Placed at the bottom of the table, with two losses from two Ties, RP-SG Mavericks desperately required a win for it to look forward to the remaining matches of the Ceat-Ultimate Table Tennis League with hope and confidence.
On Thursday, Mavericks — helped generously by India star Sharath Kamal who won his mixed doubles and men’s singles — overcame Dabang Smashers 14-13 for its maiden win.
Mavericks have 37 points, while Dabang have 39 from three Ties.
Sathiyan put Dabang ahead with a solid 11-5, 11-9, 10-11 win over World No. 23 Stefan Fegerl who has been having a wretched league by his standards. Dabang increased its lead with Tetyana Bilenko defeating an improving Archana Kamath in the second rubber.
Though Sharath and Sofia Polcanova outwitted the pair of Sathiyan and Kim Song I, Dabang’s Kou Lei overpowered Tiago Apolonia to equalise the scores and at this stage, it looked like Dabang had the edge. Kim Song I was outstanding in her 11-8, 11-8, 9-11 win over Sabine Winter as Dabang led 8-7. Then came in Sharath.
World ranked 43 and on a high after an impressive win over World No. 8 Wong Chun Ting the other day, Sharath hardly put a foot wrong. His 11-8, 11-9, 5-11 victory over the tournament’s second seed Marcos Freitas was outstanding. Sharath’s forehand top-spin was working exceptionally well and the Portuguese could pose no challenge to the Indian’s marauding forehand.
At the ninth and final match, Mavericks had to win one point to take the points tally to 14. Sofia did that by winning the first game. However, she lost the remaining two to Tetyana Bilenko.
“Our problem has been that we are strong on men’s and on that front, we have not been doing well. Tiago (Apolonia) is yet to strike form and Stefan (Fegerl) is off-colour [he lost both his matches on Thursday]. I have done my bit [so far],” explained Sharath.
While Falcons (50), Dabang (39), Oilmax-Stag Yoddhas (32) and Mavericks have played three Ties, Maharashtra United (31) and Shaze Challengers (27) have competed in two.
The UTT caravan now moves to New Delhi.
The results: RP-SG Mavericks bt Dabang Smashers 14-13 (Stefan Fegerl lost to G. Sathiyan 5-11, 9-11, 11-10; Archana Kamath lost to Tetyana Bilenko 11-10, 7-11, 8-11; Sharath Kamal & Sofia Polcanova bt Sathiyan & Kim Song I 11-5, 11-7, 11-5; Tiago Apolonia lost to Kou Lei 3-11, 11-10, 10-11; Sabine Winter lost to Kim Song I 8-11, 8-11, 11-9; Sharath Kamal bt Marcos Freitas 11-8, 11-9, 5-11; Sabine Winter bt Madhurika Patkar 11-9, 11-9, 11-6; Stefan Fegerl lost to Freitas 5-11, 5-11, 11-10; Sofia Polcanova lost to Tetyana Bilenko 11-8, 7-11, 10-11).