It was yesterday once more. If anyone thought the finale of Dabang Delhi’s dramatic 8-7 win over U Mumba on Friday night was tough to replicate, it came about in precisely 24 hours.
Exceeding all expectations, much like the first semifinal, it took another dramatic ‘golden point’ to decide the second finalist of the Ultimate Table Tennis league here on Saturday.
Chennai Lions, trailing Goa Challengers throughout the first 13 games of the best-of-15 contest, pulled off the last two. The win came after Madhurika Patkar agonisingly dropped four match-points to a fighting Archana Kamath and was lucky to convert the fifth.
Before Madhurika took the team past the finish line, it was Sharath Kamal who swung Chennai’s fortunes in the contest.
Stepping in
When Sharath entered the arena, Chennai was down 1-5 after Goa’s imports Cheng I-Ching and Alvaro Robles had won their singles matches. If Sharath was determined to prove his worth, Petrissa Solja was keen to make amends for the 3-0 drubbing she received at the hands of Cheng.
Together, Sharath and Petrissa continued their winning run, and not surprisingly, won 3-0 against Cheng and A. Amalraj.
Sharath faced Amalraj next, the match following the same pattern that one witnessed during their clash in the league stage. Amalraj raced away with the first before Sharath won the next two, precisely the way he did in the league — 11-9, 11-10.
What followed was a charged-up Sharath roaring and clenching his fists in triumph, giving rib-crushing hugs to his teammates, uncle and coach Muralidhara Rao and team coach Peter Engel.
The tie stood at 6-6 and it was left to the two women — Madhurika and Archana — to settle it.
Given the situation, Madhurika’s experience was expected to play a role. But it was the exuberance of Archana that called the shots in the first game.
Madhurika bounced right back in the second, opening up a big lead to take it to a tie-deciding game.
In the decider, Madhurika jumped to a 5-1 lead and maintained the gap till 10-6. Archana, as nervous as her opponent, kept the ball in play and let her rival commit a series of mistakes to pull level at 10.
Nervous rally
The final point witnessed another nervous rally before Archana failed to control a high ball and hit it out.
Celebrations broke out with the high points being Sharath lifting Madhurika off the ground and the Thane girl breaking into a jig.
The results (second semifinal):
Chennai Lions bt Goa Challengers 8-7 (Petrissa Solja lost to Cheng I-Ching 7-11, 9-11, 8-11; Tiago Apolonia lost to Alvaro Robles 10-11, 11-6, 3-11; Sharath Kamal & Petrissa bt A. Amalraj & Cheng 11-5, 11-4, 11-8; Sharath bt Amalraj 5-11, 11-9, 11-10; Madhurika Patkar bt Archana Kamath 6-11, 11-8, 11-10).
Sunday’s fixture (final): Chennai Lions v Dabang Delhi (7 p.m.) .
