uper Mario Reloaded

Judging by a spate of impressive results, 3-time National Champion and veteran player Mario Saliba (shown in photo) is enjoying a new spring in his long playing career.

After a slow start in the ongoing Autumn League 1, he ralllied to cause a whole series of stumbles and tumbles amongst higher-rated players.

Another cataclasymic albeit indirect effect of his resurgence has been the elimination of six-time reigning National Champiopn David Delicata at the hands of Charles Micallef, to whom Saliba had handed the toughest possible semi-final pairing after beating him in the qualifying phase. 

Saliba then went on to triumph comfortably in his own semi-final, against Christine Strawbridge. 

While waiting to meet Micallef in a best-of-seven-games final, Mario has been busy jumping to victory, winning convincingly the first day of the Yearend 3-Day Tournament with 6 wins out of 7 and positioning himself for a top three finish thanks to a weighted final points tally of 69%.

It is true that class doesn't fade!

(penned & published by Nicky Vella Laurenti)