Tension, every game counts

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

Tension; nerves were frayed especially in the contest between Dabang Smashers and Maharashtra United.

Dabang Smashers trailed 8-10, as Adriana Diaz faced Madhurika Patkar in the concluding match. The scenario was simple, the 17 year old from Puerto Rico had to win three-nil to secure victory for her team; she won the first two games comfortably but then in third trailed 1-7, before eventually levelling matters at 8-all and succeeding 11-9.

Rarely, if ever, has such a three games to nil win (11-5, 11-6, 11-9) been secured in such a dramatic fashion. Led by Manika Batra, colleagues Cédric Nuytinck, Masaki Yoshida, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Sakura Mori leapt over the surrounds to congratulate the teenager as she sunk to her knees, tension oozing from every limb.

Earlier, Manika Batra had lost to Elizabeta Samara (8-11, 11-9, 10-11), Masaki Yoshida had been beaten by Amalraj Anthony (11-4, 11-8, 7-11) but importantly each had collected one game in defeat; those games were to prove priceless.

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Sakura Mori reversed the trend by beating Amalraj Anthony and Lily Zhang (7-11, 11-5, 11-8), before Cédric Nuythink defeated João Monteiro (7-11, 11-8, 11-4) and Sakura Mori overcame Lily Zhang (7-11, 11-8, 11-6) to give Dabang Smashers an 8-7 lead. However, in the very next match Kristian Karlsson accounted for Sathiyan Gnanasekaran three-nil (11-8, 11-5, 11-8). Maharashtra United needed just one more game, it never accrued; Adriana Diaz had other ideas.

Meanwhile, in the contest between Falcons and RP-SG Mavericks, it was a similar situation; in the seventh and concluding contest Matilda Ekholm had to beat Ayhika Mukherjee by the three games to nil to secure a Falcons win. In rather less dramatic circumstances than those experienced for Adriana Diaz, she prevailed (11-4, 11-3, 11-4).

Notably it was the only three-nil result in the whole tie.

Sabine Winter gave RP-SG Mavericks a winning start, she recorded a two-one win against Sutirtha Mukherjee (11-8, 11-8, 9-11); in a similar vein Harmeet Desai accounted Alvaro Robles (11-6, 11-10, 6-11) to secure a four-two RP-SG Mavericks lead.

Falcons trailing, they won the next match. Sanil Shetty and Bernadette Szocs beat Harmeet Desai and Doo Hoi Kem (11-10, 11-9, 9-11), before Liam Pitchford experienced his one and only defeat of the whole campaign. The Falcons player suffered a two-one defeat at the hand of Mattias Karlsson (10-11, 11-9, 11-10).

RP-SG Mavericks held a two point lead, it was reduced to one point by Bernadette Szocs who beat Doo Hoi Kem (11-8, 11-5, 7-11) but then was increased to two points as Kou Lei accounted for Sanil Shetty (11-8, 11-5, 7-11).

Notably the first six matches had all been resolved by two games to one; even more relevant was the fact that in five of those contests, the one game won was the third, after the first two had been lost.

A three games win to take Falcons to the final was mandatory, Matilda Ekholm duly delivered.

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Latest News

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Thursday 14th June – Falcons TTC v Maharashtra United

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Friday 15th June – RP-SG Mavericks v Empowerji Challengers

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Saturday 16th June – Dabang Smashers TTC v Warriors TTC

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Sunday 17th June – RP-SG Mavericks v Maharashtra United

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Monday 18th June – Dabang Smashers TTC v Falcons TTC

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Tuesday 19th June – Warriors TTC v Empowerji Challengers

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Wednesday 20th June – Dabang Smashers v RP-SG Mavericks

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Thursday 21st June – Empowerji Challengers v Maharashtra United

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Friday 22nd June – Warriors TTC v Falcons TTC

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis: Saturday 23rd June – Maharashtra United v Dabang Smashers