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The Oakfields Road Table Tennis Tournament
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The first Table Tennis Tournament was held during the summer of 1969, running after the Badminton Championship had been completed. The competition was held on an old folding table supported on tressels in the back garden of the Kyte family at One Oakfields Road. The table was set up alongside the badminton court and covered with a large car tarpauline which was affixed with pegs to keep it on when not in use. The competition was played using the knock-out format until 1973 when groups were introduced in the preliminary stage. All matches were the best of three games, each up to 21, prior to the Final up to and including 1975 when best of 3 was introduced in the Semi-final too. The Final increased to best of 7 in 1977 and 1978. In the first tournament, the Kyte's au pair, Odile Louys, reached the Final only to lose to Stephen Melzack who went on to complete a hat-trick of wins. This was equalled by Nigel Kyte whose treble was achieved between 1975 and 1977. The ten tournaments were won by just the two participants – Stephen, who was equally successful in the Badminton Championship too, and Nigel won the title five times each. The Table Tennis Tournament had a shorter life than the Badminton Championship, finishing after the 1978 competition. Sadly the table had warped beyond repair and it became impossible to hold competitive matches any longer! Below: Peter Kyte plays an overhead shot during the 1972 Badminton Championship Final but this picture is more significant for the table tennis table suspended on tressels and an old coffee table. Here the table is covered by plastic sheeting held in position by bricks but in years to come a car tarpauline was used.  |
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THE TABLE TENNIS TOURNAMENT
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