Kevin Farley remained on course for double-crown glory after surviving a robust challenge from Aaron Barker when the quarter finals of the Barbados Table Tennis Association’s national championships were contested at the Table Tennis Centre, Nursery Drive, Thursday night.
Competing in the ‘A’ class tournament, Farley did not experience too many hiccups in overcoming Abbie ‘Playboy’ Clarke 11-7, 13-15, 11-4, 11-9 but it was intense, compelling action when the 25-year-old left-hander squared off against Barker in the Men’s Islandwide Open.
Barker took the first game 11-9 but Farley came storming back to level the set 1-1 with an 11-6 triumph in the second. Barker led 8-4 in the third but an unforced error by the tall right-hander and a crisp forehand drive by Farley brought the former Caribbean Champion back into contention at 6-8.
Barker then reeled off three unanswered points to take game three 11-6 and move ahead 2-1.
The early game four exchanges were won by Barker who led 3-1 but Farley restored the balance with the help of a ‘fluke’ and a serving error by Barker that levelled the score 3-3. Farley led for the first time 8-7 and never looked back as he took game four 11-8 to set up a dramatic fifth game decider.
 Farley opened a two-point lead at 7-5 but the battle was so close that the scores were tied at eight, nine ten, eleven and twelve.  Barker then played a back hand chop into the net and almost fittingly made a serving error to concede a close game to Farley who won the set, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 14-12.
Ann Reid advanced to the semis of the Women’s Islandwide Open with a win over Roseanne Butcher 11-5, 11-5, 11-7. Her semi final fixture matched her against Nicole Alleyne who downed Shelly-Ann Niles 11-7, 11-6, 11-8. Krystal Harvey beat Melanie Scantlebury 12-10, 11-2, 11-9 while Anthonette Riley took out Kim Reid 11-2, 11-2, 11-3. (PH)
