Ledesma tops table tennis elims

MANILA, Philippines - Ting Ledesma flashed top form and swept all seven matches to top the national selection in the third Philippine National Open Inter-Scholastic Table Tennis Championship at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City recently.

The 38-year-old Ledesma, who has represented the country in various tournaments abroad, dominated all his rivals in the singles to gain the No. 1 spot in the national men’s team backed by the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines.

“They (opponents) really fought hard but the good thing was I connected most of my shots,” said Ledesma, a member of the Filipino-Chinese Table Tennis Association club.

Ledesma, also the president of Metro Table Tennis Association, beat fellow national player Rodel Valle, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7, in his last match to likewise qualify for the 2010 Southeast Asian Table Tennis Association Championship next month.

He also defeated Leo de Leon (11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8); Andrew Timson (11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8); Marco de Jesus (11-8, 11-6, 11-6); Jojo Almazan (11-9, 11-7, 11-8); Philip Uy (11-6, 11-2, 12-10) and won by default over the injured Michael Dalumpines.

Joining Ledesma in the team are Jojo Almazan and Valle and seeded players Ernesto Ebuen III and Richard Gonzales.