The Annual Tournaments of the New Milton Table Tennis Club continued last week with the Vets 40+ (Handicap) event at the Mudeford Wood Community Centre. Thirteen club members took part and were split into three groups of three and one group of four.

The group of four comprised Richard Barrett playing off a handicap of +23, Les Smith (+22), Dan Williams (+21) and Terry Jenvey (+15). Williams won all of his matches to win the group, whilst Smith only lost to Williams to come runner-up.

In the first group of three were Chris Pusey (+16), Sylvia Smith (+16) and last year’s Vets 40+ runner-up Julie Smillie on +13. Pusey won both his matches to take the group and Smillie won one to go through as runner-up.

The next group of three was the heady combination of Club President Bob Fagan (+16), General Secretary Bev Scott-Johns (+21) and last year’s Over 40+ champion Steve Hemmings (+6). Hemmings overcame a tough handicap to win both his matches and Fagan beat Scott-Johns to come second.

The final group of three comprised Club Chairman Shaun Newcomb (+13), Ian Linney (+19) and John Parkhouse (+22). Newcomb staked his place in the quarter-finals by winning both his matches and Parkhouse came second after winning a tough three set encounter with Linney (29-31, 31-29, 31-28).

In the quarter-finals Dan Williams beat Bob Fagan 31-25, 31-25, John Parkhouse beat Chris Pusey 27-31, 31-28, 31-25, Steve Hemmings got the better of Les Smith by shading the second set at deuce 33-31, and Julie Smillie surprised herself by beating league teammate Shaun Newcomb 31-23, 23-31, 31-28.

The semi-finals saw Dan Williams get the better of league teammate John Parkhouse 31-26, 36-34, and then there was a reprise of last year’s final as Julie Smillie took on Steve Hemmings. Smillie really got her forehand loop going, but once again Hemmings’ tenacious defence coupled with the occasional ferocious backhand attack won him the match (31-29, 35

And so it’s Dan Williams versus Steve Hemmings in the Vets 40+ final which will take place at the Club’s Grand Finals Night at Mudeford Wood Community Centre on 24^th June. Next up however is the Handicap Singles event at Mudeford Wood on Monday 3^rd June.

Steve Hemmings has set his sights on his third Vets 40+ title in a row.