Photo by Marcel Vander Wier
NOSE FOR THE NET 鈥 Kevin Murphy serves during the men鈥檚 singles final of the Yukon Table Tennis Championships held Sunday at Ecole Whitehorse Elementary School.
Photo by Marcel Vander Wier
NOSE FOR THE NET 鈥 Kevin Murphy serves during the men鈥檚 singles final of the Yukon Table Tennis Championships held Sunday at Ecole Whitehorse Elementary School.
Following his game-winning point, Kevin Murphy threw his racket on the table and stared skyward.
Following his game-winning point, Kevin Murphy threw his racket on the table and stared skyward.
The 57-year-old downed defending champion Ryan Bachli in five sets Sunday to win the men鈥檚 singles title at the Yukon鈥圱able Tennis Championships. The victory was the 20th of Murphy鈥檚 storied career.
鈥淚 honestly didn鈥檛 think this would happen,鈥濃圡urphy said of his latest win.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been playing much in the way of singles all year because of a hip injury. ... I had no idea I would even win a match against Ryan.鈥
The scorelines reveal the game story as Murphy won 7-11, 2-11, 16-14, 11-7 and 11-5.
Up 2-0 in the best-of-five matchup and appearing to have the game in hand in the third set, the 23-year-old Bachli faltered.
鈥淢e and Kevin both haven鈥檛 been playing much all year,鈥 Bachli said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that I even got to the final. I鈥坵as just way too tired ... I couldn鈥檛 move around or anything.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 playing with long hair for the first time so it was poking me in the eyes and stuff.鈥
Bachli cruised to a 2-0 lead in the game, even tossing in a trick shot in the second match that saw his ball roll up the net and land softly on Murphy鈥檚 side of the table.
鈥淥h, you devil!鈥濃圡urphy exclaimed to Bachli, who himself was in disbelief at his luck.
The third match was a game-changer, however, with the two men exchanging blows until Murphy finally claimed it 16-14.
鈥淔rom the third game on, everything changed and things just started working for me and stopped working for him,鈥濃圡urphy told the Star post-game.
鈥淓ven after I won the fourth game, I thought well, now he鈥檚 going to turn up the juice.鈥
The longtime coach said in the third match, he was suddenly able to implement more sidespin on his serves and shot.
鈥淚 snuck back in and all of a sudden things started working my way. It鈥檚 sweet ... I鈥檓 at a loss for words to explain it.鈥
Murphy went on to win the fourth match 11-7 by outlasting his young counterpart through some difficult rallies then went on to beat Bachli 11-5 in the deciding fifth match.
Despite hip and knee injuries that limit his mobility, Murphy said he left it all on the table.
鈥淚鈥檒l probably pay for it tomorrow and maybe a few days further,鈥 he chuckled. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 like a switch going off and I鈥坱hink I鈥檓 five years younger and despite the limitations, you鈥檙e playing on some memories. The memories are not flawed at all.鈥
The annual title match that traditionally pits Murphy versus Bachli is a special one.
All eyes in the gymnasium at Ecole Whitehorse Elementary School turn towards centre stage as the territory鈥檚 two dominant players do battle.
While Murphy鈥檚 20th title win highlighted the championships, it wasn鈥檛 the only trophy awarded over the weekend.
In women鈥檚 play, Christina Nie downed Grace Anne Janssen in three sets for the singles title.
Janssen didn鈥檛 go home emptyhanded however, after teaming up with Mingmin Ming to win the women鈥檚 doubles competition.
Meanwhile, Taras Yurkiv and Daniel Li partnered to beat Murphy and Bachli for the men鈥檚 doubles title.
In junior play, Arcel Siosan took the boys singles crown, while figure skater turned table tennis player Kelcy Armstrong won the junior women鈥檚 category, after winning a tiebreaker with Janssen and Ashley Harris.
鈥 鈥 鈥
The 2015 Yukon Championships weren鈥檛 the only table tennis action of the weekend.
On Saturday, the local association hosted a school tournament in an effort to woo players to form a team for the 2016 Arctic Winter Games. Thirteen players attended.
Dawson City鈥檚 Ethan Gaw and Selkirk鈥檚 Ming Huang took the singles crowns, while Gaw and F.H.鈥圕ollins鈥 Thomas Brenner won the boys high school team event.
Christ the King鈥檚 Nathan Abel teamed up with Vanier鈥檚 Arcel Siosan to win the boys elementary title, while Huang and F.H. Collins鈥 Ashley Harris took the girls event.
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