Tomorrow (26th January 2011) sees the start of the 66th English Open at Sheffield. With Wang Hao, Zhang Jike, Ma Lin, Xu Xin, Wang Liqin and Chen Qi all present, for the worldwide audience it will be all about the Chinese.
I was unfortunate enough to be there for last years Ma Long/Ma Lin final. To be honest, it was as boring as some local league matches that I have to endure. For me this year, with the rise of the Barrow team, it will be all about our players as well as the rest of sizeable British contingent.
English Open Draw: Men’s U21s
Paul Drinkhall, Darius Knight and Liam Pitchford are seeded.
Group 1
ANDERSSON Harald (SWE)
ANDREWS Richard (ENG)
DODD Garry (GGY)
Group 2
WONG Chun Ting (HKG)
GRAY Lewis (ENG)
DOHERTY Sean (SCO)
Group 3
DORAN Christopher (ENG)
O’CONNELL Daniel (WAL)
AL-SAADI Mohammed (QAT)
Group 4
DIEZ Endika (ESP)
MAIN Calum (SCO)
MAIN Calum (SCO)
Group 5
MORICZ Mate (HUN)
WALKER Samuel (ENG)
GILABERT Rodrigo (ARG)
Group 6
DEVOS Robin (BEL)
HIRJI Alim (ENG)
ALMUGHANNE Fahed (QAT)
Group 7
HOWIESON Craig (SCO)
MCBEATH David (ENG)
WILLIAMS Lewis (WAL)
MAGUIRE Gavin (IRL)
Group 8
CARVALHO Diogo (POR)
BARTON Scott (SCO)
WARE Mathew (ENG)
MAYNARD Thomas (ENG)
English Open Draw: Men’s Singles
Paul Drinkhall and Andrew Baggaley are seeded.
Group 3
ZAFOSTNIK Gregor (SVN)
DORAN Christopher (ENG)
SEO Hyun Deok (KOR)
Group 7
PETIOT Jeremy (FRA)
HOWIESON Craig (SCO)
GORAK Daniel (POL)
Group 10
RINIOTIS Anastasios (GRE)
WARE Mathew * ENG
LEBESSON Emmanuel (FRA)
Group 11
SZOCS Hunor (ROU)
MCBEATH David (ENG)
LIU Zhongze (SIN)
Group 15
KNIGHT Darius (ENG)
MURPHY John (IRL)
SALIFOU Abdel-Kader (FRA)
Group 16
PITCHFORD Liam (ENG)
AL-SAADI Mohammed (QAT)
FEGERL Stefan (AUT)
Group 17
MENDES Enio (POR)
NICHOLLS Damien (ENG)
CANTERO Jesus (ESP)
Group 18
FENG Xiaoquan (AUT)
DOHERTY Sean (SCO)
CARNEROS Alfredo (ESP)
Group 19
REED Daniel (ENG)
DODD Garry (GGY)
MA Liang (SIN)
Group 20
JEAN Lauric (BEL)
ANDREWS Richard (ENG)
DURAN Marc (ESP)
Group 21
RUMGAY Gavin (SCO)
O’CONNELL Daniel (WAL)
KARLSSON Mattias (SWE)
Group 22
GAVLAS Antonin (CZE)
MAIN Calum (SCO)
ZWICKL Daniel (HUN)
Group 23
TSE Ka Chun (HKG)
BARTON Scott (SCO)
HAN Ji Min (KOR)
Group 24
SZYMANSKI Filip (POL)
WILLIAMS Lewis (WAL)
PAPAGEORGIOU Konstantinos (GRE)
MAGUIRE Gavin (IRL)
Group 25
IONESCU Ovidiu (ROU)
MANNA Romualdo (ITA)
ROGIERS Benjamin (BEL)
MAYNARD Thomas (ENG)
Lexi (my girlfriend) & Chief Elf Rory (my nephew)
Firstly, I hope everyone had a nice illness free Christmas and New Year (for those abroad, there are a lot of nasty flu varieties circulating around these parts). Personally, I had a very enjoyable Christmas with family and spent a ‘chilled’ New Years with some good friends. My spare time was largely spent relaxing with my girlfriend and thinking about our new baby whom is baking away (i.e. lots of pram shopping). So, all in all, a very nice break.
Now the festive holiday is over, it is back to reality and January is shaping up to be a very busy month for Barrow TTC and its players. So far, it is looking something like this:
- Jan 16th – British League Division 2 North (Halton Table Tennis Centre, Widnes, WA8 7DZ)
- Jan 18th to Jan 22nd – Slovenian Open (Gavin Rumgay & Darius Knight playing)
- Jan 22nd – Training Camp for kids (tbc)
- Jan 23rd – British League Premier Division (Halton Table Tennis Centre, Widnes, WA8 7DZ)
- Jan 26th to Jan 30th – English Open (Paul Drinkhall, Gavin Rumgay & Darius Knight playing)
Denis Neale (Barrow TTC Coach) & Paul Drinkhall (Barrow TTC No. 1)
Coming away from the last British League Premier Division weekend, there are three things that stand out in my mind:
- How much I had underestimated Ormesby, DHS Greenhouse Progress and Fusion. These teams played tremendously, in particular Jason Sugrue and Sule Olaleye, and our matches were as competitive and intense as our first match against Drumchapel Glasgow. Indeed, on the day, I think our scores against DHS Greenhouse Progress and Fusion flattered us.
- How much Darius Knight has improved. I have yet to see him tested, but his comfortable win over Gareth Herbert who is in tremendous form is testament to how well Darius is playing at the moment.
- That Barrow really is the best team to play for in the British League. I don’t think there is a team with our camaraderie and to see every game well supported, whether it is a match clincher or the last match when everything has been decided is brilliant. Not only that, but everyone gets on so well off the table and it is brilliant to see the players families all involved.
Barrow I Team Meal at
King Du Noodle Bar, Harlow
For those that haven’t witnessed a British League Premier weekend, I would go as far as saying last weekend was way better and way more exciting than last season’s English Open finals (during which my girlfriend knitted a scarf as I fell asleep next to her).
