With a chance to go top of the table, Dempo Goa Challengers delivered a commanding 12-3 winthe joint-biggest margin in the leagueover Stanley’s Chennai Lions in their final league stage tie of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6.
Krittwika Sinha Roy sealed the statement victory by defeating China’s Fan Siqi, the league’s highest-valued auction pick, 2-1 in their singles clash. All ties this season are broadcast live on Star Sports Khel and Star Sports 2 Tamil, and streamed on JioHotstar.
The result ensured Goa leapfrogged the competition into pole position with 44 points on the board, while Chennai, still winless, were left three points adrift of the playoff spots with no more ties to play.Captain Harmeet Desai was once again at the forefront for Dempo Goa Challengers, brushing aside Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko in straight games before partnering Zeng Jian to take the mixed doubles 2-1.
Zeng, meanwhile, maintained her flawless singles record with a 3-0 win over Poymantee Baisya, extending her game-win count to 14 out of 15 in the league. Brazil’s Vitor Ishiy, a two-time Olympian and Pan-American gold medallist, made his IndianOil UTT debut for Goa in place of the injured Tiago Apolonia and made it count with a gutsy singles win over Payas Jain.
Ishiy, currently ranked World No. 47, became the first Brazilian to feature in the league and showed his class with a composed 2-1 comeback victory, with two back-to-back clutch 11-9 game wins. The tie wrapped with a marquee clash between Fan and Krittwika.
After dropping the first game, Krittwika showed nerves of steel, fighting back to win the next two and hand Fan her second loss of the season. Harmeet and Zeng picked up the Indian and the Foreign Player of the Tie awards, respectively. Payas’s cross-court forehand hit in his singles match against Ishiy made him the Shot of the Tie recipient.
Final Scores:
Dempo Goa Challengers 12-3 Stanley’s Chennai Lions
Harmeet Desai bt. Kirill Gerassimenko 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
Zeng Jian bt. Poymantee Baisya 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-10)
Harmeet Desai/Zeng Jian bt. Kirill Gerassimenko/Poymantee Baisya 2-1 (11-2, 10-11, 11-5)
Vitor Ishiy bt. Payas Jain 2-1 (7-11, 11-9, 11-9)
Krittwika Sinha Roy bt. Fan Siqi 2-1 (8-11, 11-9, 11-9)