Vale Christine Young

Table Tennis Australia (TTA) would like to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Christine Young, who sadly passed away on Christmas Eve 2021 at the age of 63 years old.

She had been diagnosed with the early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease in May 2010, at the age of 51, and had been admitted to an aged care facility in March 2016, at the age of 57. Christine had an outstanding record in junior table tennis events in Western Australia, including winning the four consecutive State Junior Girls’ Singles Championship (1973 - 1976 inclusive). In national junior events, she was competitive and may, possibly, have won some national titles had not her junior career substantially overlapped that of Leanne Morrow, who was a once in a generation player.

At senior table tennis events in Western Australia, Young’s record was even more outstanding than her junior record. She won a record nine State Open Women’s Singles Championships (six of those consecutively between 1974 to 1979 inclusive), together with eight State Open Women’s Doubles Championships and seven State Open Mixed Doubles Championships.

In 1980, Young was ranked no. 10 in the Australian Women’s Rankings. She moved to Melbourne in the latter part of 1981 and played in table tennis competitions in Victoria from 1982 to 1990 inclusive, during which period she was ranked within the top 10 women in the State for seven years – her highest ranking was no. 4 in 1985 and no. 5 in 1983. With Wendy Hughes, she won the Victorian Open Women’s Doubles Championship in 1983 and 1985.

In national senior events, Young and Hughes won the Australian Open Women’s Doubles Championship in 1984 and the Australian Closed Women’s Doubles Championship in 1989. Additionally, Christine was a member of the Victorian Women’s Team which won the Australian Women’s Teams Event (the Ron Jones Shield) in 1985. In 2000, Christine was awarded an Australian Sports Medal for her contribution to table tennis.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Christine’s personal life was linked to table tennis up to and including her early adulthood. In the latter part of the 1970s, she was in a relationship with Tony Masel, a contemporary of hers, who won even more State Junior Singles Championships (6) than Young, although not as many State Open Singles Championships (3).

When Young moved to Melbourne, she began a relationship with Bob Tuckett, who more recently (in 2020) was inducted into the “Athletes – Open” category of TTA’s Hall of Fame, joining 16 other athletes (male and female), all of whom undoubtedly belong in the pantheon of Australia’s greatest players. In September 1986, Christine and Bob had a daughter Shannon. Their relationship ended in 1989 and Christine returned to Western Australia with Shannon at about the end of 1990.

Christine is survived by her daughter Shannon, her granddaughter Ellie, Shannon’s partner Thibault, Christine’s elder sister Janet and her brother-in-law John.