Brazilian ace Tales Yamamoto helps Forth Tay table tennis team to runners-up league finish

Yamamoto, 36, who works as a United Nations consultant and is originally from Brazil, won 11 of his 12 individual matches, losing just one, during the event from October to February which was held intermittently at venues in Perth, Largs and Saltcoats and finished on Sunday, February 4.

The table tennis ace told the Fife Free Press: "We had to enter in a low division because we were just starting out, but it was quite a decent level.

"We played seven matches as a team. And each person played two games in a match.

"We were pleased with the final result as only South Ayrshire 'A' finished above us.

"We drew with them but they ended up ahead of us by virtue of winning more matches during the season.

"The first two teams earned promotion so we will play in Division 3 - which will also have eight teams - next season.

"Getting to that level means we'll get more games that are fun to play. I think finishing mid-table would be good for us next season. The new campaign will start in October.”

The Forth Tay squad featuring Yamamoto also included Jim Wilson of Dalgety Bay, the team founder; ex-Scotland international player and World Championship and European Championship participant Sarah Kenhard; and Alastair Nunn, both of Dunfermline; and Dundee's Emma Riddoch, who didn't play in the final weekend as she was heavily pregnant with a child she's expecting next month.

Yamamoto moved to Scotland two years ago after marrying his English bride Laura, 34, an Edinburgh University researcher. The couple now stay in a flat in Kirkcaldy.

He added: "I started playing table tennis when I was quite young but then I stopped during my studies.

"Then I came back to playing more socially when I was living in Austria and in the Netherlands, where I was before I moved to Scotland.”

The Fife Table Tennis Club colleagues meet up for regular practice matches at Inverkeithing Civic Centre and in Coaltown of Wemyss.