Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Comprehensive successes were the order of proceedings on each visit to the table, four matches played, four straight games win.
Against DHFL Maharashtra United, she beat Pooja Sahasrabudhe (11-2, 11-4, 11-2), before accounting for Liu Jia (11-5, 11-5, 11-6). Impressive on the penultimate day of action, it was the same on the concluding day when facing Shazé Challengers.
Imposingly, she beat Mouma Das (11-6, 11-2, 11-3) and Han Ying (11-10, 11-4, 11-8).
“This was my first experience and I must say it has been very exciting and memorable for me. The League was so well organised and then winning the title as well as the Ultimate One and Most Valuable Player has been an experience I’ll always remember. I have had a great time with everyone in India and look forward to coming back soon,” Wu Yang
Wu Yang the mainstay of success but one player does not make a team.
There was major support from Liam Pitchford. In opposition to DHFL Maharashtra United he overcame Wong Chun Ting (11-9, 9-11, 11-4) and Harmeet Desai (11-6, 12-10, 11-7). The following day he experienced defeat at the hands of Andrej Gacina but did secure a vital game (11-3, 10-11, 11-7), prior to beating Soumyajit Ghosh (5-11, 12-10, 11-7).
Vital roles from Wu Yang and Liam Pitchford but the player to secure the title was Pär Gerell. He faced Li Ping in the eighth match of the fixture with Falcons leading 13-8, he lost the first game but then recovered to win the next (5-11, 11-9); the magical 14 points had been reached.
The previous day at the semi-final stage, Shazé Challengers had beaten Dabang Smashers 14-9; the mainstay of the victory being Han Ying. She had accounted for Madhurika Patkar (11-4, 11-6, 11-7), and Kim Song I (6-11, 11-9, 12-10).
A new initiative completed; alongside Wu Yang, Liam Pitchford, Sanil Shetty and Pär Gerell; it was celebration time for their team mates Lee Ho Ching and Sutirtha Mukherjee. The mission had been completed, the title belonged to Falcons.
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – First Series
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – Second Series
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – Third Series
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – Fourth Series
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – Fifth Series
Ultimate Table Tennis: Complete Results – Semi-Final & Final
Ultimate Table Tennis: Latest Updates as on Sunday 30th July
Format of Play
A fixture in Ultimate Table Tennis comprises nine matches, each match is three games; all three games are played. Each game is played to 11 points but should the score reach 10-10, the winner of the next point is declared the victor.
Each game won counts one point. Thus in each fixture there are 27 points at stake.
Overall eight players comprise a team, two men and two women from foreign associations; two men and two women from India. A fixture comprises four Men’s Singles matches, four Women’s Singles and one Mixed Doubles contest.
In each of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles matches, two contests involve foreign players confronting each other; two involve a foreign player facing an Indian opponent. No player may compete in two matches in any one fixture.
Following the conclusion of the fixtures on Thursday 27th July in Mumbai, the top four teams will enter the play-off stage, also held in Mumbai, to determine the name of the champions.
The semi-finals will be played on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th July with the final on Sunday 30th July.
Ultimate Table Tennis: The Teams (as on Saturday 15th July)
Ultimate Table Tennis: The Fixtures (Commence on Thursday 13th July)
Ultimate Table Tennis: Competition Format (as on Saturday 8th July)