KANE Watson, Joel Butler and Solesha Young were the most outstanding players at the inaugural staging of the 2019 Kingston and St Andrew Table Tennis Association (KSATTA)/Sports Development Foundation (SDF) Classic Tournament that was held at the Excelsior High School Auditorium recently.

There was competition in the Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-18 categories in singles, while there was an Open singles event that featured combined men and women playing against each other.

The Open combined singles for men and women attracted several teenagers, and they gave a good account of themselves against the more senior experienced players.

Third seed Joel Butler from Kingston College (KC) captured the boys’ 18 and under singles title when he pulled off a hard-fought win over top seed Ainsley Dehaney from Portland in the best-of five final sets 3-0, with scores of 11-9, 12-10, 17-15.

In the semi-finals Butler defeated second seed Kimay McEwan in straight sets 11-6, 11-7, 11-8, while Dehaney beat sixth seed Daniel Davis in four sets, 11-4, 11-5, -11-13. 11-9. Butler, in his quarter-final match, came from two sets down before eliminating ninth seed Tyrese Nemhard from Calabar High School in an exciting five-setter, 3-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7.

The Girls’ Under-18 singles final was won by Solesha Young from Greater Portmore Table Tennis Club, who beat Selena Khwalsing from Angels Table Tennis Club in straight sets 11-3, 11-2, 11-7.

In the semi-finals, Young beat Tsenaye Lewis from STTA in four sets 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, while Khwalsingh knocked out Gianna Lewis from Skills Unlimited Table Tennis Association (SUTTA) in four sets 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.

Andre Richardson of KC won the boys’ Under-15 singles title when he defeated second seed Joel Butler in three sets 11-5, 11-2, 11-3. Richardson, in his semi-final match, defeated unseeded Devon Williams 11-5, 11-1, 11-8, while Butler knocked out third seed Antonio Prendergast from Calabar 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.

Young won her second title by defeating Tsenya Lewis in four sets as she came from a set down to win 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 in the girls’ Under-15 singles final. Young got the better of Gianna Lewis 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 in her semi-final, while Lewis also won her semi-final in four sets 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 12-10 against Khwalsing.

Meanwhile, Gari Whyte from the University of Technology (UTech) Table Tennis Club fought off the challenge of Richard Clarke from Calabar High, School to capture the boys Under-13 singles title in five-sets. He came from a first set deficit to win 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7 in the final. Whyte beat Calvin Smith from Angels in his semi-final 11-2, 11-7, 11-3, while Clarke defeated Brian Blake from Excelsior High School Club 11-6, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5 in his semi-final.

— Gerald Reid