Ultimate Table Tennis 2024: Reigning champions Goa Challengers beat Dabang Delhi to retain title

Harmeet Desai and Liu Yangzi led from the front as Athlead Goa Challengers scripted history by becoming the first team to successfully defend their Ultimate Table Tennis title with an 8-2 win over former champions Dabang Delhi TTC on Saturday.

Both Desai and Liu won their respective singles matches before clinching the mixed doubles match to lay the foundation for the Challengers’ march to their second successive title. Desai was adjudged the Indian player of the tie while Liu was chosen as the foreign player of the tie.

It was the culmination of a dramatic season for the Goa Challengers. The defending champions had made it to the semi-final line-up by the skin of their teeth as they had to battle hard before somehow finishing the league stage at the fourth spot.

However, they came out firing on all cylinders right from the start on Saturday’s tittle clash, piling on the pressure on Dabang Delhi TTC. Desai handed the early advantage to Athlead Goa Challengers with a 2-1 (6-11, 11-9, 11-6) win over Sathiyan Gnanasekaran in the first men’s singles.Read more