Tomlinson, Watson for Florida TT Tourney

Three-time national champion Simon Tomlinson is on his way to Florida today to play the Broward County Table Tennis February Open. The tournament is part of Tomlinson's preparation for important assignments, including the Commonwealth Games in April. Tomlinson believes that the matches he will play in Miami this weekend will sharpen his skills.

Practice is going well, according to Tomlinson, who won the 2400-point rating category at the November Broward tournament.

"Next week we go to Miami, the week after we go to Cuba and then we have Commonwealth Games," he outlined, "so preparation-wise, I'm happy, and hopefully when Games time come around, I'll be even sharper than now."

The aggressive topspinner is quietly optimistic about his chances at the Commonwealth Games.

"If I'm focused and training is going well, I should be okay during the Games," he proposed. "Hopefully, I'll be able to do better than I did the last time", he posited about his 2014 Commonwealth accomplishment of reaching the last 64 in the men's singles.

Tomlinson, who is making the trip to Broward County with three-time national champion Kane Watson and Jamaica teammate Mark Richards, worked on his fitness by training with the MVP Track Club in December and January. He is very grateful for that opportunity.

"A huge thanks to Paul Francis and all the members of the MVP for allowing me to train with them," he said.

"From the physical standpoint, I'm a lot stronger than I was before," he evaluated, "and even though it's just training with them, just standing next to an Asafa Powell or a Nesta Carter or a Julian Forte, it's high intensity every day, so I feel like I'm even more prepared for Commonwealth than I was before."

H. L.