There will be a new men’s singles champion – or perhaps a golden old one – at the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships in England this weekend.
Liam PITCHFORD is missing the event to compete at the WTT Star Contender in Doha and Paul DRINKHALL has withdrawn with an ankle injury.
It means Sam WALKER is the top seed and he will be aiming to win the title for the first time. He lost in the final in 2016 and 2017 to DRINKHALL and in 2018 to Pitchford.
The only other player in the competition who has won the title before is Andrew BAGGALEY who last won it in 2010.
England players Tom JARVIS and David MCBEATH will also be aiming to win but WALKER is determined to come out on top.
WALKER said: “I don’t want to make four finals and get four second places – I want to make sure I win it this time and it is a big driving force for me. I very much believe I’m going to be the best player at the tournament and I have to show that now.”
The women’s singles will likely see defending champion Tin-Tin HO battle with 2019 champion Maria TSAPTSINOS for the title but England players Denise PAYET Emily BOLTON and Charlotte BARDSLEY can also compete for medals.
HO has won 49 national titles in her career from under-11 to senior and she has three chances to win her 50th as she partners WALKER in the mixed doubles and TSAPTSINOS in the women’s doubles.
The championships will be held at the University of Nottingham from March 25-27 and include under-21 men’s and women’s singles as well.
Table 1 will be shown live on the Recast platform on Friday and Saturday and on the BBC Sport website on Sunday.
