DORSET’S Matt Ware won the English Closed tournament in Harlow and consequently qualified for the World Championships for the fourth year in a row.

Ping pong is a variation on table tennis with players using sandpaper bats rather than the rubber covered bats usually seen.

Ware was knocked out at the last 32 stage in 2017 but is looking to improve on that showing this year.

He is still ranked in the top 20 in England for table tennis, having been in the top 10 previously.

He is one of four Englishman that have qualified so far alongside current England number five, Andrew Baggaley, and top 20 veteran, Martin Gunn.

There is a ‘last-chance saloon’ tournament taking place on Thursday next week (25th) where other English, British and World players will be looking to take one of the remaining eight places available for the championships.

The 26-year-old ex-England international is head coach at the Dorset Table Tennis Academy based in Christchurch but travels to Weymouth every Monday afternoon to coach both Weymouth youngsters and Weymouth & District Table Tennis League players at All Saints School in Wyke.

The playing level of the league as a whole has improved as a result and Weymouth now has a number of youngsters playing tournaments around the country and representing Dorset at various age levels.

The World Championship of ping pong will be televised on Sky Sports over the weekend of January 27-28 and carries a total prize fund of $200,000 with $20,000 of that going to the winner.

A league spokesman said: "Everyone associated with the Weymouth & District Table Tennis League would like to wish Matt the very best of luck."