Five Questions
Chris Doran
Chris Doran is currently ranked number 6 in England having recently overtaken Darius Knight. This climb in the rankings comes from a very good start to his club season and his outstanding performances in the England Grand Prix. He has already won two of the three competitions this year and we managed to catch up with him before the Bristol GP 2014.
1. You go into this Grand Prix with two wins so far, how confident are you going into this one?
I feel comfortable with my game at the moment, have a good set up training at Nottingham between the two universities Monday and Tuesday and then Mike O’Driscoll normally once a week as well so feel like I have a decent set up at the moment.
2. Ryan Jenkins coming back on to the scene will provide you with a still test, who else can challenge this time around?
I think as it stands at the moment certainly Ryan, Gavin Rumgay and myself are the favourites when we enter the grand prixs at the moment And would expect the final to feature 2 of the above but players like Mat Ware and Mike O’Driscoll are particularly dangerous, and congratulations to Tom Maynard for winning his first Grand prix.
3. How have you been doing at club level this season?
At club level Sycamore have done extremely well currently sitting top on games ratio from Ormsby in the British premier league. Personally I’m top of the averages with 16 out of 16 and am very pleased to have beaten players of the calibre of Darius Knight, Enio Mendes.
4. Your recent performances on the GP circuit this season has been impressive but so have those in and around the England team, has English Table Tennis turned a new corner this season? What has this been down to?
Well I think English table tennis is in a very healthy place right particularly on the men’s side, with 2 world class players in Liam Pitchford and Paul Drinkhall, as well good solid players from 3 to 8 on the men’s side so think we have a good stable base of predominantly younger players, also most of our top players are based abroad which is definitely needed if we want to push on and reach the next level.
5. Finally how do you find Bristol as a City? Have you been down to the West Country much before?
Parents spent a week there in the summer and said how much they enjoyed themselves and how impressed they were with the rejuvenated docks and attended a concert as well as enjoying the architecture from a 12th century church which unfortunately they cant remember the name of!
Unfortunately I only really know the area from the grand prix but must say its one of the best venues on the circuit and great conditions!
