Alex Storey double winner at Blackpool
Posted by on 20 December 2010
Warrington Table Tennis Club junior Alex Storey achieved a double win, in both the under 15s and the U18s, at the ETTA 2-star Junior Open in Blackpool on Sunday.
The double win, in two age bands, cements Alex's position as one of the top young table tennis players in the North West and rounds off a strong first half to the season for fourteen year-old Alex.
In the under 15s final Alex was up against the impressive and experienced Will Ross, which Alex won in four games to secure his first tournament win of the season. "Alex has a tricky style of play that opponents find difficult to deal with," said ETTA and Warrington TTC coach, David Hulme. "He changes pace and spin with ease, playing a containing game with power hitting at the right time combined with defence, putting opponents under pressure and disrupting their rhythm."
In the under 18s Alex didn't have it all his own way, being taken to five games in a close quarter final against Tom Hynes, which could easily have gone either way, with some incredible defensive play from Hynes and both players seeing multiple match points, before Alex took victory 18-16 in the fifth.
Alex Story on his way to the under 18s final at the ETTA 2-star Junior Open in Blackpool
Alex then came through a tricky semi to take him into his second final of the day, which would again be against Will Ross. Alex quickly went a game down: "Will was dealing well with all that Alex could throw at him, getting in repeatedly with his attacking top-spin game," said coach David Hulme. "Alex successfully changed tactics, halfway through the set, notably mixing in a tricky short serve giving Alex the second game and the upper hand as the match progressed. Alex was then able to see the match out, winning 11-6 in the fourth."
Alex receiving his under 15s trophy from tournament organiser Brian Jackson, before going on to also win the under 18s category
"The double tournament win in both his own age band and the older junior band, a first for Alex, is a tremendous achievement that Alex can be very proud of," added David Hulme. "The standard of junior table tennis talent in Blackpool today was high and Alex needed to be at his best through a series of tricky encounters."
