By John Farmery

HOLDER Martin Lowe won the York Closed Table Tennis Championships men's singles title for the 12th time, defeating 16-year-old York RI team-mate Josh Bramley in the final.

Top seed Lowe, in a tight first game, went ahead for the first time at deuce, winning it 12-10 before Bramley took the next two games 11-8 and 11-6.

Lowe won the fourth 11-6 to take the match into a deciding game in which he led 5-3 at the change of ends and did not look back, closing out the game 11-4.

In the semi-finals, Lowe had defeated Aidan Ranftler (Clarence WMC) 3-1 while Bramley beat James Atkins (Topspin) 3-2.

Lowe's toughest test in the earlier rounds was his quarter-final against Bryan Birkbeck (Shiyi Ling). With the scores locked at 8-8 in the deciding game, Lowe won three consecutive points to triumph 11-8.

Ruth Purseglove (Ryedale) won three events. In the ladies’ singles final, she defeated Andrea Potter (Strensall) 3-0 before teaming up with Potter to win the ladies’ doubles final in straight sets against Diana Mogrovejo and Janet Thompson (both York Association Coaching).

Purseglove also won the mixed doubles with Nathan Taylor, again in straight sets, against Andrea and Alfie Potter (Clarence WMC).

The men’s doubles final was a very close match, eventually won by Bramley and Yoni Caspi (Topspin) against the Topspin pairing of Atkins and Will Whattam by 12-10 in the deciding game.

Arthur Sorley (Shiyi Ling) defeated Bramley 3-0 in the junior (under-19s) singles final.

Bramley and Adam Stone (York RI) beat Arthur and Michael Olechowski (University) 3-1 in the junior doubles final.

Lowe defeated Richard Crowther (York RI) 3-1 in the veterans' (over-40s) singles final.

The pair then teamed up to beat John Farmery (Clarence WMC) and Ady McClaren (York RI) in the veterans' doubles final in straight sets.

Andy Fletcher (Shiyi Ling) won the over-55s singles, beating Alfie Potter 3-1 in the final.

The O70s Singles was won by Terry Nicholson, who beat his Clarence WMC team-mate Bob Young 3-0 in the final.

The divisional singles titles were won by Bramley (division one), Michael Kwan (York RI, division two), Patrick Clay (University, division three) and Aleks Carver (University, division four).

The Mixed Plate was won by Lewis Harrison (Shiyi Ling).

Michael Olechowski (University) won the Handicap Singles.

Will Whattam (Topspin) and Paul Seekings (Clarence WMC) won the handicap doubles.

A spokesperson added: "The main sponsors of the tournament were GMB Union and we thank them for their continued support of table tennis in York.

"Thanks to Richard Crowther, John Farmery, Graham Hatfield and Dave Norville for running the tournament, in which 337 matches were played over the two days.

"Thanks also to all those who helped to set up the lights, tables, barriers and scoring tables on Friday evening (and stayed to dismantle them on Sunday evening), and to those who ran the refreshments bar."

Full results from the York Closed Table Tennis Championships

Men’s singles: Martin Lowe beat Josh Bramley (12-10, 8-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4)

Ladies’ singles: Ruth Purseglove beat Andrea Potter (11-7, 11-3, 11-4)

Men’s doubles: Josh Bramley and Yoni Caspi beat James Atkins and Will Whattam (11-7, 7-11, 10-12, 11-8, 12-10)

Ladies’ doubles: Andrea Potter and Ruth Purseglove beat Diana Mogrovejo and Janet Thompson (11-3, 11-6, 11-4)

Mixed doubles: Ruth Purseglove and Nathan Taylor beat Andrea Potter and Alfie Potter (11-7, 11-9, 11-3)

Veterans' singles (over-40): Martin Lowe beat Richard Crowther (11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7)

Veterans' doubles (O40): Richard Crowther and Martin Lowe beat John Farmery and Ady McClaren (12-10, 11-5, 11-6)

Super-veterans' singles (O55): Andy Fletcher beat Alfie Potter (11-5, 10-12, 11-4, 11-2)

Over-70s singles: Terry Nicholson beat Bob Young (14-12, 11-5, 11-6)

Junior singles (under-19): Arthur Sorley beat Josh Bramley (11-6, 11-8, 12-10)

Junior doubles: (Josh Bramley and Adam Stone beat Michael Olechowski and Arthur Sorley (11-8, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11)

Division one: Josh Bramley beat Aidan Ranftler (11-7, 11-2, 11-5)

Division two: Michael Kwan beat Gary Tranter (11-3, 11-8, 11-8)

Division three: Patrick Clay beat Daniel Nicholson (11-7, 11-5, 11-7)

Division four: Aleks Carver beat Jay Taylor (11-5, 11-4, 11-9)

Mixed Plate: Lewis Harrison beat Michael Kwan (11-9, 11-8)

Handicap singles: Michael Olechowski beat Josh Bramley (46-31)

Handicap doubles: Paul Seekings and Will Whattam beat Bryan Birkbeck and Alfie Potter (38-28)

Clifford Trophy: To be decided