Warriors jump to third spot
The overseas contingent stamped its class to help Warriors TTC record a 14- 7 victory on points over Empowerji Challengers in the Ultimate Table Tennis play at Pune on Tuesday.
The Warriors, who were languishing at the bottom of the sixteam table, rocketed to third ( 20 points) with this victory and are now behind leaders Dabang Smashers ( 31 points) and RP- SG Mavericks ( 24 points). Challengers have slipped to the bottom with 15 points after the conclusion of the Pune leg. Maharashtra United are fourth ( 20 points) while defending champions Falcons TTC share the last spot with 15 points.
After Warriors’ Sreeja Akula lost the first woman’s singles to world no. 20 Lee Ho Ching 0- 3, the Warriors came back roaring with Aruna Quadri, Chih Huan Chuang, Sofia Polcanova and Hana Matelova winning their singles to wrest the lead. World no. 18 Sofia also partnered with captain Achanta Sharath Kamal to pocket the mixed doubles as Warriors won five matches and lost just two.
Indian players had an off day as Sreeja, Manav Thakkar ( Challengers) and Sharath Kamal faltered.
Nigeria’s Quadri downed the 18year- old Thakkar 3- 0 ( 11- 8, 11- 7, 11- 3) while the 19- year- old Sreeja was beaten by the Hong Kong player. Sharath Kamal came good in the mixed doubles but struggled to get going against world no. 40 Tiago Apolonia of Portugal 1- 2 ( 5- 11, 6- 11, 11- 6). The Indian veteran, however, gave something for the crowd to cheer by winning the third game with a 24shot rally.
World no. 15 Chih Yuan of Chinese Taipei defeated Challengers’ captain and world no. 12 Simon Gauzy 3- 0 ( 11- 7, 11- 6, 11- 8). Austrian Sofia then increased the team’s tally by upstaging Hungarian Georgina Pota 2- 1 ( 10- 11, 11- 4, 11- 2).
Matelova, of the Czech Republic, playing her first singles match this season, completed the Warriors’ dominance defeating Divya Deshpande 11- 8, 11- 7, 11- 9.
The event now shifts to Delhi’s Thyagraj Stadium where Smashers take on Mavericks in the first match. The last leg, including the semis and final, will be played in Kolkata’s Netaji Stadium from June 26.