Goa Challengers enter semifinals

NEW DELHI: Taiwan’s Cheng I-Ching and India’s Amalraj Anthony engineered an easy 11-4 victory for Goa Challengers, ousting Puneri Paltan Table Tennis from the Ultimate Table Tennis here on Wednesday.

The Challengers formalized the last four standing with their win, joining U Mumba, Dabang Delhi and Chennai Lions in the semifinals. Delhi and Chennai clash in the last tie on Thursday to decide the line-up.

I-Ching and Amalraj romped home in their Singles matches and also successfully paired up in the Mixed Doubles to garner 8 mega points for Goa. 

Spain’s Alvaro Robles and India’s Archana Kamath collected 1 and 2 points each to make it a grand victory.

World No. 9 Cheng I-Ching began Goa’s charge, rattling Ayhika Mukherjee of Paltan with her array of big shots. Ayhika defended smartly in the first set but couldn’t sustain the fight beyond the halfway stage. 

RESULTS
Puneri Paltan TT lost to Goa Challengers: 4-11 
Women’s Singles: Ayhika Mukherjee lost to Cheng-I-Ching 0-3 (8-11, 1-11, 5-11)
Men’s Singles: Chuang Chih-Yuan bt Alvaro Robles 2-1 (11-9, 10-11, 11-5)
Mixed Doubles: Chuang Chih-Yuan & Ayhika Mukherjee lost to Amalraj Anthony & Cheng-I-Ching 1-2 (7-11, 11-9, 7-11)
Men’s Singles: Harmeet Desai lost to  Amalraj Anthony 0-3 (7-11, 7-11, 10-11)
Women’s Singles: Sabine W lost to Archana K 11-8, 6-11, 9-11.