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Evangeline Collier

The event started on the first day with the team playing 2 group matches against Belgium and a German team which were both won 4-0 to put them top of the group.

On the second day the team were put into another group with the winners and a second place from other groups on day one. The two teams were both from Poland and once again Grantham Kings won both there matches 4-0 and 3-1 which once again put them top of the group and so placed them in the semi finals to be played on the last day of competition.

The semi final put Grantham kings up against a team from Holland. The other semi final was Poland 1 against Belgium 1 to Granthams kings advantage. The team from Holland had to be scratched from the competition as they had to go back and play in the Dutch National championships. This gave Grantham kings a 4-0 walkover.

In the other semi final Poland and Belgium fought out a close match which went to a decider after a 2-2 draw, so the match was decided by a game of doubles which the Belgium team won 3-2.

In the girls’ team final against the No. 1 seeds, West Vlaanderen from Belgium, Emma provided the Grantham Kings with the perfect start with a 3-0 win against Wendel Depuydt to put them 1-0 ahead. Evie made it 2-0 and then gave a Captain’s performance to close out the match against the No. 1 seed in the singles with a fine 3-2 victory to cap a wonderful tournament for the girls. With Evangeline unbeaten in the whole tournament.

In the singles Evangeline had a tough draw in the singles with the No. 1 seed in her group, which saw her finish third putting her into one of two mini qualifying tournaments against other third and fourth places and group winners from the lower girls division. Evie won through, returning her to the main draw slightly drained after the extra matches in the heat. The hall was very hot as the sun shone outside. she lost in the quarter final to a German player who was to finish runner up.

Evangeline has won her first major honour aboard and showed great determination and will to win in all her matches

Even better news was to come with Evangeline being signed up by Belgium League Team Diest to play in the Belgium Table Tennis league next season which means she will travel to Belgium over 16 weekends during the season.

Next up for Evangeline is representing  England in Gurnsey on the 22/24 June at the International schools tournament.