. 21-9, 21-19.

Doubles.—Quarter-finals: Armstrong and J. Lelliott beat J. Hatherley and J. Baxter, 21-14, 21-5 21-13: Spinks and G. R. Saunders beat G. Ripey and G. Main, 18-21. 21-17, 17-21, 21-14, 21-17- Radford and Cox beat R. Mitchell and Flewellen, 21-13. 21-17. 21-19; Cassidy and Alabasheat B. Brown and T. Green 21-12, 16-21, 21-9, 21-15, Semifinals: Saunders and Spinks beat Cassidy and Alabaster, 7-21, 21-18. 21-16, 21-17; Arm strong and Lelliott beat Radford and Cox, 21-7, 18-21 21-16, 28-26. Final: Saunders and Spinks beat Armstrong and Lelliott. 21-17, 21-15, 18-21, 21-17. Women Singles.—Quarter-finals: Miss M. P. Green beat Mrs T. Payne 21-8, 21-15, 21-15; Miss B. Taylor beat Miss P. Shadbolt, 21-19, 21-11, 21-16; Miss J. Stead beat Mrs P. Hall, 21-10, 21-11, 21-9. Semi-finals: Miss Green beat Miss Taylor, 21-16, 15-21, 21-7, 21-11; Mrs Y. M. Boulton beat Miss J. Stead, 20-22, 21-16. 16-21. 21-12, 21-6. Final: Mrs Boulton beat Miss Green, 21-14, 21-8 21-9 Doubles—Semi-final: Miss J Stead and Mrs Y. M. Boulton beat Mesdames T. Pavne and P Hall. 21-11, 21-7, 21-9. Final: Miss Stead and Mrs Boulton beat Misses P. Shadbolt and Green, 21-18, 21-13, 21-18.