UTT 2023: Sharath Kamal-led Chennai Lions beats Goa Challengers 11-4 in battle of table toppers

A. Sharath Kamal, the old warhorse, was in his element as Chennai Lions displaced Goa Challengers from the top position in style with a lopsided win in the Ultimate Table Tennis season four on Saturday.

Riding on Sharath’s clean sheet and his Australian teammate Yangzi Liu’s support act, the lions raced to a huge 11-4 win, the largest victory margin of the season, in the battle of table-toppers at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex.

The victory also meant the Lions had one foot in the knockouts, having opened up a healthy lead in the first of the three ties of the penultimate round of the league stage.

Had it not been for Sharath being at his sensational best, the Chennai outfit would have been stretched by the Challengers. When Sharath and Yangzi took to the table for the mixed doubles, the two teams were locked at three points apiece.

However, the duo was at its best to wipe out Harmeet Desai and Suthasini Sawettabut 3-0 to open up a handy lead. Sharath then stormed past his India junior Harmeet – at present the highest-ranked singles player from the country – to display his class.

Harmeet did his best by targeting Sharath’s forehand with his down-the-line blocks but Sharath proved to be too quick for his opponent.

Yangzi then overcame a spirited T. Reeth Rishya 2-1, with the Lions pocketing eight points in succession.