Carlton Daniel elevates to number one ranked TT player

Carlton Daniel is the new number one ranked table tennis player, following last Saturday’s third rankings tournament put on by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association, which took place at the West St George Secondary School.

Daniel’s elevation came despite his second place, which moved him to 140 ranking points, 21 points ahead of second placed Damion Dublin.

Daniel and Bob Ballantyne had two of three gripping encounters.  Ballantyne won the first by three games to one, 11-2, 15-17, 7-11, 11-9.

Daniel made his way back to the finals with victories over Romano Spencer by three games to love, 12-10, 11-4, 11-8, while overcoming Dublin 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6.

The new number one had a walkover against Joseph Carrington, who suffered a shoulder injury toward the end of the third place play-off against Ballantyne.

In the first of two finals, Daniel won from Ballantyne three games to one:  6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 and in the grand final of the double knockout system, Ballantyne took control to win 11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11, then 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6.  

At the other end of the age spectrum, 11-year-old Mikel Creese came through the qualifiers second only to Jamai Williams, beating Mikel Hazelwood, 7-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9,11-9, in the main draw.