The Scotiabank sponsored Junior Table Tennis Invitational tournament served off on Saturday with non-stop action in the Queen’s College Auditorium which leaves no doubt today’s finale should be filled with excitement starting with the boys’ under-18 semi-finals.
Top seed Miguel Wong will be playing Jamal Nicholas while Niron Bissu battles Ashish Persaud in the semi-final duels for boys’ under-18 honours.
In the quarter-finals Wong disposed of Terence Rausch in straight sets (11-8, 11-7 and 11-6) while Nicholas was pushed by Isaiah Layne 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11 and 11-8.
The 18 and under semi-finalist (L-R) Jamal Nicholas, Miguel Wong, Niron Bissu and Ashish Persaud
Bissu, for their third consecutive time, held the upper hand over budding star Jonathon Van Lange who continues to stumbling on the final hurdle. Bissu hard to work hard for his 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-3 and 11-9 victories.
Young Kaysan Ninvalle stepped-up with the big boys and was looking threatening coming back from 9-11 to win 11-9 but Persaud pulled ahead winning the reaming to sets 12-10 and 11-5.
In the under-15 girls which was played on a round-robin basis, Navaeh Clarkston, Nkechi McRae will play in the first semi-final while Thuria Thomas comes up against Saana Jacques.
Organised by the talent-filled Titans Table Tennis Club, action is expected to commence from 09:00h with attention straight away on the girls’ 18 and under followed by the boys’ 15 and under and then 21 years & Under and the Open and “B” Class Open. Finals are slated to commence at 13:00h.
Meanwhile, the under 15 doubles from the Malta Supreme tournament which rolled over from last weekend, saw Layne and Bissu defeat the duo of Ninvalle and Van Lange 11-6, 11-6, 5-11 and 11-8 while the Mixed doubles were won by Ninvalle and Clarkston 11-7, 13-11 and 11-5 over Bissu and Thomas.
