Meshref's injury derails Jaguars as Challengers prove too hot to handle
But during the warm-ups, Dina Meshref – PBG Pune Jaguars' ace paddler of the Ultimate Table Tennis' sixth season – pulled out after having hurt her back during its last outing.
Such was the blow for Jaguars that they never recovered from it and lost to defending champion Dempo Goa Challengers 5-10.
Goa Challengers started strongly and took a 7-2 lead in the first three ties itself. Had Anirban Ghosh – the surprise package of the season – not stunned veteran Tiago Apolonia and Reeth Rishya not taken a game off Zeng Jian, the Jaguars would have faced a mauling.
The 10-5 scoreline in favour of the Goa outfit eventually kept both teams in the hunt for the semifinals.
As per the UTT rules, Jaguars had to pick a replacement from the choice of two overseas players. It went with South Korea's Zion Lee.
But with the sudden call-up, Zion wilted under the big-match pressure as Krittwika Sinha Roy stunned the Korean 2-1.
Minutes earlier, Harmeet Desai – Krittwika's husband – had edged past Spaniard southpaw Alvaro Robles in the match of the day.
Harmeet and Robles – familiar foes at UTT and on the world tour – enthralled the audience with superb strokeplay. It was Harmeet's control with the backhand and powerful forehand winners that eventually set the tone for the Challengers. As expected, Harmeet and Zeng made a clean sweep against Anirban Ghosh and Zion – teaming up for the first time – in the mixed doubles to widen the margin.
The results: Dempo Goa Challengers bt PBG Pune Jaguars 10-5 (Harmeet Desai bt Alvaro Robles 11-10, 11-9, 10-11; Krittwika Sinha Roy bt Zion Lee 11-5, 5-11, 11-6; Zeng Jian & Harmeet bt Zion & Anirban Ghosh 11-9, 11-5, 11-9; Tiago Apolonia lost to Anirban Ghosh 9-11, 11-8, 7-11; Zeng Jian bt Reeth Rishya 10-11, 11-7, 11-4).
Dabang Delhi TTC bt Kolkata ThunderBlades 8-7 (Quek Izaac lost to Ankur Bhattacharjee 6-11, 11-6, 10-11; Maria Xiao lost to Adriana Diaz 7-11, 5-11, 11-10; Maria Xiao & G. Sathiyan bt Adriana Diaz & Ankur Bhattacharjee 11-7, 11-7, 9-11; Sathiyan lost to Quadri Aruna 11-7, 9-11, 6-11; Diya Chitale bt Ananya Chande 11-4, 11-6, 11-7).
Saturday's fixtures: Jaipur Patriots vs Ahmedabad SG Pipers (5 p.m.); U Mumba TT vs Stanley's Chennai Lions (7.30 p.m.).
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