Local hero shines at UTT’ Mumbai leg

The final leg of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis League in the city saw Mumbaikar Sanil Shetty bringing delight to his team Falcon TTC as he defeated world number 48 Joao Monteiro 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-10) in a men’s singles game. The event held at National Sports Club of India on Wednesday saw Shetty emerge as a hero as his team has now secured a spot in the semi-finals.

Sanil who was given the title of a ‘foreign slayer’ in the tournament, stayed true to the moniker and used his aggressive looping against Portugal’s Joao Monteiro. He shares, “I had to start aggressively because he dominates once he starts getting points. My strategy was to not allow him to find his stride. I think I was on the top from the beginning of the game and then I eventually won,” said a proud Sanil.

The 27-year-old Looper, a Goregaon resident, hs made his father proud who was seen cheering for him from the stands. Sanil was born with a hole in his heart and has come a long way after coping up with the ailment.  

Elated after seeing the support from his friends and family in the city, Sanil said “It was for the first time that I was playing an international tournament in Mumbai. I keep playing local tournaments here and I have a 100 per cent win record here. Coincidentally, I emerged a winner in the city again.”

The former national championship winner believes that he cannot become complacent for the further rounds to come. “I have to keep working hard and not be over confident, we have the semi-finals approaching I want to stay on top,” he says.