ALICE LOVERIDGE gave a good account of herself in the European Youth Championships in Italy. She was the only Guernsey player to win in the singles event when she beat Poland’s Sandra Wabik 4-1.
She succumbed to fourth seed Yana Noskova in the next round, despite leading 3-2 at one point. However, the Russian won the last two games to end Loveridge’s resistance. Two other Guernsey competitors, Oliver Langlois and Liam Robilliard, both lost their matches in the first round, meaning that all three local players were given places in the consolation event.
Both Loveridge (pictured) and Langlois enjoyed success in that, with Langlois winning two matches and Loveridge three.
Both players lost to eventual finalists, with Loveridge’s conqueror Slifirczyk Katarzyna winning the tournament. The young Sarnian did run her close, losing only in the fifth and final game of the last-16 match.
She had got to that stage of the tournament by beating opponents from Italy, Luxembourg and Turkey.
Phil Hunkin, the Guernsey Table Tennis Association vice-president, thought that all the local youngsters had performed well.
‘They were playing against some of the best youngsters in the world, so they all did very well,’ he said.
He also believed that Loveridge had had a fantastic tournament and made plenty of people sit up and take notice.
‘She won something like 18 out of 22 matches against the best that Europe had to offer.
‘She has well and truly proven herself to anyone who didn’t know about her beforehand.
‘This tournament has also demonstrated to all the players the level they need to attain to compete with the best.’
Article posted on 23rd July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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