On 13 December at the Highfield Table Tennis Club in Wellingborough, Warwickshire began their defense of the title they had won the previous season – and it was an emphatic start as they recorded an impressive 9-1 victory over newly promoted Kent.
Despite the scoreline, several matches went the distance, with Rex Wong, Chun Wai Sheung, Charlotte Lok Ching Wong and William Hopkins all being taken to a deciding fifth set by Nathaniel Smith, Samuel Draisey, Calina Dawson and Nathaniel Smith respectively.
Elsewhere in Round 1, Derbyshire and Surrey fought out a hard-earned draw, while Essex set an early marker with a dominant 9-1 win over Yorkshire, with only Dimitar Dimitrov being stretched by Aaron Wong to eventually win 11-6 in the fifth match. Middlesex also opened strongly, beating Lancashire 8-2, although Brooke Morris impressed by beating both Middlesex girls in deciding sets.
Round 2 saw Surrey fight to a draw again, this time against Warwickshire. In a standout match, Surrey’s Shui-Que Wong Sum defeated Monica Chang 3-2 (10-12, 3-11, 14-12, 11-9, 11-4). William Hopkins continued his good form with two wins in the fifth game over Hojeong Yoon and Noah Byrne-Smith.
Yorkshire showed significant improvement, narrowly losing 6-4 to Derbyshire. Notable performances included Louis Fell’s five-match victory over Billy Shi (11-3, 10-12, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9) and Harry Tomlinson’s two decisive victories against Winston Hill and Joseph Cooper.
Middlesex halted Essex’s momentum with a 7-3 win, while Lancashire claimed an 8-2 victory over Kent.
In Round 3, Middlesex underlined their title credentials with an 8-2 win over Derbyshire. For Derbyshire, Naomi Coker maintained her perfect record, winning both matches, including a dramatic 16-14 victory in the fifth match over Mia Lakhani.
Warwickshire returned to victory with a 7-3 win over Yorkshire. Key encounters included Rex Wong’s five-match victory over Aaron Wong, followed by a five-match defeat to Harry Tomlinson.
Essex returned to contention by beating Lancashire 8-2, although Brooke Morris continued her excellent form by beating both Essex girls to remain unbeaten. Surrey dominated Kent 9–1, with Nathaniel Smith’s victory over Hojeong Yoon providing Kent’s only success.
The final round of play in Round 4 brought the day to a close, with Middlesex emerging as the clear toppers.
Derbyshire defeated Lancashire 7–3, with both Brooke Morris (Lancashire) and Naomi Coker (Derbyshire) losing their previously perfect records. Brooke was eliminated in the fifth game by Millie Noble 9-11, but later defeated Coker convincingly in straight sets.
Surrey defeated Yorkshire 6-4, highlighted by wins for Louis Fell over Hojeong Yoon and Aaron Wong over Jaydan Griffiths. Noah Byrne-Smith recorded a hard-fought five-game win against Harry Tomlinson.
Middlesex ended the day with a 7-3 win over Warwickshire. Warwickshire’s victories came courtesy of Rex Wong, Charlotte Lok Ching Wong and William Hopkins, who each won tight five-match matches. Essex finished the event with a gritty 6-4 win over Kent.
Overall it was a high quality day of competition, packed with exciting matches and standout performances, with Middlesex clearly establishing themselves as the team to beat.
Day 2
Warwickshire took on Lancashire in round 5 and ran out convincing 8-2 winners. Once again Brooke Morris was the standout performer for Lancashire claiming both of her matches were the only points.
On the adjacent tables, Derbyshire and Essex went head-to-head, with Essex emerging victorious by a slim 6-4 margin. The win put them in a strong position to challenge leaders Middlesex.
Meanwhile, Middlesex continued to underline their title credentials with an emphatic 8-2 win over Surrey. Angad Saggu provided the bright spot for Surrey, winning both his matches in the fifth game thrillers against Marcel Ndongala and Janak Shah.
Yorkshire fought hard to secure a 6-4 win over Kent. Louis Fell was involved in another nail-biter, beating Nathaniel Smith 3-2 (10-12, 12-10, 12-10, 10-12, 12-10) in a gripping five-set match.
Middlesex sealed the championship in style with a dominant 10-0 whitewash of Yorkshire in Round 6. Surrey’s hopes of silver faded as they were held to a draw by Lancashire. Notable matches included Brooke Morris’ dramatic fifth-set victory over Chui-Que Wong, 14-12, and Noah Byrne-Smith’s comeback win against Noah Marshall, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 12-10.
Derbyshire boosted their medal chances with an 8-2 win over Kent. Samuel Draisey, Chloe Evans and Ben McKay all had chances to add valuable points for Kent but were edged out in the decisive fifth match by Billy Shi, Millie Noble and Joseph Cooper respectively.
Essex defeated Warwickshire 6-4, leaving both sides needing big wins in their final games to keep their hopes of a second-place finish alive.
In the final round, Lancashire secured Premier Division status with a hard-fought 6–4 win over Yorkshire. Surrey and Essex drew, while Derbyshire defeated Warwickshire 6-4.
That win put Derbyshire into contention for second place, but they ultimately finished in third place. The deciding factor was for and against: Derbyshire finished with a record of 40-30, just behind Essex’s superior 41-29.
Middlesex completed their unbeaten run with a 9-1 win over bottom-placed Kent.
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