Tournament 2026

The Torrens Valley Table Tennis Tournament kicked off on a warmer than usual Monday evening at Birdwood.  The conditions turned out to be difficult as the air temperature and dew point were the same, making everything wet and slippery.  Some players adjusted well to the conditions while others struggled.  The evergreen Eric Harrison again dispatched all opponents to reach the Men’s Open final while Shahab Nikaein used his experience and pimple bat to also make the final.  The encounter was an excellent match of attack and counterattack.  Harrison won 2 of the first 3 sets which meant that Nikaein had to win the fourth set to stay in it.  He managed to hold his nerve and win the set 11-13 to force the game into a fifth and deciding set.  The final set was tight and intense with Harrison just winning 11-9.  Nikaein teamed up with Natalie Carpenter and again came up against Harrison in the mixed doubles final.  Harrison and Audrey King were the defending champions from last year and were tested all the way but still managed to win in the fifth set 11-8.  Harrison could have made it a hat trick teaming up with Michael Jaeger and again winning through to the Men’s Open doubles before coming up against defending champion duo of Eric and Rex Jaeger.  What followed was again an epic five set encounter, however, the defending champs proved too strong in the fifth set winning 11-7.  Michael Jaeger teamed up with Grandfather Walter Jaeger and took out the B Grade doubles in four sets.  Adam Wake enjoyed an excellent tournament making it through to the B Grade final and also the Handicap final.  In the B Grade final he had to dig deep to beat an in-form Michael Jaeger.  Jaeger burst out of the blocks easily winning the first 2 sets before Wake settled and made a great comeback winning 3 sets in a row to clinch the title 12-10 in the fifth.  In the Handicap final Wake came up against the young up and coming Joy Jaeger who managed to win 51-49.  Natalie Carpeneter enjoyed an excellent tournament winning the Women’s Open and Women’s Doubles finals with Audrey King.   In the C Grade Todd Thompson won the final and looked on track to take the doubles as well with son Tahran, however Matt Hughes and Aaryon Longo had different ideas winning the C Grade doubles in 3 excellent sets.
 
Thanks to all who participated, organised and umpired to make an enjoyable tournament.  Special thanks to Nick Seager and Birdwood table tennis club who hosted the event and for setting up early and packing up late at night. 
 
Open Singles: Eric Harrison def Shahab Nikaein 11-9 7-11 12-10 11-13 11-9
Women’s Singles: Natalie Carpenter def Holly Wright 11-4 11-1 11-2
B Grade Singles: Adam Wake def Michael Jaeger 6-11 3-11 11-6 11-6 12-10
C/D Grade Singles: Todd Thompson def Mitch Smyth 11-3 11-4 11-1
Handicap: Joy Jaeger def Adam Wake 51-49
 
Open Doubles: Eric Jaeger/Rex Jaeger def Eric Harrison/Michael Jaeger 8-11 11-8 11-7 12-14 11-7
Women’s Doubles: Natalie Carpenter/Audrey King def Jacqui Smyth/Nadia Harrison 11-6 11-3 11-8
B Grade Doubles: Walter Jaeger/Michael Jaeger def Michael Parker/Rhys Knox 11-9 11-7 8-11 11-7
C/D Grade Doubles: Matt Hughes/Aaryan Longo def Todd Thompson/Tahran Thompson 11-3 11-8 11-2
Mixed Doubles: Eric Harrison/Audrey King def Shahab Nikaein/Natalie Carpenter 11-9 8-11 11-6 7-11 11-8