Table tennis players with fine future

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31727, 10 July 1968, Page 11

Table tennis players with fine future

ALTHOUGH the Canterbury open table tennis championships last weekend did not unearth any new player's of great talent there were signs that some of the junior players could eventually fight their way to the top of the senior ranks. Chief among these players was the 1967 New Zealand triple under-18 champion, R. Mitchell (Canterbury), who seems to be able to reserve his best performances for the big tournaments. When there has been no apparent pressure in his inter-club matches this season, Mitchell’s form has been hardly more than mediocre, but he has a sound temperament and determination which should take him into the Canterbury team in a season or two. He began the tournament splendidly by beating the No. 5 seed in the men’s singles, M. R. Spinks, in five games in a tough second round encounter and subdued an old rival, 3.3. Weir, in another five games in the third. He met the redoubtable J. Armstrong, seeded No. 3, in the quarter-finals and this ended his run but not before he won the first game. With Ling Nan Ming he reached the semi-finals of the men’s doubles before

falling to the eventual champions, B. A. Foster (Otago) and W. T. Scott. Mitchell completed his week-end by beating the South Canterbury representative, B. G. Butler, to win the under-21 boys’ singles. He is prepared to hit boldly to win and he only needs to smarten his footwork and become steadier to force his inclusion in the Canterbury team. Another Canterbury player to create an excellent impression was Miss M. P. Green, who is still a junior. Her game has blossomed tremendously this season, but she still has a lot to learn. If she continues to improve she must become a regular member of the Canterbury senior team. Her greatest attribute at this stage, and one that will stand her in good stead, is her ability to fight for every point. She was able to beat the No. 3 seed in the women’s singles, Mrs L. M. Barker (South Canterbury) in the final of the girls' under-21 singles, and took the sixth seed, Miss C. Leith (Otago) to four games in the open singles. With Miss C. Taylor she beat the second seeds in the women's doubles, Mrs R. Sutherland (Otago) and Miss Leith in

five games and then harried the eventual winners, Mesdames T. May and 3. G. Green, for another five absorbing games. The sport is badly in need of new blood, especially in the South Island, where the same solid few seem to win the major titles. If Mitchell and Miss Green continue to push them, table tennis is certain to prosper.