RAMSBOTTOM table tennis star Andrea Holt has clinched the English Open Championship for the fourth time.

The 32-year-old proved she's still top of the tree in her chosen sport with a convincing 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton's Helen Lower in the final at Ponds Forge Leisure Centre, Sheffield last weekend.

It's a superb achievement for Andrea whose last success in the national tournament was back in 1995.

Her victory marks another milestone in a career that has seen her reach the Barcelona Olympics, five Commonwealth Games and brought her silverware by the score since her days as a junior champion.

Seeded seven on a 'dummy ranking' that judges players on points picked up over the previous year, Andrea was still favourite to take the title in the eyes of a lot of pundits and she was delighted to prove them right.

Receiving a bye in the first round her first competitive action was against Yorkshire's Nicola White who she defeated 4-0 in round two.

Round three brought her up against another local girl in Bury's Lindsey Thornton who did superbly to defeat number one seed and reigning champion Nicola Deaton in the previous round.

However, it was Andrea who won the day with a 4-1 triumph setting up a semi-final against Surrey's Joanne Parker, seeded fourth.

Parker was also put to the sword in convincing 4-0 fashion leaving third seed Lower standing between Andrea and her fourth title.

"Although I won 4-0 in the final all the games were competitive," explained Andrea. "It went 13-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 so they were all pretty close."

But the modest champion -- who is now a much sought-after coach -- has been quick to point out that standards in the game aren't as high as when she was England number one several years ago.

And she has forthright views on why the game is suffering pointing to a national coaching system that isn't producing the goods.

"Standards are nowhere near as high as when I was best in the country," declared Andrea.

"The England number one is now ranked about 200 but several years ago when myself, Lisa Lomas and Alison Gordon were one, two and three we were all in the world's top fifty.

"I don't really agree with the system that is in place at present and I think that has a lot to do with it.

"There is a national centre in Nottingham where a group of players are selected and are taken there full time.

"But part-time players such as myself and Lindsey (Thornton) are taking these players on and beating them.

"It would be better to go back to the regional centres of excellence we used to have and have a national training camp once a month where everyone gets together.

"Youngsters can go to school and train at home as they used to do and still play in tournaments. It's a lot to ask them to leave home and their family and friends."

For someone who knows the table tennis game inside out those views ought to be taken on board by the powers that be.

And it's probably no surprise that England performance director Steen Hansen has approached Andrea with a view to her joining the national coaching team.

Anyone interested in receiving table tennis coaching from Andrea should contact her on 01706 825197.