SIMON Tomlinson and Yvonne Foster captured the men’s and women’s open singles titles, respectively, at the three-day 2017 National Table Tennis Championships that ended at G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sport in Spanish Town, St Catherine on Sunday.

Tomlinson, who was the men’s defending champion and seeded at number one in the draw, defeated second seed and 2014 champion Kane Watson 4-1 in the finals. It was also Tomlinson’s third-consecutive win Watson in as many finals.

Meanwhile, eight-time women’s singles champion and number one-seeded Yvonne Foster captured her ninth hold when she defeated second-seeded Onika Francis 4-1 in the finals.

The men’s final had promised to be the highlight of the championships with both players entering the finale unbeaten, but it did not live up to expectations as Tomlinson proved too good for Watson.

Tomlinson, after a close first set, prevailed 11-7 before rushing through the second and third sets 11-3 and 11-3 for a 3-0 lead. Watson needed to win the fourth set to have an outside chance of pushing Tomlinson on the defensive. However, he produced a much better display and won 11-5 to extend the contest.

The three-time men’s singles champion then won the fifth set 11-7 and thus the match 4-1.

In the women’s final it was evenly contested in the first two sets, which was won by Foster 11-8 and 11-7, before her opponent fought back strongly in the third set to win 11-5.

Tomlinson just managed to get the better of Francis to win the fourth set 11-9, then the fifth set 11-7 to clinch the championship title 4-1.

In the rural men’s singles final, Rajni Brown of Portland defeated Rudolph Sinclair of Pembroke Hall 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9, while the rural women’s singles final was won by Davrian Lewis, who defeated Onika Francis 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4.

The men’s open doubles was won by the pair of Samuel Lamount and Rajni Brown of Portland, who defeated the pair of Curtis Duhaney and Brya McDrowder of Portland 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.

Matthew-Ann Dawson and Selesha Young of Greater Portmore Table Tennis Club won by default over the pair of Julita Daxter and Maxline Knuckle, also of Greater Portmore TT Club, as a result of problems with their rackets.

The mixed doubles title was won by the pair of Simon Tomlinson of Barbican TT Club and Selesha Young of Greater Portmore, who defeated the pair of Brown and Brittney Murray of Portmore TT Club 6-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-7, and 11-5.