Ahmedabad: Reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers will meet U Mumba TT in the second IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 semi-final on Saturday at the EKA Arena. Led by Indian ace Harmeet Desai, Goa finished second in the league phase with 44 points, two more than third-placed U Mumba. The winner of their tie will face either Dabang Delhi TTC or Jaipur Patriots in the final.
Last season, Dempo Goa Challengers became the only team in IndianOil UTT history to win two titles. Not only will Harmeet and Co. be eyeing a successful title defence, they will also be looking to become the first team in the competition to win three in a row.
Goa arrive in the playoffs in solid form. The reigning champs have won three of their five ties, with captain Harmeet and partner Krittwika Sinha
Roy consistently delivering returns across the league stage.
The biggest positive for Goa, however, has been Singapore’s Zeng Jian, who passed through the league stage unbeaten in singles rubbers–one of only two paddlers to do so after Jaipur’s Sreeja Akula.