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UTT Debutants Kolkata Thunder Blades Pull Off Thrilling 8-7 Win Over Chennai Lions
The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league has kicked off, and what a start it has been! The Kolkata Thunder Blades, making their debut in the tournament, have already made a statement by defeating former champions Chennai Lions 8-7 in a nail-biting match. The question on everyone’s mind is: was it beginner’s luck or a well-planned strategic move that led to this stunning win?
As the Thunder Blades’ paddlers, clad in their sleek baby blue kits, took to the EKA Arena, the atmosphere was electric. Approximately 300 spectators, including team owners Ketan Jain and Rajat Kumar, cheered loudly to the beats of the dhol arranged by team director Anshul Garg. The energy in the room was palpable, and the players were ready to give it their all.
The Kolkata franchise had a trump card in the form of World No. 25 Quadri Aruna of Nigeria, a four-time Olympian. However, in a surprise move, they chose to field Ankur Bhattacharjee for the opening men’s singles. And what a decision it proved to be! Ankur, the find of Season 5, was on fire, sweeping World No. 55 Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan to give his team the perfect start.
Ankur’s style of play and celebrations were on full display as he won 18 points on serve, compared to Gerassimenko’s 13. His innovative celebrations, which included pointing to his head, the back of his paddle, and even his wristwatch, left the crowd in stitches. It was clear that Ankur was determined to make a statement, and he did just that.
However, Chennai Lions were not ready to give up yet. With her side needing a comeback, Fan Siqi justified Sharath Kamal’s and Chennai Lions’ decision to break the bank for her at the auction. The World No. 36 Chinese star, who was the first Chinese player to feature in UTT since the inaugural season in 2017, took on Selena Selvakumar in the opener. Fan played with a cautious approach, not looking to impart too much spin on the ball, and it allowed Selena to make some inroads. However, Fan’s experience and skill ultimately paid off as she won the match.
The mixed doubles match saw Ankur and Adriana Diaz, the Puerto Rican star returning to UTT after her debut appearance with Delhi in 2018, take on Fan and Payas Jain. Although they lost the match, they managed to clinch the third game, which proved to be the difference.
UTH Debutants Make a Statement
In the second men’s singles, Payas Jain initially struggled to keep up with Aruna’s racquet speed. The Nigerian’s massive forehand and prolonged follow-through proved to be a challenge for the young Indian. However, Payas found his footing in the second game, using half-long serves to counter Aruna’s tendency to swing big early into the rally.
The match was neck and neck, with both teams giving it their all. In the end, it was Adriana Diaz who dashed Poymantee Baisya’s hopes of a miracle, winning the decider and securing the win for Kolkata Thunder Blades.
Other Matches
In the second match of the day, U Mumba triumphed over Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5. The match saw some exciting performances, with Lilian Bardet, Yashaswini Ghorpade, and Bernadette Szocs winning their respective matches.
Results
- Kolkata Thunder Blades 8-7 Chennai Lions
- Ankur Bhattacharjee bt. Kirill Gerassimenko 3-0 (11-4, 11-10, 11-7)
- Selena Selvakumar lost 0-3 (8-11, 10-11, 6-11) to Fan Siqi
- Ankur Bhattacharjee / Adriana Diaz lost 1-2 (6-11, 4-11, 11-8) to Payas Jain/Fan Siqi
- Quadri Aruna bt. Payas Jain 2-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-9)
- Adriana Diaz bt. Poymantee Baisya 2-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-6)
- U Mumba 10-5 Ahmedabad SG Pipers
- Lilian Bardet bt. Snehit Suravajjula 2-1 (11-4, 11-9, 4-11)
- Yashaswini Ghorpade bt. Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1 (8-11, 11-7, 11-4)
- Akash Pal/Bernadette Szocs bt. Ricardo Walther/Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1 (11-4, 10-11, 11-6)
- Akash Pal lost 1-2 (11-8, 6-11, 5-11) to Ricardo Walther
- Bernadette Szocs bt. Giorgia Piccolin 3-0 (11-4,11-10, 11-9)
The UTT league is heating up, and it’s going to be an exciting few weeks of table tennis action. Will the Kolkata Thunder Blades continue their winning streak, or will other teams catch up? Stay tuned to find out!
Content originally published by sportstar.thehindu.com
