JAMES Rule defeated Lewis Waddup to lift the Division One’s Hewitt Cup this season, writes Mike Aistrop.
The final produced the match of the day with Rule attacking and Waddup defending with great skill and the occasional forehand winner.
Waddup took the first set, but Rule then played at his best to take the next two and get into a commanding lead in the fourth.
Waddup showed great resolve to get back into the match and took the fourth. In the decider, Rule raced into an 8-2 lead before Waddup hit back yet again and it was a relief to Rule to finally cross the line at 11-9.
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It was the climax of a high-quality evening of table tennis that saw Waddup fight off youngster Isaac Mak’s onslaught in one semi-final, and Rule had to see off past champion Elson Costa in the other.
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In Division Two, Farshad Shaddel picked up the Nielsen Cup. He beat Jeff Lin in the semi-finals, and then Mark Bryant in the final.
Bryant’s excellent blocking skills allowed him to overcome Stuart Pringle in their semi-final, but Shaddel proved too strong and won 14-12, 3-11, 11-3, 11-3.
Toby Boncey won Division Three’s A.J. Roche Cup, beating Patrick O’Regan, who won the cup in the previous two years, but found Boncey too strong this time.
Earlier, O’Regan beat George Bradley in the semi-finals and Boncey saw off Mark Walker.
