Many upsets on the tables

more doubles action

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia - The curtains came down on the Saint Lucia National

Premier Table Tennis League on Saturday June 7, 2008 at the Beausejour Indoor

facility.

It was the first time that Saint Lucian table tennis players played in conditions

comparable to what Saint Lucia’s players encounter when representing Saint

Lucia in overseas engagements.

According to Chris Wells, “It augurs well for the development of the sport and

the Saint Lucia National Table Tennis Association wishes to congratulate Sports

Saint Lucia Incorporated for the establishment of such a facility.”

Chris Wells in action

In action on the tables, St. Lu Metals Challengers won both rounds of the

preliminary competition by such a wide margin, that it was expected they would

have gone on to capture the top prize.

Nevertheless, it was not to be. In a major upset, the Genuine Parts World Tigers,

who had placed fifth in the first round, and fourth in the second round, surprised

the St. Lu Metals Challengers, defeating them 3-1.

Dereak Destang uses all his guile

The most crucial match of the encounter was between reigning OECS Champion

Adrian Albert and the very experienced and powerful Carlos Innocent.

The pendulum swung from one to the other, as the encounter went the entire

five games. With games tied at 2-2, Albert looked all set to wrap up proceedings

as he ran away to a 7-3 lead.

With Albert continuing to lead with the score at 10-6 with four match points

played, he was not able to convert any and succumbed 11-13.

Doubles action

In other matches, Adrian Albert of St. Lu Metals Challengers beat Celestin

Samuel of Genuine Parts World Tigers 11-5, 11-9, 11-5.

Jade Blasse of St. Metals Challengers was snuffed out by Carlos Innocent of

Genuine Parts World Tigers, 5-11, 7-11, 7-11.

In Doubles, Blasse and Albert after leading 2-0 lost to Stanislaus and Innocent

11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 3-11, 7-11.

In the other semi-final games, Computer Business Services Stars handed last

year’s champions, Northwest Dragons a 3-1 beating.

Chris Wells of Computer Business Services Stars disposed of Derek Destang of

Northwest Dragons 12-10, 11-9, 10-12, and Noel and Wells lost to Shepherd and

Destang 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 7-11 in Doubles action, and finally Wells took it home

by demolished Shepherd 12-10, 11-9, 11-8.

Then to cap it all, Franklyn Noel pulled off an upset victory when he beat last

year’s MVP Bertland Shepherd 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 7-11.

In the finals, the Genuine Parts World Tigers were on a high with their ace player

Carlos Innocent playing with supreme confidence.

That received a dent losing their first match when United States-based Celestin

Samuel lost to Chris Wells 5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11.

Carlos Innocent then repaired the damage by beating Franklyn Noel in a tight

match 11-9, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8.

Innocent and Stanislaus then proved to be too much for Noel and Wells beating

them 11-5, 11-5, 7-11 11-8 in the Doubles match-ups, and to seal the

championship for Genuine Parts World Tigers, Innocent scraped past Wells 11-9,

11-9, 9-11, 12-10.   

Not all was lost for Adrian Albert, for despite having lost in the semi-finals, he

was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the Championships. (RSH)