Table tennis sent three national team players to the World Table Tennis Contenders tournament which is underway in Durban, South Africa.
The three are top ranked paddlers, Tshenolo Mooketsi and Tshepiso Rebatenne, alongside India-based, Phetso Jack.
But the Diteemane, as the table tennis team is known, were eliminated early and have already packed their bags to return home. Mooketsi is the last Diteemane player to fall.
His journey in the tournament came to an end yesterday (Thursday) in the round of 32 of the main draw. Mooketsi went the furthest of the three players. He sailed through the first round after his opponent, Bryone Abrahams of South Africa, forfeited the match. In the second round, Mooketsi faced South African, Brady Naidoo.
It was a comfortable 3-0 win for the local boy as he sailed through to the main draw contests. Ahead of yesterday tie, Mooketsi had been the only local player remaining at the tournament.
On the table, it was always going to be difficult for Mooketsi as he faced Yaroslav Zhmudenko of Ukraine. There were 498 places between the two players as Mooketsi sat 646 in the world rankings while his opponent was ranked 148. ‘Pablo’ went on to lose the tie 3-0 but due to the points collected in the preliminary rounds he moved six places up in the world rankings to 640.
The only female player in the team, Rebatenne bowed out of the tournament in the second round. She started off with a 3-0 win over South African Snesipho Machi. Rebatenne’s quest to reach the main draw round was crashed by Turkish player, Ozge Yimaz with a 3-0 loss in the second round. Jack could not go past the first round after he lost 3-0 to Kurt Lingveldt of South Africa. Diteemane are expected home on Monday.
