Nyron Bissu and Nevaeh Clarkston asserted themselves as Guyana’s top Under – 15 racquet wielders after capturing titles in the inaugural Banks Malta Supreme Table Tennis tournament played at the Queen’s College Auditorium, yesterday.
Bissu once again found himself in the headlines for his commanding performance against the emerging Jonathan Van Lange, whom he defeated in straight sets to capture the boys U15 singles crown.
The storyline for the first set read 11 – 4 in what appeared to be a rout turned out to be a compelling three game match as Van Lange found his straps in the second and third games putting on a much better showing, losing 13 – 15, 13 – 15.
Bissu in his semifinals win, trounced Colin Wong 11 -5, 11 -4, 12 – 10 while Van Lange got the better of Isaiah Layne in an exciting five-set match 3 – 2.
Layne, who squandered a few opportunities, took the first set 11 – 7 to force Van Lange under pressure early on.
Van Lange, nonetheless, struck back to take the second 11 – 7, Layne won the third 12 – 10 but could not hold off the persistent Van Lange, who took the next two sets and the match 13 – 11, 11 -7.
Meanwhile, the girls Under – 15 final saw Clarkston smashing her way past Nkechi Mc Rae with relative ease 11 – 4, 11-4, 11 – 5.
Clarkston had a more stringent assignment in her semifinals match, where she defeated Thuraia Thomas 11 – 5, 11 – 9, 8-11, 10-12, 11-8 while Mc Rae defeated S. Jacques 11 – 7, 12 – 10, 11 – 9 in her semifinal encounter.
Thomas saw off Mc Rae to take the girls Under 13 final 3-1 after dropping the first set 9-11. She duly took command of the match thereafter winning the second 11-3, the third 11-9 and completed her championship win with an 11-7 triumph in the fourth.
Van Lange was to taste success when he captured the boys’ Under – 13 final over Dhanesh Persaud in a thrilling five-set encounter.
Persaud led the first set 7 – 3 and looked set to take it in comfort. Van Lange, however, engendered a few unforced errors to tie the game at 11 all before Persaud held his own to take the match 13 – 11.
Persaud, who created a lot of sting with his impressive forehand strikes, surrendered the second 6-11 which tied the match.
He then struck back to take the third 11 – 7 before Van Lange took the final two sets 11 -4, 11-8.
The boys’ Under 11 final saw Persaud losing his second final of the day, after surrendering to Wong 7-11, 10-12.
Girls’ under -9 champion Jasmine Billingy took her second title of the tournament when she triumphed over Samara Sukhai to take the under 11 title 11-3, 11-6.
