Marcos Freitas leads Dabang Smashers T.T.C.’s fightback against Falcons TTC at the end of Match 4
Chennai, July 16, 2017: Marcos Freitas won his two matches to help Dabang Smashers T.T.C. level at 6-6 against Falcons TTC after four matches in an exciting tie on Day four of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), the country’s newest franchise sports league, at a packed Nehru Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
Portugal's world No. 14 Marcos Freitas first swept aside Sanil Shetty of Falcons TTC 3-0 to hand Dabang Smashers T.T.C. three full points in the men’s singles (foreign vs Indian), the opening match.
Freitas broke away at 5-5 to take the opening game 11-5 against the Indian. The Portuguese jumped to a 4-1 lead early in the second game before wrapping it up at 11-2 and signed off with a 11-3 win in the third game.
Chinese world No. 13 Wu Yang levelled points (3-3) for Falcons TTC with a 3-0 win over Dabang Smashers T.T.C,’s Mousumi Paul. Yang beat back a late surge by the Indian to win the opening game at 11-9. The Chinese ace cruised to a 11-4 win in the second game and sealed the third game at 11-7.
Falcons TTC’s mixed doubles (Indian/foreign) pair of Sanil Shetty/ Lee Ho Ching routed G Sathiyan/ Tetyana Bilenko of Dabang Smashers T.T.C. 3-0 to hand their side a 6-3 lead.
The Falcons TTC’s pair staged a remarkable rally late to clinch the opening set 11-8 and then went on cruise mode to take the next two at an identical 11-6.
However, in-form Freitas led from the front and thumped Swedish world No. 41 Par Gerell of Falcons TTC 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8) in the men’s singles (foreign player category) to help Dabang Smashers T.T.C. level at 6-all. Five more matches remain in the ongoing tie.
On Monday, Oilmax Stag Yoddhas will play Shazé Challengers in what is a second outing for both.
Scoreline: Dabang Smashers T.T.C. 6-6 Falcons TTC (at the end of Match 4)
Results (at the end of match 4) Dabang Smashers T.T.C. 6-6 Falcons TTC
MS – Marcos Freitas beat Sanil Shetty 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-3)
WS – Mousumi Paul lost to Wu Yang 0-3 (9-11, 4-11, 7-11)
MD – Sathiyan G/ Tetyana Bilenko lost to Sanil Shetty\ Lee Ho Ching 0-3 (8-11, 6-11, 6-11)
MS – Marcos Freitas beat Par Gerell 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8)