CHRIS Nicholls won the open singles title for a record seventh time at Selby Closed Table Tennis Championships played at Riccall Regen Centre.
In the final he beat six-times champion and his Tate & Lyle 'A' team colleague Mick Wilcockson. Both players reached the final without dropping a set.
Nicholls started the showdown with Wilcockson in whirlwind fashion, dominating the opening exchanges and not allowing his opponent to settle. He took the first two sets with ease before Wilcockson found his range and started to return some big shots.
Wilcockson led 10-9 in the third but Nicholls held his nerve to take the next three points and the title.
The two losing semi-finalists were unseeded. Dave Lamb, now in his sixties, but a former Yorkshire champion who has only recently started playing in Selby League for Eggborough, was beaten by Nicholls, while 14-year-old Stephen Robinson (Tate & Lyle) showed great maturity to reach the last four before losing to his coach Wilcockson.
Robinson did not go home empty-handed, winning four of the events. One of the best finals was in the doubles when he teamed up with Nicholls and faced defending champions Wilcockson and Andrew Kirk (Tate & Lyle).
Both pairs tried to attack in a classic first set, which went to a number of deuce points before Nicholls and Robinson won it 18-16. The defending champions dominated the second set, the change of order allowing Wilcockson to pressure Robinson with heavy chops.
Nicholls and Robinson won the third set and in a tight fourth Robinson never lost confidence in his attacking ability and hit the winning shot.
Robinson beat Sherburn's Daniel Jenkin in straight sets in the Under-18 final, while in the U15s final he defeated Robert Peters (Thorpe), who put up stiff resistance before succumbing to Robinson's quality top-spin.
Robinson and 11-year-old William Beedham, a promising Tate & Lyle player, won the U18 doubles. Beedham played his supporting role to perfection in a four-set victory over top Sherburn pair Michael Addinell and Daniel Jenkin.
Beedham took the U13 title in a close final with James Atkins (Sherburn) and then teamed up with his father Keith Beedham, the 1972 Selby champion, to win the handicap doubles, beating defending champions Colin Peacock and Mick Walker (Eggborough).
Despite an 11-point deficit, the Eggborough pair levelled at 24-24 before the Beedhams produced a classic finish to win 31-26.
Peacock came from two sets down to beat Dave Little (Thorpe) in the novice singles final.
Wilcockson retained the veterans' singles title, beating John Peters (Eggborough) in straight sets in the final.
Top seed Andrew Kirk won the division two crown, beating second seed Geoff Harrop (Sherburn).
Robinson reached the final of the restricted event, which top players cannot enter, but met his match in the experienced Keith Webster (Eggborough).
Updated: 11:42 Saturday, March 27, 2004
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