Basingstoke duo Patel and Randall are table tennis national champions 

Both were competing in singles and doubles events at the Mark Bates Ltd Cadet in under-17 and junior national championships, organised by Table Tennis England. 

Patel scooped the junior girls’ singles title for the second year in succession, though she did it the hard way with a string of tough matches. 

Having safely got through the group stage, the defence of her title started in earnest when she beat Mia Lakhani in the last 16.

Her opponent battled back from 2-0 down to level, before Patel sealed a 3-2 (11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 11-5) victory.

Anaya Patel in action (Image: Michael Loveder)

Second-seed Patel then beat fifth seed Maliha Baig in a remarkable quarter-final. That also went to a deciding set, which Patel trailed 5-1. A run of points saw her lead 10-5, but her opponent hit back to level at 10-10. Patel finally took her next match point chance to complete a 3-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10) win. 

It was also 3-2 in the semi-finals as Patel beat third seed Scarlett Anders (11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3), and the defence was complete with a less stressful 3-1 (3-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6) win over sixth seed Erin Green. 

Patel, 19, said: “It was quite stressful, but when you’re playing the match you take each point as it comes and don’t focus too much on the score. 

“Last year’s experience of winning helped me a little, but obviously it’s different – you play different people and you never know what’s going to happen on the day. It feels great to win two in a row.” 

In the girls’ doubles, second seed Patel and Millie Rogove were beaten 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8) in the semi-finals by sisters Anna and Erin Green who went on to win the title. 

In the mixed doubles, Patel and Josh Bruce exited in the quarter-finals at the hands of Louis Price and Amy Marriott – it was another five-set match which ended 10-12, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8) in favour of the victors. 

Harry Randall, 15, from Chineham, won his title in the Cadet (under-15) boys’ doubles, alongside Max Radiven. 

They beat the top two pairs, winning 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-5) in the final against top seeds Ralph Pattison and Isaac Kingham, having won a tight semi-final against second seeds Kacper Piwowar and Abraham Sellado 3-2 (11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8). 

Harry Randall in action (Image: Michael Loveder)

Randall said: “It’s my first national title and it feels good. I was really happy to pull through in the final with Max, it’s a good partnership. We have good fun when we play, so that helps.” 

The partners met in the semi-finals of the cadet boys’ singles and it was Radiven who came out on top in four sets – he went on to win the silver medal, leaving Randall to settle for a bronze. 

In the under-17 singles, Randall made it through the group stage to the last 16, where he was beaten by the higher-ranked Krish Chotai.