The Malta Table Tennis Association (MTTA) has just held its 57th National Championships which were played at the University Gym, Tal-Qroqq.

As usual, an encouraging entry was registered with the MTTA forced to increase the days of the tournament to cater for the added number of matches.

The contenders for the title were many with Maltese-Australian Edwin Cotter among the favourites along with talented youngsters Daniel Bajada, Daniel Vella Fondicaro and Matthew Micallef.

However, the likes of Claudio Tufigno, Mark Azzopardi, Mario Genovese and 2008 winner Edward Baldacchino, all experienced players, were never to be discarded.

In fact, Genovese reached the final after beating Tufigno and in the other semi-final Bajada, who had an encouraging debut in the Games of the Small States of Europe in Nicosia last month, had the better of Vella Fondicaro.

In the final, however, Genovese's experience prevailed as he beat Bajada 4-1 (11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6) to secure the honour.

Roll of honour

Men's singles: 1. Mario Genovese; 2. Daniel Bajada.

Ladies' singles: 1. Johanna Grech; 2. Nadia Bonett.

Plate event: 1. Andrea Portelli; 2. Matthew Grech.

Doubles: 1. E. Baldacchino/E. Cotter; 2. C. Tufigno/J. Grech.

Veterans event: 1. David Pace; 2. Leslie Bajada.