Manika Batra and G Sathiyan guided Dabang Smashers to the Ultimate Table Tennis title with a 11-7 win over Falcons TTC in the final on Sunday night in Kolkata.
Riding on a brilliant start that saw the Smashers jump to a 7-2 lead after just three matches, captain Sathiyan recorded a thumping 2-1 victory over Alvaro Robles to bring the contest to a premature end.
Sathiyan won the first set and led 5-0 in the second. But Spain’s Robles pulled back to level at 1-1. World No. 44 Sathiyan, however, had the last laugh, winning the third and the crucial 11th game point to seal the victory for the Smashers.
Earlier, 23-year-old Manika led the charge, defeating world No. 30 Matilda Ekholm 3-0 (11-8, 11-10, 11-9). The 2018 Commonwealth Games double-gold medallist dominated her Swedish opponent, claiming points with a series of blistering smashes.
Manika picked up the Indian player of the league award for her outstanding performance through the season. She won 5 matches and lost 2.
World No. 27 Yoshida Masaki extended Smashers lead with a 2-1 victory over Sanil Shetty. Masaki exhibited great technique and control to claim the first two sets 11-8, 11-8. But Shetty went back for broke and claimed the last set to clinch a vital point.
Sathiyan and Sakura Mori promptly paired up to pick two more points, getting the better of Sanil Shetty and Bernadette Szocs in the mixed doubles clash.
Falcons’ captain and last year’s MVP Liam Pitchford brought his side back to life, beating Belgium’s Cedric Nuytinck 2-1 in an exhilarating contest. He, however, yielded a vital point, losing the second set 5-11 which proved critical in the end.
Romania’s Szocs, then, overcame young Adriana Diaz to narrow the lead. But the 17-year-old Puerto Rican also pulled one point in the third set to prepare the stage for Sathiyan.
Results
DABANG SMASHERS BEAT FALCONS 11-7
Women’s singles: Manika Batra beat Matilda Ekholm 3-0 (11-8, 11-10, 11-9)
Men’s singles: Yoshida Masaki beat Sanil Shetty 2-1 (11-8, 11-8, 10-11)
Mixed doubles: G Sathiyan/Sakura Mori beat Sanil Shetty/Bernadette Szocs 2-1 (11-6, 11-7, 3-11)
Men’s singles: Cedric Nuytinck (Bel) lost Liam Pitchford (Eng) 1-2 (8-11, 11-5, 7-11)
Women’s singles: Adriana Diaz (Pue) lost to Bernadette Szocs 1-2 (5-11, 9-11, 11-6)
Men’s singles: G Sathiyan beat Alvaro Robles 2-1 (11-6, 9-11, 11-8)
Women’s singles: Sakura Mori v Sutirtha Mukherjee (did not play)
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