Ultimate Table Tennis: Bengaluru Smashers overcome Goa challenge to set up race for the playoffs

Commanding performance: Manika unleashed her fiery forehand in the game.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Seldom do the winning and the losing outfit in a sporting contest end up with smiles on their faces. Thanks to the unique format of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), the same was on display at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Tuesday night.

Bengaluru Smashers overcame Goa Challengers 9-6 in both the teams’ last league game. Smashers’ win means it has to rely on the outcome of the last league clash between U Mumba TT and Puneri Paltan TT to qualify for the semifinals. Goa Challengers, on the other hand, has been assured of a place in the last four.

Manika, Jeet stand out

Despite Goa’s joy, the night belonged to Bengaluru Smashers. While each one of the five Bengaluru paddlers who featured in the tie played their part, it was Manika Batra and Jeet Chandra who stood out. Manika displayed her command over T. Reeth Rishya after registering a clean sweep against her Hyderabad training partner.

Incidentally, Reeth’s husband – Sanil Shetty, the only Bengaluru Smashers player who didn’t feature in the tie – was cheering for Manika as she stretched the lead to 5-1 after Kirill Gerassimenko overcame southpaw Alvaro Robles in the opening tie.

When Manika and Gerassimenko lost the mixed doubles against Reeth and Harmeet Desai, Jeet produced a stunner against Harmeet. Having lost badly against Harmeet – India’s highest ranked paddler at No. 62 in Tuesday’s update – in a WTT event in Lagos last month, a bespectacled Jeet gave his team a ray of hope.

Riding high on his backhand topspins, Jeet, the World No. 237, surprised Harmeet. When Harmeet won the last game on the golden point, Goa knew that Suthasini Sawettabut had to win at least two games versus Natalia Bajor. And the Thai girl ranked No. 39 in the world, made a strong comeback against her Polish opponent in an entertaining duel dominated by rallies on both flanks.

The result: Goa Challengers lost to Bengaluru Smashers 6-9 (Alvaro Robles lost to Kirill Gerassimenko 11-3, 8-11, 5-11; T. Reeth Rishya lost to Manika Batra 5-11, 5-11, 7-11; Robles & Reeth bt Kirill & Manika 7-11, 11-8, 11-9; Harmeet Desai lost to Jeet Chandra 7-11, 7-11, 11-10, Suthasini Sawettabut bt Natalia Bajor 7-11, 11-5, 11-7).

Wednesday’s fixture: Chennai Lions vs Dabang Delhi TTC (7.30 p.m.).

The standings: Goa Challengers 36 points (5 ties); Chennai Lions 35 (4); Bengaluru Smashers 35 (5); Dabang Delhi TTC 33 (4); U Mumba TT 28 (4); Puneri Paltan TT 28 (4).