WASA Table Tennis Club and the University of T&T of T&T (UTT) will put their respective Division One and Division Two Team titles on the line when the 2018 Solo National Table Tennis Championship serves off today at the National Racquet Centre, Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua from 9 am.
Last year, the trio of Kenneth Parmanand and former top-ranked players and national champions, Curtis Humphreys and Yuvraaj Dookram combined to sweep Arima Hawks 3-0 in their Division One decider, and both teams are once again expected to be among the favourites.
UTT comprising 11-time national women’s singles champion, Aleena Edwards, Kamal Hunte and Daniel Clarke battled past Carenage Blasters I 3-2 in their Division Two title match last year. However, both teams are set to face a tougher road to get to a this year’s title contest.
In Division Three, Warrenville featuring Musaahib Newaj, Sayyid Baksh and Haleem Baksh whipped Couva Warriors 3-1 for their first national title and will once again fancy their chances.
Next weekend, top-ranked locals Aaron Wilson and Brittany Joseph, the reigning Junior and defending senior Open singles champions will put their titles on the line at the same venue.
The 18-year-old Wilson rallied from a 0-3 deficit in the best-of-seven sets final to topple WASA’s Curtis Humphreys’ 4-3 for his first national senior crown while for the second time in five years Joseph lifted the national women’s title by beating Aleena Edwards.
The singles round-robin group competition in the Open women, men, veterans and para categories will serve off with the men continuing on Sunday, July 8 with the start of the knockout stage.
The tournament will conclude on Wednesday, July 11 with the start of the men quarterfinals up to the gold medal match and the women semifinals and final, as well.
