Ekta, Smashers set up title clash in Pickleball Super Cup

Ekta Parivaar and Super Smashers notched contrasting victories to enter the final of the Ekta World Pickleball Super Cup powered by DCB Bank at Khar Gymkhana on Sunday.

Ekta, who finished first in the league phase with 47 points, were made to toil by Dink Killers before winning 8-4 in the first semifinal while the Smashers were relatively more dominant against Mixed Pickles in their 8-4 victory. Interestingly, both semis were decided before the fifth match itself.

Ekta and Dink were locked 3-all after the first two matches before Tejas Mahajan gave the league toppers a crucial 5-4 lead by winning the open singles 2-1 against Krishna Mantri. The seasoned pair of Manish Rao and Saumitra Korgaonkar sealed the contest for Ekta by recording an emphatic 3-0 victory against Abhijit Madbhavi and Vishal Chugh (11-7, 11-7, 11-8).

In the other semis, the Smashers started on a wrong footing losing the first doubles with Bhushan Potnis and Kuldip Mahajan going down to Ashutosh Madbhavi and Ajay Choudhari 1-2 (8-11, 11-7, 10-11).

But women’s national champion Vrushali Thakare wrested the initiative for the Smashers in the company of Ankur Kapadia by winning the mixed doubles 3-0 against Ajay Chaudhari and Arpana Choudhary.

Thereafter, the Smashers maintained a stranglehold on the proceedings by winning the singles and doubles matches to book a spot in the final.

Mixed Pickles, however, had something to cheer about later in the day winning the battle for the third-place defeating Dink Killers 8-3.

Semi-final results

Ekta Parivaar bt Dink Killers 8-4

Mens/Boys Doubles: Manish Rao / Aniket Durgawali bt Abhijit Madbhavi / Krishna Mantri 2-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-7)

Mixed Doubles: Saumitra Korgaonkar / Saloni Deoda lost to Vishal Chugh / Pooja Wagh 1-2 (6-11, 11-9, 8-11)

Open Singles: Tejas Mahajan bt Krishna Mantri 2-1 (8-11, 11-10, 11-9)

Mens/ Boys Doubles: Manish Rao / Saumitra Korgaonkar bt Abhijit Madbhavi / Vishal Chugh 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-8)

Super Smashers bt Mixed Pickles 8-4

Mens/ Boys Doubles: Bhushan Potnis / Kuldip Mahajan lost to Ashutosh Madbhavi / Ajay Choudhari 1-2 (8-11, 11-7, 10-11)

Mixed Doubles: Ankur Kapadia / Vrushali Thakare bt Ajay Chaudhari / Arpana Choudhary 3-0 (11-10, 11-8, 11-4)

Open Singles: Kuldip Mahajan bt Prashant More 2-1 (11-7, 9-11, 11-7)

Mens/ Boys Doubles: Bhushan Potnis / Ankur Kapadia bt Ashutosh Madbhavi / Prashant More 2-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-7)

League standings: Ekta Parivaar 47 points, 2. Mixed Pickles 45 pts; 3. Super Smashers 42 pts; 4. Dink Killers 39 pts; Phantom Stars 29 pts; 6. Pickloholics 23 pts.