After a year hiatus, the return of the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships was a welcome one. Missing out on so much through lockdowns and restrictions was worsened by not being able to celebrate the best that Table Tennis in England has to offer. With the added downside of not getting to talk to all the players, families and supporters that make the nationals long weekend so special.
Thankfully, 2022 was back with a bang. With a new layout, more activities in the fan zone and much more enjoyment had by all. The Mark Bates Ltd National championships always showcases the best players, but also gives us valuable time speaking to a wide range of people. It’s great to meet so many of our customers who already have policies with us, and engage with people that have not heard of us before. With each and, every person who learns about our policies, there is the potential for us to support Table Tennis in England even more.
Mark, his family and many of our team attended the whole weekend to take in all the matches. Mark is always a popular figure from his time playing and coaching some players who are now at the peak of their game. Presenting the National Men’s title to Tom Jarvis was a particularly proud moment for him because he played in Marks club in Grantham right at the start of his table tennis journey.
Maria Tsaptsinos (pictured above) managed to complete an historic treble by convincingly beating Tin-Tin Ho in the ladies singles final. Having already taken the mixed doubles alongside fellow men’s finalist Sam Walker, and the ladies doubles with Tin-Tin. Nothing can be taken away from Tin-Tin Ho, who with the ladies doubles title celebrated her 50th National title!
The weekend is made even more special by being able to take in excellent table tennis at all levels. With two halls packed full of tables, it's impossible to not appreciate the talent on display. We are immensely proud to be the sponsor of an event that means so much, not just to us as an organisation, but also the thousands of people that take part.