UTT 2019: Experienced Sharath Kamal plays central role in Chennai Lions' tense win over Goa Challengers

New Delhi: India’s star player Sharath Kamal tapped into his bag of experience to give Chennai Lions a nerve-wracking 8-7 victory over Goa Challengers in the Ultimate Table Tennis at New Delhi on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_7090001” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Chennai Lions star player Sharath Kamal. Image credit: Twitter/@UltTableTennis[/caption] The World No 32 first shepherded a shaky Petrissa Solja to collect two crucial mixed doubles points for his side before absorbing a big scare from Amalraj Anthony to add two more into the team’s kitty in the reverse men’s singles. His 4 points, coupled with 2 from Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia and 1 from Petrissa, meant that the Lions needed only 1 more point in the fifth and final clash. The women’s singles, featuring two Indians, saw Madhurika Patkar steal that solitary point against a rampaging Archana Kamath to seal the win for the Lions. Madhurika lost 1-2 but pumped her fist in delight at saving the day for her team. Earlier, Goa’s Cheng I-Ching too survived a minor scare to put her side ahead in the opening Women’s Singles. The World No 8 from Taiwan spurted to a big 6-0 lead in the first, only to see Petrissa claw back into the game, allowing it to go all the way to 10-10. Cheng, however, unleashed a powerful forehand to clinch the crucial golden point and the first point for her team. She was on song in the second set, though, racing away to a commanding 9-1 lead. She conceded only one more point to give herself a nice big win. The final set, however, saw a different story unfold. Petrissa played a steady game to win it 11-6, tossing one point into the Lions bag. In an all-European Men’s Singles clash, Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia put up a dominant display to bring the Lions back into the game. Tiago pulled out his big shots to unsettle Spain’s Alvaro Robles. Tiago won the first set 11-5 but lost his way in the next, capitulating to a 2-11 defeat. He, however, regained his composure to clinch the third set 11-7.