The Indian TT team made their way through the final by defeating Nigeria by 3-0 in the semifinal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Monday.
Now, team India take another gold tonight. The men’s table tennis team defeated Singapore 3-0 in the finals. Harmeet Desai beats Clarence Chew 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 in the fourth game to take India through.
Here are the stats of the Match:
⦿FIRST GAME
⦿21-18: On the third time of asking, Lakshya delivers. India is one game away from a place in the gold medal match against Malaysia which beat England 3-0 in the other semifinal.
⦿20-18: Loh defends well and forces Lakshya to look for the winner. The Indian goes for a cross-court smash but misses the line.
⦿20-17: Blistering attack from Loh to save first game point. Short lift from Lakshya and the world champion was already into position for a cross-court jump smash.
⦿20-16: Loh hits wide and Lakshya has four game points.
⦿19-14: Brilliant judgement from Lakshya. Loh’s lift lands beyond the baseline.
⦿16-11: Loh hits a brilliant cross-court smash to reduce the gap to five points.
⦿10-10: Scores are level after Loh hits one long.
⦿8-10: Loh continues to lead after a long rally. Lakshya believes Loh has hit it long and wants to review but the umpire says it’s too late.
⦿5-6: Lakshya casts a doubt on Loh’s mind with a shot to the deep. Loh attempts a shot at the last moment and slaps it straight to the net.
⦿2-5: Lakshya aims to take control with an overheard smash but drags it wide.
⦿0-4: Loh keeps Lakshya on his toes with some brilliant, swift returns.
⦿0-1: An excellent rally to start the game and Loh’s pace beats Sen for the first point.
⦿SECOND GAME
⦿21-15:Defending champion India is into the gold medal match with an utterly dominant 3-0 win over Singapore and it is a young Lakshya Sen who is at the centre stage with the winning kill hitting reigning world champion.
⦿20-15: Five match points for Lakshya. Loh Kean Yew’s net shots have not worked at all.
⦿19-14: Body kill from Lakshya. Finish line is in sight.
⦿17-13: Champion stuff from Lakshya against the world champion. Gave Loh no chance to hit a winning smash and the Singaporean eventually makes the error with the net shot.
⦿15-13: A careless attempted net shot from Loh. Gifted that point away.
⦿14-12: Loh is trying to muscle his way back into this game and how! A powerful down-the-line smash.
⦿12-11: A blistering cross-court smash from Loh Kean Yew and Lakshya barely gets his racquet on the shuttle.
⦿11-10: Lakshya’s cross-court lift is wide courtesy of the drift.
⦿11-9: Lakshya has a slender lead at the mid-game interval after initially leading 8-3.
⦿9-8: A poor net shot from Loh and Lakshya breathes a sigh of relief. He needed that point.
⦿8-8: Loh is into his element now. The speed has increased and Lakshya seems to be struggling with that.
⦿8-5: Loh is slowly chipping away at Lakshya’s lead. Cross-court smash from Loh leaves Lakshya on the floor in his effort to retrieve.
⦿7-3: Loh ends Lakshya’s run of five points in a row with an easy kill.
⦿6-2: Four points on the trot for Lakshya.
⦿4-2: Short lift from Loh and Lakshya has no problem in burying the shuttle into the court with a jump smash.
⦿3-2: Lakshya judges the lift from Loh correctly yet again. Shuttle lands beyond the baseline.
⦿2-0: Lakshya begins second game by winning the opening two points
