National titles elude Hussain

OLDHAM table tennis sensation Amir Hussain just missed out on two national titles at the weekend.

The 11-year-old, a pupil at Greenacres Primary School, was seeded second in the under-12 boys’ singles and fourth in the under-13 event at the age group National Championships in Sheffield.

And he reached both finals, only to fall at the last hurdle, beaten on each occasion by the top seed.

He lost 3-1 to Ethan Walsh in the under-13s (12-10, 9-11, 4-11, 8-11) and was beaten 3-2 by Jamie Liu in an under-12s thriller (11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 9-11, 10-12).

A disappointed Hussain, a member of the successful Glodwick club in the Oldham Table Tennis League, said: “I didn’t play that well.

“Against Ethan he had a better serve than me. I need to work on my backhand and forehand loop.”

Despite the double final loss, Hussain has still enjoyed a spectacular 2014-15 season.

Double-gold in the Primary Schools International Champion-ships was followed by under-11 boys’ success at the Schools’ National Table Tennis Championships.