Fraser repeats as national t-tennis champion

France-based Chloe Fraser of Smalta Crusaders retained her title in the Women’s Open Singles of the T&T Table Tennis Association Senior National Championships when she defeated Queen’s Park Cricket Club’s Imani Edwards-Taylor in a repeat of last year’s title title-match at the National Racquet Centre, Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua, on Sunday.

The 16-year-old Fraser, a Caribbean Junior Championship Under-19 Girls’ finalist earlier this year, captured her second straight national women’s crown with an 11-9, 10-12, 1-9, 11-7, 11-4 victory over the England-based Edwards, the daughter of former national player Astra Edwards-Bennett.

When the main draw knockout served off, Fraser was handed a round-of-16 bye before she swept past QPCC’s Jordan Thong 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 in their best-of-five sets quarterfinal, followed by an 11-2, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7 defeat of Jannah Mohammed in the semifinals.

Edwards was also given a round-of-16 bye before she outplayed veteran Linda Partap-Boodhan of Tunapuna Hindu School 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6 in the last eight, and Oxford’s Jerisse Elder 11-7, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 before falling at the last hurdle to Fraser once again.

Mohammed reached the last four with wins against Hawks’ Ashlea Mohammed (11-4, 11-3, 11-7) and QPCC’s Jinai Samuel (11-7, 11-9, 11-9) while Elder got past Yzabelle Morris of Warrenville United (11-5, 12-10, 11-6) and Tunapuna Hindu School’s Lyllana Boodhan (11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3) in the other main draw matches.

Earlier on in the round-robin group stage, Fraser outclassed Morris (11-3, 11-5, 11-4) and Sophia Singh (11-1, 11-2, 11-1) to top Group Three, while Edwards-Taylor won Group One courtesy victories over WASA’s Shernika Jones 11-6, 11-5, 11-2, and Hawks’ Mohammed 11-1, 11-1, 11-3.

Last year, Fraser captured her first national women’s singles title and third title from as many finals in the championship when she beat Edwards-Taylor 11-4, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9.

In the semifinals, Fraser, who also defeated Edwards-Taylor in the Under-19 decider, came from behind to beat Partap-Boodhan. 10-12, 11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7, while Edwards-Taylor battled past WASA’s Ambika Sitram, 11-2, 2-11, 14-16, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6.

Wilson secures fourth men’s title

Aaron Wilson of Carenage Blasters won his fourth Men’s Open Singles title with a tense six-set defeat of QPCC’s Derron Douglas to succeed USA-based Khaleel Asgarali, who opted against defending his crown won last year.

Having led his club to the Division One Team title and being the winner of the Mixed Doubles with Fraser,

Wilson, recently back from Denmark, made it title number three in this year’s championship by outlasting USA-based Douglas 11-7, 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8 in their best-of-seven sets duel, a repeat of their 2019 final, which Wilson also won.

In the semifinals, Wilson, who captured his first senior men’s crown in 2018, got the better of another Parkite, Joshua Maxwell. 11-6, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11, while Douglas overcame Josiah Joseph of Powergen. 11-3, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6.

The tournament winner in 2022 as well, Wilson first secured the top spot in his three-player Group 14 qualifiers by beating Powergen’s Anson Lowkie 11-13, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8, and a walkover win against Irvin Sampath.

He then humbled France-based clubmate Malik Gopaul 11-4, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8; Hillview Renegades’ Jonathan Cottoy 11-5, 11-2, 11-4; and QPCC’s Yuvraaj Dookram, the 2014 champion and runner-up last year, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, and 11-9 in the round-of-32, last-16, and quarterfinals, respectively.

Douglas was also the winner of his Group 20 round-robin series after he won against Cottoy 11-8, 14-12, 11-6 and Blasters’ Aaron Noel 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 before easing past Servivors’ Musaahib Newaj 11-8, 11-7, 13-11; Blasters’ Luc O’Young 11-2, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8; and former champion Curtis Humphreys 11-2, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8.

Joseph had wins against Sekel Mc Intosh 11-2, 11-3, 11-4, and Michael Chariandy 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 in Group Seven and then overcame Joel Henry 11-7, 11-7, 11-7; Matthew Mootra 11-8, 11-8, 11-3; and Abraham Francis 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 in his other matches, while Maxwell brushed aside Sharaz Ali 11-6, 13-11, 11-8, and Al Ameen Ali 11-4, 11-7, 12-10 in Group 24 and backed it up with wins over junior triple-crown winner Daniel Bhim 11-9, 11-6, 11-4; former champion Arun Roopnarine 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4; and Nicholas O’Young 11-9, 14-12, 9-11, 11-3.

Abasali takes down Seechan for Masters title

Riad Abasali of Servivors took home the Masters title courtesy of his 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 defeat of Hillview Renegades’ Franklyn Seechan in the title-decider.

Abasali received a round-of-32 bye to serve off the main draw knockout phase before he scured a hard-fought 12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7 in the round-of-16, followed by a battling 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5 triumph over Donald Humphreys in the quarterfinals, and Faiz Mohammed, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 in the semifinals.

On the other side of the draw, Seechan also had a round-of-32 bye, followed by wins over Ronnie Guevara 12-10, 6-11, 11-3, 11-7; David Gopaul 11-7, 11-5, 11-6; and Anthony Laquis in the semifinals, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10.

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