TABLE TENNIS: Smith among winners at county champs (From Swindon Advertiser)

TABLE TENNIS: Smith among winners at county champs

6:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Sport

SWINDON’S players enjoyed a series of successes at the Wiltshire Closed Table Tennis Championships as they combined to win four titles and reach several finals.

Leading the way was rising star Joe Smith, who retained his under 13 singles title by comfortably beating Warminster’s Charlie Joyce in straight sets, 11-7, 11-6, 11-2.

Smith, who is nationally ranked 28th in his age group, missed out on the under 15 title, as he was beaten 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 in the final by fellow Swindonian Shrey Bhardwaj who was in sparkling form to win his first ever county title.

Julie Lawrence entered the competition for the first time, and experienced instant success as she stormed to the women’s singles title with a 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6 win over Julie Dean.

However, after making the final of the mixed doubles with Thomas Jeffcott the pair lost out to Julie Dean and Peter Epps who triumphed 11-5, 12-10, 11-6.

Epps was in the medals again as he won the veteran doubles with partner Dino Ciorra, also of Swindon, but Ray Powell lost out in the final of the men’s singles 11-7, 11-8, 11-4 to Marcin Jaskolski.

Thomas Penfold and Jos Hopewell combined to reach the final of under 18 doubles, but missed out on the title as they went down 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 to the team of Jamie and Lee Phillips despite an impressive performance.