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
Table Tennis Masters Live
Posted by admin | Filed under In the News, Miscellaneous
Watch Darius on Sky Sports 3 Tonight (Thurs 7th May) at 7pm
Duration: 210 Minutes.
Knight gets Royal Treatment
Posted by admin | Filed under In the News
England’s Top Two Players set to compete at the Dunlop Masters at the Royal Albert Hall.
Read the Article
The Future is Now
Posted by admin | Filed under In the News
“Knight is running out of time to show that he can threaten the dominant Chinese at London 2012″
Read Matt Syed’s Article here
18th Commonwealth Championships
Posted by admin | Filed under Table Tennis, Upcoming Events
Darius and the England team will travel to Glasgow to play in the 18th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.
Check the blog for Darius’ personal reports.
The Venue:
Scotstoun Sports Campus
72 Danes Drive
Glasgow
G14 9HU
Check the website: http://www.comtabglasgow2009.com/
England Vs. India Last Leg
Posted by admin | Filed under Table Tennis, Upcoming Events
England take on India in the last of the Three Test Matches in Preston.
Team: Darius, Paul Drinkhall, and Andrew Rushton.
Check the blog after the match for commentary.
England Vs. India First Leg
Posted by admin | Filed under Table Tennis, Upcoming Events
England faces India in a friendly match.
England Team: Darius, Daniel Reed, and Andrew Rushton.
Check the blog again after the match for commentary from Darius.
Dormers Wells Leisure Centre
Dormers Wells Lane, Southall,
London UB1 3HX
Come and support Darius: Buy your tickets:
https://www.englishtabletennis.org.uk/competitionentry/entryform.cfm?competitionId=24
Top 5: Music Singles
Posted by admin | Filed under Miscellaneous
1. Rick Ross- Magnificent
2. Lupe Fiasco - He Say, She Say
3. Trey Songz - Brand New
4. Drake - Successful
5. Lloyd Banks - Help
What about you?
Table Tennis Masters at Royal Albert Hall
Posted by admin | Filed under Table Tennis, Upcoming Events
Every year, the Royal Albert Hall hosts the premiere Table Tennis spectacle in the UK.
The event starts at 7pm on Thursday 7th May.
From the Table Tennis Masters Website:
Topping this year’s Dunlop Table Tennis Masters list is Europe’s most in-form player and one of the greatest players of his generation: Vladimir Samsonov, the three time European champion from Belarus.
Alongside Samsonov is Chen Weixing, the spectacular defensive specialist from Austria, who wowed the capacity 5000 audience at the Royal Albert Hall in 2008.
The player who will create the greatest excitement across Planet Table Tennis is the legendary Jorgen Persson, widely regarded as the most breathtaking and dynamic performer of the last 25 years: a Swedish legend, former world and European champion, whose heroics at the Olympic Games in Beijing electrified audiences throughout the world.
Also in action will be Jean Michel Saive, another legendary performer whose sensational performance in last year’s event was considered the highlight of the night. Whether Saive gets to play Chen is a different question: the draw for The Dunlop Table Tennis Masters will be made one week before the event.
Rounding up the line-up are Darius Knight and Paul Drinkhall, the two rising stars of English table tennis. It will be intriguing to see how the two Brits, who have made such strides in recent months, and who are expected to challenge for gold in 2012, fare against the world’s best.
All profits from The Table Tennis Masters will be donated to TTK, the table tennis initiative of the Greenhouse Schools Project charity.
Tickets cannot be exchanged, refunded or resold.
Come and Support Darius Knight on Thursday, by buying your tickets now.
Knight Rider hits Top Form
Posted by admin | Filed under In the News
Darius wins the first ever Barnsley Open Grand Prix in his stride.
http://www.englishtabletennis.org.uk/nlstory.cfm?ID=33264&NLID=3153