Commonwealth Championships
Posted by admin | Filed under In the News, Personal, Table Tennis
Written by Darius Knight
This was the first time in this decade (and in my playing career) that the Commonwealth Championships came to the UK, and this was also my debut performance in a Commonwealth Games. Even though I have played many other International Competitions, there is a certain amount of prestige reserved for the Commonwealth Games, and therefore I felt that I was taking a step upwards by being selected.
The event was held in Glasgow, Scotland (Scotstoun Sport Campus) from Tuesday 19th to Monday 25th May 2009.
The Team Event
I started off in the team event playing against Ireland. For me it felt like my first competition in years due to its prestige, so I was a bit uncertain at first about what levels of aggression and motivation to use. I came through uncomfortably 3-2, but I was encouraged by my coach’s adage: “It is better to win when you are playing bad than to lose when you are playing good.” In the last few sets I won convincing by turning up the pressure and my focus improved.
But following that initially shaky performance, I wasn’t selected to play against Scotland, Wales, Australia and also India, so naturally I was quite disappointed that I didn’t get another chance in the team event even though I was the Number 2 playing in the team. But this is the consequence when we now have an all-round strong team so I had to make room for the other young players to have a chance to shine as well.
And to give them credit, the players won their matches and I supported the team and help them practise.
In the end, we beat Scotland 3-0, Wales 3-1, Australia 3-1, but we lost to India in the semi-finals 3-2.
However, because I didn’t play for so long, it made me even more determined to prove myself in the singles. In a way, I think that my coach Jia was doing it to put pressure on me and demand more from my character so that I would play better.
Singles
I was feeling fast, energetic and determined, and this was evident in my first match against Craig Howieson (Scotland) who I beat 4-0.
I was quite surprised with how good I was playing, and I think this was because I really wanted to prove to myself that I can play better.
In the Last 16, I played against Adam Robertson (Wales) who was ranked 150 places above me in the Senior World Ranking List. In a closely contested match, I came through 4-3. It was a topsy-turvy match but a win is a win, and I was pleased that I held my nerve, taking my chances and not messing up.
In the quarters I met Subhajit Saha (India) and I lost 4-1. In the first three sets, I felt surprisingly sluggish, and I couldn’t really get into the match.
However, I took some positives from this as I was able to change my tactics and get out of that mental rut and win a set.
In the 5th set, I was down 9-8, and I feel that I had big chances, so I ended disappointedly.
I am starting to learn about who I am on the table rather than trying to play like someone else. Individuality is something that gradually emerges after all the technical and physical training, and I feel that I have to keep pushing forward if I am to have a chance of seeing what I can really become.
Results
Singles: 1/4 Finals, Subhajit SAHA (IND) beat Darius KNIGHT (ENG) - 11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 11-13, 11-9
Doubles: BRONZE MEDAL with Paul Drinkhall
Team: BRONZE MEDAL (ENG)
Mixed Doubles: 1/4 Finals