Shaquille Webb-Dixon will be back to defend his Men’s Open Singles title at the Sussex Senior 4* this weekend, but there will be a new Women’s Singles champion.

The event is sold out and some high-quality table tennis is expected as players return to the popular K2 venue in Crawley, with competitors coming from around the country to join a healthy local contingent.

Webb-Dixon (pictured above) is fifth seed and will be challenged for the title by father and son Lorestas and Larry Trumpauskas, who are respectively ranked No 3 and No 1, second seed Umair Mauthour and fourth seed Israel Awoloja.

With Ewelina Sychta missing this year, there will be a new Women’s champion crowned, and Patricia Ianau will be aiming to step up, having been a finalist last year. She is top seed, ahead of Jersey’s Hannah Silcock, Aleksandra Titievskaja, Alyssa Nguyen, Stuti Kashyap of the USA and Meige Wang.

Silcock and Larry Trumpauskas are the top seeds for the respective Under-21s titles. The restricted event has Umair Mauthoor in pole position for the title and Victor Shi Guang heads up the Veterans category, with Sussex Veteran Paul Carter carrying county hopes to challenge for that title.

Expect a strong showing from Fusion TTC, who had a great set of results last year, while Brighton TTC will also turn out in numbers and boast a number of young hopefuls – underlining how events such as this are important in the development of young players.

“We are expecting another top-class event,” said Dennis Hayden, the Chairman of Sussex TTA. “We look forward to welcoming players this weekend and are particularly pleased that so many of our young players have entered and are choosing to test themselves amongst a top-class field of players.”

Click below to see the event programme, including the draws for the group stages. The Banded events take place on Saturday, with Men’s Open Singles, Women’s Singles, Under-21, Restricted and Veteran categories on Sunday.

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