National Championships: EVANS and VICKERS U21s champions in England

04/03/2012 – Gavin EVANS secured his maiden English National Championships under-21 title with victory in the final over David MCBEATH sealing what was an outstanding day’s performance. Evans throughout the day looked the sharpest player on sh https://www.ettu.org

04/03/2012 – Gavin EVANS secured his maiden English National Championships under-21 title with victory in the final over David MCBEATH sealing what was an outstanding day’s performance. Evans throughout the day looked the sharpest player on show and duly capped off the day with a powerful final performance that merited his crown against a spirited MCBEATH.

Evans superb 3-0 (11-3 11-3 11-7) win over Tom MAYNARD was only topped by his giant-killing of English number one Liam PITCHFORD in the semi-final. Although PITCHFORD looked out-of-sorts Evans never let him settle and thoroughly deserved his 11-3 first game. He kept the momentum going for the rest of the semi-final to win 3-1.
MCBEATH reached the final with a 3-2 (4-11 11-8 11-5 4-11 11-9) win against Matt WARE in the quarter-finals and a 3-0 (11-7 11-2 11-5) win in the semi-finals against Garth KINLOCKE.

The final itself went to form with Evans keeping up his run of fast starts and powerful attacking play by taking game one 11-4. He cemented that lead with an 11-6 second game and it appeared nothing could stop this juggernaut.However MCBEATH fought back in the third game to claim it 11-6 and re-kindle hope in turning the tide but as it proved Evans was not to be denied and upon winning the match 3-1 with an 11-7 fourth game triumph he hit the floor in exaltation.
Emma VICKERS won her third under-21s title at Ponds Forge with a 3-1 triumph over Hannah HICKS. Having looked at the scores you would have thought the defender of Hicks would have been favourite and taken the title but she missed out on her second successive title as VICKERS was in determined form.

VICKERS attacked from the start and Hicks was blown away in the first game 11-4 and found the going tough again in the second game as again she was swept aside 11-6.

Hicks finally found her touch with her delicate chops to take the third game 11-5 before fighting in a tense fourth game which went closer than the previous games. However VICKERS held her nerve and won her third title with a 3-1 (11-4 11-6 5-11 11-8) win.

(courtesy English Table Tennis Association)

Photo: Gavin EVANS (courtesy ITTF)