Manav Thakkar’s historic run at the WTT Star Contender event in Chennai ended with a 1-3 (10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 7-11) defeat to Thibault Poret in the semifinals on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Frenchman edged out local hope Thakkar, the first-ever Indian man to reach the last-four stage at this level, in half an hour on the show court at the Nehru Indoor Stadium.
It was a match of fine margins and some luck at crucial junctures.
World No. 54 Poret, ranked just nine spots higher than the Indian, had the final say statistically – points won on own serve (25-23) and on the opponent’s serve (16-14) – but only just.
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Like the local wildcard Snehit Suravajjula who lost to Poret in the quarterfinals, Thakkar took time to adjust to the Frenchman’s speed on both corners.
Poret raced to a 4-1 lead in the opener. He directed his powerful forehands and backhands into Thakkar’s body. For once, the Indian returned the favour as he drove one backhand into Poret’s body at 3-6. He made it 6-6 by forcing Poret to retreat way behind the table and defend his forehand smashes unsuccessfully with the lobs.
But Poret stuck to his strategy and soon, earned three game points at 10-7. Poret made a service error by netting the ball to waste his first game point and on the third, Thakkar deceived him with a Tomahawk serve.
Thakkar’s ability to force his way back from such a situation had helped him in the last two rounds. It looked like it would happen again but Poret clinched the next point and closed the first game with an inside out forehand drive winner off the Indian’s serve.
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In the second game, Thakkar was placed better as he led 6-4 but the Frenchman went on a five-point streak – the longest of the match for either player – to shift the momentum. That run ended with him netting a backhand and he followed it up with a forehand which clipped the net and went out. Sensing that a small window of opportunity had opened for his opponent, Poret took the timeout.
Another forehand error from Poret made it 9-9 but luck played its role to help him get over the line and take a 2-0 lead. In the next exchange, Poret’s return clipped the net but still landed on the table and Thakkar netted the backhand drive. On game point, the ball hit the top of the Frenchman’s bat while he was going for a forehand drive and the unexpected change in trajectory drew a forehand from Thakkar which missed the table.
Thakkar was in control for the entire third game. He sealed it by holding his wrist back to keep Poret guessing before hitting a forehand down the line with the Frenchman’s attempt for a behind-the-body backhand return in vain.
Indian TT team head coach Massimo Costantini with Manav Thakkar at the WTT Star Contender Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
VEDHAN M
Indian TT team head coach Massimo Costantini with Manav Thakkar at the WTT Star Contender Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
VEDHAN M
In a close decider, Thakkar used his timeout at 6-7. The Indian won the next point after the resumption but Poret ended his hopes of a comeback by taking the lead with a crosscourt forehand winner and a down-the-line winner on match point.
Nevertheless, in an emotional week for Indian table tennis following Sharath Kamal’s retirement, Thakkar further strengthened his position as country’s top-ranked male paddler.
Courtesy his semifinal-finish, Thakkar is set to make his Top 50 debut in the ITTF Rankings.