Indian stars Manika Batra and Manav Thakkar recorded thrilling victories over higher-ranked rivals to provide a spectacular start to the Kolkata leg of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis Powered by Kellogg’s at the Netaji Indoor Sports Stadium here on Tuesday.

However, it was Manika’s team, Dabang Smashers T.T.C who held sway by recording a 15-6 victory over Empowerji Challengers and became the first time to seal a semi-final spot. Smashers ended the league phase with 63 points while Challengers had to settle with 42 points.

Manika regained her winning touch with a fighting 2-1 (7-11, 11-9, 11-10) victory over World No. 20 Lee Ho Ching to help Smashers gain an early. Teen sensation Thakkar shocked World No. 27 Yoshida Masaki 2-1 (11-10, 5-11, 11-9) to help Challengers level the scores 3-3.

Smashers marched ahead with Masaki making amends by stunning World No. 12 Simon Gauzy 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-10) to build on the successes of Dabang capain Gnanasekaran Sathiyan and Sakura Mori in mixed doubles.

Sathiyan and Mori put it across Arjun Ghosh and Lee Ho Ching 2-1 (11-4, 10-11, 11-10) in another thriller with the Dabang pair winning the decider on golden point.

Manika, the reigning queen of Indian table tennis who is ranked World No. 80, lost the first game 7-11 but came back in the second 11-9 by using her forehand with telling effect. In the decider, the double gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games was trailing 7-10 but she claimed four points on the trot to turn the tables on her rival from Hong Kong.

It has been a sensational run this season for Manika, who claimed World No. 18 Sofia Polcanova, World No. 30 Matilda Ekholm and Sabine Winter (World No. 60) before losing to World No. 19 Elizabeta Samara.

The 18-year-old Thakkar matched his Japanese opponent in long rallies and shot-making to eke out a 11-10 win the first game. But Masaki fought back in the second to win 11-5. In the third, Thakkar, ranked 216 places below Masaki, upped the ante and held his nerve to clinch the game (11-9) and match.

An indisposed Gauzy pulled out of his singles against Sathiyan that led to Thakkar stepping up to replace his captain. The battle between India’s leading stars was won by senior pro Sathiyan 2-1 ((8-11, 11-6, 11-5).

In the last match, Adriana Diaz downed Divya Deshpande 3-0 to complete Smashers’ domination as they ended the league phase on a high.

How they stand: Dabang Smashers 63 points; RP-SG Mavericks 48 points; 3. Falcons TTC 45 points; 4. Empowerji Challengers 42 points; 5. Maharashtra United 38 points; 6. Warriors TTC 37 points.

Results

Dabang Smashers TTC bt Empowerji Challengers 15-6

Women’s singles: Manika Batra bt Lee Ho Ching (HK) 2-1 (7-11, 11-9, 11-10)

Men’s singles: Yoshida Masaki (Jpn) lost to Manav Thakkar 1-2 (10-11, 11-5, 9-11)

Mixed doubles: G Sathiyan/ Sakura Mori (Jpn) bt Arjun Ghosh/ Lee Ho Ching 2-1 (11-4, 10-11, 10-11)

Men’s singles: Yoshida Masaki bt Simon Gauzy (Fra) 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-10)

Women’s singles: Sakura Mori (Jpn) bt Georgina Pota (Hun) 2-1 (11-10, 11-9, 7-11)

Men’s singles: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bt Manav Thakkar 2-1 (8-11, 11-6, 11-5)

Women’s singles: Adriana Diaz (Pue) bt Divya Deshpande 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-10).

Tomorrow’s match: Maharashtra United v Warriors TTC.