I played in the North Island Championships in the weekend
my events were
NZ B grade (26-100) in NZ and doubles
NZ C Grade (101-200) in NZ and doubles
over 40's singles and doubles
over 50's singles and doubles
Entries were very low and I had a chance of getting a medal in every doubles match but I couldn't win one game (I had 4 different partners) and I'm usually good with (partner required) partners although I have played with 3 of them before, but I believe I was either too safe , too much the same and too slow to take opportunities, also no pre game or not enough actual game tactics. So enough about that
In the C grade I was seeded 2nd in our 4 person group, behind a push-blocker cpen long pimple player, anyways I won my first game against an up and coming Jnr , who I have practiced with and have had many games against, I want them to improve but I suddenly want to change that idea in a competition game lol, He played quite well and I won the first two games with out much trouble, then he was up 7-3 in the next and I stopped and too check, because that last thing I wanted was him to get his tail up, so I started serving short to his forehand either inverted or pimples and it worked every-time , he tried a bit harder but was just missing so I ended up winning 11-8 in the last
Next I played the push-blocker, and I really found this hard as when I did no spin he did a slight lift and topspin a simple angled block, he just used angles /placement and played very well, We did have a close game but somehow he won every game with some over the 10 all mark, I think I would do better if I played him again
Then I played another up and coming Jnr, who at last years NZ open beat a player ranked around 40 in NZ, but unlike the other boy this one had no idea and didn't even try at the end, I had a talk to him recommending he play more games against the older players from his region and not just against the same style as himself
So I made it to the next round and got to play against a double sided pimple player PR-1 backhand and I think a Japanese spin pips but I didn't look. He is very experienced and has played for NZ in Veteran tests and probably has beaten ever Jnr boy he has every played until they learn lol, anyhow I think I was way to passive and thought my backhand rolls would stuff him up but unlike pogo which is good for causing dump balls the Mo Wang 11 I'm using was fairly mellow at this particular stroke, (Side-note I didn't get the right one off the shelf and I should really be using Mo Wang 1 lol) but each type has its strength and weakness, He won 3-1 but some games were close and he was able to pick hit more often right in the corner at random times, my trouble was I should have been attacking him more , well I guess more learning, If I had won I would have played against my ex team-mate from Inter-club who was having I good competition and was on the way to collecting 4-5 medals from the event, he went on to win the C grade against the player who he lost to in straight sets last year in the same event
I next played in the B grade with only two players in my pool, the one I thought I would do better with now practices weekly with pips players and didn't even have to think against me he just knew what to do , such a beautiful touch but he dosn't really try.
The Next player was 1st or 2nd seed and has the most amazing power loop backhand out of anyone there, I did very well though as I was leading 10-6 in the first then lost, behind in the next then won, leading the next 10-6 then decided to all out attack and won 11-8, then another close game next to him, then he just upped the anti and blasted everything and then won 11-3 and then said "he was just playing with me " I told him 'bulls/ip" lol, but his mother has good banana cake, so I went and got his seat and sat with his parents "another slice there Rodney" "Oh I don't mind if I do please"
In the over 40's pool I had 3 other players that If I played well may have won them all but was too cold and just not used to 8.30 morning games and only played better against the top seed than the ones who I had a better prospect with (I was bottom seed and have beaten one of them before) I was just landing anything, so the seeding's went to plan alas
In the over 50's again a 8.30 start on day 2, I was in a pool with NEW Zealand's top pip player K Lyle using D-Techs and now Tenergy (also the over 60's NZ National Veterans singles and doubles and over 50's doubles champion etc etc ) and a Leftie anti player who will use the anti 85% of all shots (also NZ Table Tennis President) I played K Lyle first and he won 11-3 so I went to him for coaching and he said you can't attack my serves like that you must spin them up and not try and bash it lol, I tried everything but his control . footwork and superior game tactics made me look silly.
so The Leftie anti played him next and although they hadn't met before, the President had heard all out about him, and he had the same bad scores results as me . So I played the leftie next, and started ok but lost the first 12-10 but played better in the next to win around 11-8 ish I was trying to spin more and spin forward rather than up, he played well in the next to be ahead 2-1 in games and then somehow got my best shots back in the next game to be ahead 9-4 and then 10-5 so I think spin not hit spin not hit, and completely relaxed mind you I did smash the last two to win 12-10 and carried the momentum over to win the next game 11-2 after being ahead 8-0 so somehow I won 15 points in a row, the umpire and 1 minute coach was just cracking up with the scores and said "see spin forward like a discus" I thought that was funny as that is what I say to my students lol
My last game in singles was the next round over 50's and I played against a lobber /fisher who can really spin it up when he wants to , we had a real game of attacker against defender and it was the only game I got tired in and I ended up loosing 11-5 or 6 in the 5th, I had beaten him before but I think I was just too tired and he played well
the results are here
http://www.sportsground.co.nz/northislands Overall I lost to no one seeded below me and won against 1 player seed above ,so a slight increase in ratings, mind you our TTNZ has been very slow updating ratings because of open event Associations not sending in their results