The S-Trend Victorian Open Championships was played over the weekend, April 15-16 at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium for the first time, with resounding success.

CEO Gen Dohrmann started proceedings on Saturday with a brief introduction and acknoweldgement of country followed by an address from the Mayor of Latrobe City Council, Kellie O’Callaghan who talked about her excitement to be attending the first table tennis event of the new Table Tennis Victoria, Latrobe City Council and Destination Gippsland event agreement.

The juniors started play with some enticing matchups particularly in the U/19 and U/17 categories.

In an enthralling match between Connie Psihogios and Cherry Le in the U/17 Girls, it was to be Le who won, three sets to two.

Le took the lead at two sets to one but Psihogios dominated the fourth to tie it at 2-2 leading into the final set.

In the fifth, it was tight right until the end where Le was the eventual winner, 12-10 with emotions flying as Le won the final point.

(Video credit Hoang Le)

In the U/17 Boys, another match that went right to the end between Yousef Hassan and Havin Shengali. The see-sawing final was tied at 2-2 heading into the final set with eventual winner Hassan winning 11-5, to begin his dominant day.

To back up into the U/19 Boys, it was again Hassan and Shengali taking it right to the wire with Shengali taking the chocolates 3-2.

In the U/19 Girls, Sanaya Buddhadasa defeated Cherry Le 3-1 in a dominant display.

Across some of the other categories, Max Geering took out the Division 1 singles, Yousef and Ahmed Hassan won the Under 19 Boy’s Doubles with Yousef banking another win with Psihogios in the Under 19’s Mixed Doubles.

Kavyaa Madaan also enjoyed wins in the Under 13 and 15 Girl’s Singles and Under 13 Girl’s Doubles with Daniel Noura also taking out the Under 15 Boy’s Singles and Under 17 Boy’s Doubles with Rivindu Buddhadasa.

You can view the full Junior results HERE

On Sunday, the Seniors, Para, and Veterans took to the court, with the Men’s and Women’s Singles Open up for grabs.

In a large field of entrants, it was to be Sanish Ambekar and Yugangh Zende to battle it out in the final.

The number one ranked player in Victoria showed his class and won the match 4-1, becoming the Men’s Open Singles Champion for 2023.

In the Open Men’s Doubles, it was Ambekar and Zende teaming up to win 3-1.

In the Open Women’s, it was between 2-time Paralympic Gold Medal winner Qian Yang up against 3-time Paralympic, 2-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold medal winner Melissa Tapper.

Tapper showed glimpses of class throughout the match but unfortunately went down to a dominant Yang, losing in straight sets, with Yang becoming the 2023 Women’s Open Singles Champion for 2023.

In the Open Women’s Double’s it was Connie Psihogios and Victoria Zhang winning 3-1.

In the Para category, it was between 2022 para player of the year Rory Carroll up against Jake Ballestrino who both dominated their semi-final matches.

In the final, it was Carroll who showed his class, winning in three straight sets to become the 2023 Para Open Singles Champion.

Across the other senior categories, Havin Shangali and Sanaya Buddhadasa took out the Under 21 Men’s and Women’s Singles, Danica Alburo winning the Twenties Singles and Zach Anstey taking out the Division 1 title.

In the veterans, David Segal took home wins in the Over 40’s and 50’s Mens Singles with Jake Lee upsetting number one in Victoria, Craig Carter 3-1.

Debbie Wilson and Brian Berry defended their titles in the Over 60 Women’s and Over 65 Men’s Singles with Jeanne Strong winning the Over 65 Women’s Singles and Over 65’s Mixed Doubles.

Bob Bowler enjoyed some great success across the day taking home the Over 70’s and 75’s Singles while also taking out the Over 70’s Men’s Doubles with Ken Dawber.

Across some of the other categories, Jane Woolcock won the Over 70 Women’s Singles, Buddy Reid took out the Over 80’s Men’s Singles with Rod Carlyle and Debbie Wilson winning the Over 60 Mixed Doubles.

You can view the full Senior/Para/ Veterans results HERE.

"It was wonderful to be able to immerse myself in table tennis across the weekend at the Victorian Open", said Table Tennis Victoria CEO Gen Dohrmann.

"To see all age categories from Under 9 to Over 85 in action really showed just how versatile our sport is."

"A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in matches over the weekend and a big thank you to Latrobe City Council and Destination Gippsland for providing such a great venue and new equipment."

Table tennis will return to GRISS in June for the Country Championships but in the meantime, be sure to get those entries in for our next tournament on the calendar at Bendigo on May 6-7.