Goa Challengers' resounding victory cemented their place in UTT history and they will be looking to continue their dominance in the upcoming seasons.
Goa Challengers, led by Harmeet Desai and Yanzhi Liu, defeated Dabang Delhi TTC 8-2 in an exciting final of Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 to claim their second consecutive title. The final, played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on Saturday, marked a historic moment as Goa became the first team to successfully defend their UTT crown.
Dramatic season for Goa Challengers
Goa's journey to the final was not an easy one. The defending champions barely made it to the semi-finals after a series of hard-fought matches and secured fourth place in the league standings. Despite being at a disadvantage, the team picked up their rhythm when it mattered most and registered an emphatic win against 2018 champions Dabang Delhi in the final.
Harmeet Desai and Yanjie Liu shine
Harmeet Desai set the tone for the title race with a 2-1 (6-11, 11-9, 11-6) win over Sathyan Gnanasekaran in his opening men's singles match. His performance earned him the title of India's Player of the Year. Desai's leadership combined with Yanzhi Liu's talent played a crucial role in Goa's success. Yanzhi, who remained unbeaten throughout the season, was named the Best Foreign Player and was named the women's Most Valuable Player of the League (MVP).
Yantsi's dominance was on full display as he defeated Olawan Palanan 3-0 (11-2, 11-10, 11-9) to extend Goa's lead.
Outstanding Player Award: Ultimate Table Tennis 2024
Individual awards were also presented following the finals, with Sathyan Gnanasekaran being named MVP in the men's competition, and Alvaro Robles of PBG Bengaluru Smashers winning the IndianOil Superserver of the League award.
Achanta Sharath Kamal won the DafaNews Shot of the League award while the duo of Lily Chan and Yasini Shivashankar won the ACT Fibernet Fastest Rally of the League award.
Score Overview
Harmeet Desai vs Sathyan Gnanasekaran 2-1 (6-11, 11-9, 11-6) Yongjie Liu bt Olawan Palanan 3-0 (11-2, 11-10, 11-9) Harmeet Desai/Yongjie Liu vs Sathyan Gnanasekaran/Olawan Palanan 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-9) Mihai Boboczka vs Andreas Levenko 1-0 (11-7)
Goa Challengers' resounding victory cemented their place in UTT history and they will be looking to continue their dominance in the upcoming seasons.
