Mark Dowell, Aaron Barker, Abbie Clarke and Bryan Matthews have left little doubt they are the top four elite table tennis players in this year’s National Championships.
On Wednesday night at the Table Tennis Centre, the quartet qualified for the semi-finals of both the Premier League and the rated tournament as the classified table tennis championships reached the knockout phase.
The task was made somewhat easier by the withdrawal of Dale Rudder, through injury, and the absence of Trevor Farley.
Farley narrowly avoided defaulting in the group exchanges on Monday but was a complete no-show Wednesday night, allowing Bryan Matthews an easy passage through to the semi-final of the tournament for players rated 2000 and above.
Clarke advanced at the expense of the injured Rudder while Barker and Dowell had to pull out the stops against their opponents.
Barker beat left-hander Junior Evelyn 11-8, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8. In the other quarter-final, Dowell toppled Shannon Doughlin 11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4.
In the Premier League, Matthews knocked out Ann Reid 13-11, 6-11, 11-5, 13-11; Dowell defeated Doughlin 5-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 and Clarke took out Evelyn 10-12, 11-7, 13-11, 11-9. Barker won by default from Rudder.
The championships will continue at the same venue tomorrow night with semi-finals in all divisions. (PH)
