Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/664438
56 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 APRIL 2016 Sport TENNIS TABLE TENNIS Mark Gatt reaches two semi finals in a Grade 2 Clay Court tournament in Llafranc Spain MARK Gatt last week partici- pated in another Seniors event in Spain. The tennis was a grade 2 tournament played on clay with ranking points being awarded to the participants who win their first match. These ranking points determine a player's ITF World Ranking. In the quarter finals of the sin- gles event Mark Gatt faced David Adria from Spain. He had a blis- tering start racing to a five love lead, winning the first set 6/2 and the second set 6/0, hitting blister- ing serves and forehand winners. In the Men's singles semi finals Gatt faced German Andre Kurth who plays in the second division. The first set went to a tie break which was very close with Kurth winning by the slenderest of mar- gins 7/5. Kurth then raised his game further in the second set and won the match 76, 6/1. With the 50 points Mark won last week he moves up 64 places in the rank- ings to no. 143. In the doubles event Mark teamed up with his Spanish friend Ramzi Shuabi Morales. Gatt and Shuabi had a bye first round, won their quarter final match versus Mindaugas Baltakis and Stasys Vaicus from Lithuania 60 60 and faced Kurth (Ger) and Jorgen Aaberg (Swe) in the semifinal. Unfortunately Mark`s partner was injured in the second game of the match and Kurth and Aaberg won the match 62 6/1. Mark`s 50 points in the doubles means he moves up from 13th to 8th in the world rankings O35. He is also no10 in the world in Mixed dou- bles O35. Preparations are already under- way for his next Seniors event, the World Championships in Umag, Croatia in May. Gatt is in the Men's Doubles Final in the Marsa Open being played this Sunday at 1600 at the Marsa Sports and Country Club where with his partner Loic Rey- naud (FRA) they will be facing Malta`s no 1 Matthew Asciak and Bradly Callus. All are welcome. Table tennis for the young at #OnTheMove Skolasport AS well as being a fantastic physical work out, table tennis is a great mental exercise. You have to plan strategies and decide what spin to put on the ball, whilst trying to stay one step ahead of your opponent and react to the shots they are playing all at the same time. Decisions have to be made in split seconds. This serves to increase concentration levels, while improving short term memory and decision making ability. This was explained by #OnTheMove Skolas- port Coach Kevin Gatt who leads the table ten- nis sessions every Thursday at Kirkop Sports Complex. Table tennis is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth across a table using a small racket. Top table tennis players are some of the great- est athletes in the world, yet it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels. The pro- gramme aims to be fun and innovative for the young players. #OnTheMove Skolasport, which organised by SportMalta and sponsored by Kellogg's, offers a range of opportunities to increase the num- ber of young people experiencing and playing quality sports at their various sports complexes across Malta. Table Tennis is just one of the many different sports sessions offered by the programme. Besides Kirkop Sports Complex, #OnTheMove Skolasport sessions are available at Marsa Sports Complex, Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex, Cottonera Sports Complex, St Ignatius College Secondary School in Tal-Handaq, Maria Regina College in Mosta and St Clare College in Pem- broke giving participants the opportunity to practice their favourite sport at a nearby local- ity. Kellogg's is sponsoring #OnTheMove Skolas- port for the sixteenth consecutive year as part of its commitment to promote physical ac- tivities and the importance of a balanced diet among the Maltese community. For further information about table ten- nis classes, or #OnTheMove SkolaSport pro- gramme, one can contact the Programmes Sec- tion at the SportMalta Head Office on tel. 2203 6000 or via e-mail: programmes@sportmalta. org.mt or visit the SportMalta website: www. sportmalta.org.mt.