Championships at EIS dubbed the Wimbledon of table tennis
WITH its blazer-clad officials, £172,000 in prize money and ranks of press, the English Open table tennis tournament at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield has been dubbed the Wimbledon of the sport.
It may not have caused much of a stir in Sheffield, but the tournament - the most prestigious table tennis championships ever held in the city - has been thrilling millions across the globe.
It was the first time the world's best had competed on English soil since 2001 and, in a result that will be familiar to lovers of tennis, the homegrown hopeful - English number one and Rotherham resident 19-year-old Paul Drinkhall - crashed out early on.
The Chinese, who dominate the sport worldwide, were in Sheffield in droves. What they made of the huge tubs of fake bamboo in the lobby of the EIS in Attercliffe was not clear.
But they can't have failed to be impressed by the glittering facilities. The running track was fenced off into areas for 12 tables, so the action was non-stop for the 1,500 spectators.
But there was much that was unfamiliar to the outsider, such as sponsors' logos 'Butterfly' and 'Joola', and the common victory cry of a point-winning player whatever their nationality, the Chinese word "Chou!".
A forest of camcorders on tripods streamed the action live to dozens of websites.
Seen from the side the ball appeared to defy the laws of physics as it flashed back and forth like a shuttle on a loom. When seen end-on it swerves and dips unpredictably.
From any angle it's clear it would be virtually impossible for all but the best to see, let alone return.
Yet the best, like world number two Ma Long from China, struck the ball with grace and speed, the ultimate demonstration of power and control.
A spokesman for the English Table Tennis Association said: "The game is to China as football is to us, 20,000 people go to matches. The money that goes into it is unimaginable.
"The result here was a shame for Paul. In June he played in the Chinese Open and won in the under 21s which was unheard of. It was the best of his career.
"He's the Theo Walcott of the game, young and talented, but unproven at the highest level. It takes 10 years to mature as a player so his best shot will be in the 2016 Olympics. But the 2012 games are a definite opportunity for him.
"Sheffield has been good to us as a sport, the city has delivered a lot of funding."
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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