Nineteen year old Paul Drinkhall was the hot topic of conversation on Friday 22nd May as the wise sages of table tennis discussed the possible outcome of the Men’s Singles event at the Commonwealth Championships being staged in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

The performance he gave against India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta, the man who won the Men’s Singles crown at the Commonwealth Championships in 2004 and at the Commonwealth Games two years later, had been breathtaking; a three-nil win being posted.

Heart Failure
One day later on Saturday 23rd May 2009, against Muhammed Shakirin Ibrahim of Malaysia, his performance in the first round of the Men’s Singles event was breathtaking; it took away the breath of his supporters and gave those who had mortgaged their house on a Drinkhall medal, heart attacks.

Against the Malaysian he won the first two games but not in the impressive mode he had shown the day previously; then true to the tradition of his junior days, when he would disappear into the Black Hole of Calcutta for two games, he lost the next three.

The hearts of the supporters sank but he was not to let anyone down; he won the last two to bring sighs of relief from family and supporters gathered on the tired seating.

Seeds Win
Success for Drinkhall, the no.4 seed and also for the other seeded players.

Singapore’s Gao Ning, seeded no.1 and Yang Zi seeded no.2, recorded respective wins over England’s Danny Reed and Canada’s André Ho; whilst India’s Sharath Kamal Achanta overcame Malaysia’s Kho Mao Sheng.

More Success
Success for Singapore, India and England and there was further success for those three countries; for Singapore Cai Xiao Li continued his good form shown in he team event to beat Canada’s Xavier Therien; whilst for India Sourav Chakroborty, Amalraj Anthony and Subhajit Saha recorded wins as did England’s Andrew Rushton and Darius Knight.

Sourav Chakroborty defeated South Africa’s Luke Abrahams, Amalraj Anthony overcame Scotland’s Stewart Crawford and Subhajit Saha proved too strong for Theo Cogill, also from South Africa.

England and Scotland
Meanwhile for England, Andrew Rushton accounted for Australia’s Robbie Frank and Darius Knight ended the hopes of Scotland’s Craig Howieson.

Defeats for Rumgay and Howieson but there was success for the host nation. Gavin Rumgay defeated New Zealand’s Nathan Lowe in a round where the southern hemisphere suffered.

Australia
The only player to emerge successful from that part of the world in the first round of the Men’s Singles event was Australia’s William Henzell. He beat Malaysia’s Chai Kiang Beng in six games.

Canada and Wales
Disappointment for that part of the world but not for that was not the case those from more northerly parts; notably Canada and Wales.

Pierre-Luc Hinse excelled for Canada by beating India’s Pathik Mehta as did Pradeeban Peter-Paul in his defeat of Marios Yiangou from Cyprus; as for Wales, Ryan Jenkins also inflicted pain on the Mediterranean island by overcoming Andreas Tziambos whilst Adam Roberston brought the day to an end in a most impressive manner.

Image by Ayoade Ademakinwa