PUNE: India’s top-ranked paddler Harmeet Desai and World Championships medallist Alvaro Robles powered Goa Challengers to IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis Season 4 title on Sunday after beating defending champions Chennai Lions 8-7 at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge-Balewadi in Pune.
It was the maiden title for the Goa franchise, which took home the sparkling trophy and Rs 75 lakh, whereas the runners-up were awarded Rs 50 lakh for their brilliant performance in the season.
The franchise-based league is promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
India’s top-ranked men’s singles paddler Harmeet Desai defeated Benedikt Duda by 2-1, giving Goa Challengers a perfect start in the tie.
World No. 32 Duda, who was undefeated in the league so far, began the match on a high and showcased his strength with ferocious shots on both flanks. He won the first game 11-6 before Harmeet Desai made a remarkable comeback and pocketed the second game 11-4 to force the match into the decider.
The thrilling third game saw a seesaw battle between both the paddlers as they were immaculate with their touches and fought for every point. In the end, Harmeet held his nerve to win the game 11-8 and clinch the match.
Yangzi Liu, the first female paddler to score more than 200 points in the league, continued her unbeaten run in Season 4 and defeated Suthasini Sawettabut 2-1 to bring the Chennai Lions franchise back into the tie.
In the third match (Mixed Doubles), Achanta Sharath Kamal and Yangzi defeated Harmeet and Suthasini 2-1 as Chennai Lions took a 5-4 lead in the tie.
