Shaze Challengers closed in on a knockout spot despite trailing RP-SG Mavericks 4-8 after four matches in the concluding league tie of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) here today.
Five more matches remain in the ongoing tie.
League toppers Falcons TTC (78 points) and second placed Dabang Smashers TTC (69) have confirmed their spots in the semifinals while DHFL Maharashtra United are currently third on 64.
Shaze Challengers have got past Oilmax Stag Yoddhas (61) to the fourth place currently in the six-team league standings. RP-SG Mavericks brings up the rear.
Mavericks opened with a 2-1 lead after Indian ace A Sharath Kamal put it past Croatian world No 46 Andrej Gacina (Shaze Challengers) 11-7, 1-11, 11-7 in the men's singles (Foreign v Indian).
German world No 45 Sabine Winter made it 4-2 for RP-SG Mavericks by winning the first two games in the women's singles (Foreign v Indian) against Mouma Das (Shaze Challengers) but the Bengal lass pulled one back to score her team's second point.
Next up was mixed doubles (Foreign/Indian pair) which Mavericks' pair of Sharath Kamal/ Sofia Polcanova won 2-1 but Li Ping and Mouma Das picked a crucial point for Shaze Challengers by winning the third game, even as RP-SG Mavericks led 6-3.
Austrian Stefan Fegerl extended Mavericks' lead to 8-4 with a 2-1 win over Gacina in the men's singles (Foreign player category).
After four matches - RP-SG Mavericks lead 8-4 against Shaze Challengers.
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