Ray Retains His Equal Challenge Title For a Second Time In A Row

Ray Shak and Tim Stephens

In the Newport Beach Table Tennis Club, you are going to always find challenging matches, without thinking in ratings or levels.

The mental strength improves when you as a player are under pressure.  This method will push you to always look for the right decision.

There are moments where we don’t know how to play the next ball without thinking in possibilities.  We are aware of everything but to receive the ball, and not to place the ball.

As your game skills increase, you have to make sure you mental strength increases as well, for if not, you become the typical ping-pong player who waits to make a point based on the mistakes of you opponent.  Thinking ahead of where you want to place the ball is the answer to get points based on your own efforts, and don’t forget the key word “Decision”.

Wednesday nights are made for the Equal Challenge Table Tennis Tournament and our participants love it!

Did you not show this week?  You are missing a lot of fun, and with exciting matches to watch.  We are the only weekly tournament with umpires.

With the participation of 14 players, the night started at the Newport Beach Table Tennis Club.

We want to welcome the new players:

• Christy Sawyer
• Shahyar Afifi
• Franci De Flaviis
• Salvador Aguillon
• Doug Jackson

We hope you enjoy our tournament, and we look forward to seeing you next week for the last Equal Challenge Tournament of the Year.  But do not worry for we’ll start again on Jan. 8, 2014.

• Doug Jackson gave a surprise by advancing to the final.
• Kia Kiani improved his game…keep up the good work Kia! 
• One of our Equal Challenge Champions, Nas Zakari, had a hard time against Tim Stephens.
• Watch out for Franco De Flaviis, for he is coming for more next week 🙂
• Christy Sawyer is a fighter on the table until the end!
• Gary Jamieson almost beat Ray Shak!  Amazing last points, and if you like us on Facebook,  you can see some videos from last Wednesday.

Match Of The Night

Daniel Sub against Ray Shak.

The final score in the 5th set was 9-9.

Ray applied two spiny serves to Daniel’s backhand, getting the last two points, and with this Ray was in the final.

Equal Challenge Finals

Three finalists – Ray Shak, Tim Stephens and Doug Jackson

Tim Stephens defeated Doug Jackson 3-2

Ray Shack defeated Doug Jackson 3-1

and Ray Shak defeated Tim Stephens 3-2 in an very tight match!

Congratulations Ray!  Now you have won two times in a row and you are closer to the Equal Challenge Progressive Jackpot of $142….just 2 more times!

Can Ray keep the title for the next week?  Come this Wednesday and challenge our latest Champion.

As a club, we wish the best to all the players from California in the US Nationals in Las Vegas.