Abhinandh makes the most of UTT debut
P.B. Abhinandh, the youngest paddler in the sixth season of Ultimate Table Tennis, was taking a nap in his hotel room on Thursday afternoon when he received a knock on his door. The moment he saw U Mumba coaches John Murphy and Jay Modak at the door, he knew the moment that he was waiting for since UTT 2024 was finally here.
'I had it in my mind that I may get a chance to play and I was ready. I had been waiting for this opportunity since last year and I had to make it count,' Abhinandh, the 16-year-old Chennai boy, said after marking his UTT debut by stunning Dabang Delhi TTC's Olympian Quek Izaak of Singapore.
Abhinandh surprised Izaac, a teenage sensation who has made rapid strides on the world circuit, with his aggressive forehand winners close to the table. Abhinandh's win, despite conceding the last game to his opponent, was instrumental in helping U Mumbai finish third in the points table and enter the knockouts in style.
'I would have loved to make it 3-0, but even 2-1 was a good result. To beat such a good player whom I had lost against earlier, but I learnt quite a few lessons in the match,' he said. 'He is so good and has beaten so many good players on the circuit, so I just thought about challenging myself. I kind of managed his speed but didn't fully match it. I would love to keep working on it.'
Despite being with Chennai Lions in 2024, Abhinandh couldn't get game-time. This time around, with U Mumba investing in him in the player auction, Abhinandh knew he had to grab the opportunity whenever it was presented to him. And he was ready to withstand the semifinal pressure as well.
'I will be ready. I have been telling myself to be ready all the time and the kind of advice I have received especially from Lilian (Bardet, the Frenchman who is the main men's singles player for U Mumba) is priceless,' Abhinandh said.
Will Abhinandh get a knock on his door Saturday afternoon – hours before its semifinal against defending champion Dempo Goa Challengers – yet again?
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