Defending champions, Goa Challengers reaffirmed their dominance in an electrifying Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.
Strong performances from Harmeet Desai and Yangzi Liu, Goa played better throughout the match as they won back-to-back matches, eventually retaining the Champions League title and settling their place as the top side in league stage accommodations.
The Goa Challengers began the game with a clear idea of how to strategize and executed it perfectly, which left Delhi players in their shadows.
Key Players:
Player |
Performance |
Harmeet Desai |
Won against Sathiyan Gnanasekaran with a great comeback |
Yangzi Liu |
Dominated women’s singles against Orawan Paranang |
Mihai Bobocica |
Defeated Andreas Levenko to secure the title |
Indian star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran registered an opening game win in the men’s singles to give a positive start for Dabang Delhi.
Still, Goa took charge of the tie from thereon.
Their tactical flexibility and intelligent strategy to play around the strengths of Delhi were one of many factors leading them to victory.
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Harmeet Desai & Yangzi Liu Steal the Show
- Harmeet Desai: Came back from an early loss, winning 9-11, 11-6.
- Yangzi Liu: Defeated Paranang in straight games 11-2, 11-10, 11-9.
- Mixed Doubles: Liu & Desai beat Sathiyan/Paranang 2-1.
Image Credit: NDTV
One of the most dedicated players, Harmeet Desai, performed well for the Goa Challengers.
Desai struggled early on against a vocal home crowd and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran but soon found his groove.
In the first game, after losing 6-11, Desai returned strongly and outwitted his opponent, taking away the next two games 9-11 and following it up with an even better performance, winning the third game at a comfortable score of 11-6.
He showed great control, like just pinpointing Sathiyan’s backhand, and that is a known trait, having played against each other since they were kids.
Among the screaming fans, Desai produced several of his signature shots — one where he arched back and shifted weight onto his left leg while playing a forehand topspin with pinpoint precision that may have brought gasps that sounded like notes from two years ago when India struck a goal versus China in table tennis as well defeating Xiang Peng at WTT Contender quarterfinals here.
Yangzi Liu was also impressive on the big stage, putting in a great shift against Orawan Paranang.
Liu was equally dominant and succeeded against the Thai paddler who had inflicted on her a solitary defeat in an otherwise perfect competition season.
Liu cruised through in straight games, 11-2, 11-10, and 11-9, to reaffirm her domination of the women’s singles division.
Despite the excitement of celebrating her 28th birthday, Paranang was on the wrong side of an aggressive play from Liu, and she struggled to replicate the performance in earlier rounds.
Liu partnered with Desai for the mixed doubles, and they played Sathiyan/Paranang. Delhi put up a good show, but the Goa pair was too strong as they won the match 2-1 where.
Liu made it count with his finesse forehand chop block onto the table and added one more point for the Challengers.
Goa Challengers Outclassed Dabang Delhi to Win the Title
Mihai Bobocica met Andreas Levenko in the last encounter of the day and that was just a walkover for the Challengers.
With it all to do in the fifth game, Bobocica – fondly called “Italian stallion” here defeated his opponent quickly 11-7 and established Goa’s domination.
This made Goa Challengers seal their 8-2 triumph over Dabang Delhi and, thereby, back-to-back UTT titles.
More than just Desai and Liu being great players, this win was about a team that has depth like few in history—depth coming complete with plans B through F.
The move to change their lineup from the last time they played Dabang Delhi with Desai leading off instead of Bobocica paid dividends and shows how adaptable they are.
With the victory, Goa Challengers are now in a league of their being where they became the only side to successfully defend their title since Ultimate Table Tennis was introduced – and what way better could it be than winning on home ground!
The infectiousness of Team India’s relentless high standard in competitiveness over the season caught on to set a new norm across cricket-dom, and their celebration with hordes thronging at Chepauk was as fitting an endnote as one could hope for.
The loss was a bitter one for Dabang Delhi, given the way it started.
Though this was a demoralising step back, it provided promising resolve that is now to be the foundation where they continue building future seasons.
By retaining their crown it remains obvious for the Goa Challengers to celebrate as champions and stir up rivalries.
The Goa Challengers, who currently have the Combination of Harmeet Desai and Yangzi Liu among them, look very impressive now as far as the future is considered from both GCA’s point of view and The Ultimate table tennis league.
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References
sportstar.thehindu.com/