The inaugural Graham Spicers Over 40’s 1-star tournament on Sunday, October 20th, saw a spirited turnout with 28 men and 2 women competing for ranking points and Bribar vouchers. Players hailed from Surrey, as well as Middlesex, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Bedfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Hampshire, and even Ukraine, showcasing a diverse pool of talent and skill.

Band 1

Top-seeded Adam Laws of Surrey entered the tournament with a competitive edge but knew he’d face a challenge from Oleh Biletskyi, a previous opponent and the tournament’s third seed. Oleh outperformed all his competitors, emerging as the Band 1 champion, with only bottom-ranked Daniel Heo pushing him to five sets. A three-way tie for second place saw Adam Laws, Jarek Chrzanowski, and Daniel Heo battle it out, with Adam securing second place on countback and Jarek taking third.

Band 2

In Band 2, Evgeni Genchev and Sandor Toczkanyuk each won four out of five matches. However, Evgeni’s victory over Sandor in their head-to-head match clinched his first-place position. Artur Lopata rounded out the top three with a strong showing.

Band 3

Band 3 featured both women competitors, who delivered powerful performances. In a standout performance, unranked Tsz-Kit Chan went undefeated to win the group. Kinga Oryl secured second place, defeating fellow competitor Clare Styles in a thrilling 12-10 fifth set, while Jeremy Wu took third. Clare finished just behind in fourth place.

Band 4

Veteran player Tony Needham brought experience to Band 4, winning four out of five matches. Despite a similar win-loss record, Hiu Fai Lau placed second as Tony emerged victorious in their head-to-head match. Paul Elliott completed the top three in Band 4.

Band 5

In Band 5, Joe Leone and Graham Pointer both recorded four wins, but Joe’s head-to-head victory over Graham granted him the top spot. Marek Mastelaczyk followed closely, taking third place.

Tournament Organisation

The tournament was expertly managed by Tournament Referee Kumiko Williams and Tournament Organiser Pawel Meryn, with valuable support from Jin Su Choi, Patrick Caunt, and Chris Andrews. Their combined efforts ensured a smooth and enjoyable event for players.

Image provided by Patel Meryn.