A perfect nine for Garry Dodd (pictured)
Garry Dodd will take maximum points down to Jersey at the end of January for the climax of the annual CI Top 12 tournament, an event he has dominated in recent years. The current holder came through all nine rounds unscathed at the GTTA Centre last night, finishing off with a straight sets win over Alice Loveridge, his recent conqueror in the Whistlers Open. Given the depth of quality opposition, to win all nine was a big plus for Dodd, and he will be joined in the sister isle by Josh Butler, Alice Loveridge, Olly Langlois, Josh Stacey and, by the skin of his teeth, Paul Hainsworth. | The big and surprising loser was No. 3 seed Alex Robinson, the Green Trophy player suffering a horror evening and succession of defeats in a brief break from his university studies in Portsmouth. He ended the evening needing to beat Hainsworth to possibly go through on count-back, but he lost the decider. The second of the nine rounds was typical of the fare with three adjoining tables producing some stunning play and tight sets. Island champion Josh Butler had his hands full with Olly Langlois, who had chances to wrap up the victory, but was left frustrated as he | let winning positions slip. Next door Robinson was being taken the distance and ultimately losing to Liam Robilliard and one table down Lawrence Stacey was on the verge of taking Loveridge to a deciding fifth, but from 11-10 game point up lost three points in a row and with it the match. The final round featured the clash of the island's top two, Dodd and Loveridge, and while it failed to live up to the brilliance of their recent Whistlers Open final showdown, some of the rallies were of the highest order in CI terms. On this form Dodd's five-year reign as CI Top 12 champion looks secure. Report courtesy of The Guernsey Press Co |
