US Nationals Match Highlight: Kanak Jha v. Darryl Tsao

July 6, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by USATT)

Jha and Tsao faced off in the Quarterfinals in one of the most entertaining matches thus far the 2024 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. Darryl Tsao came out full of adrenaline and quickly converted that adrenaline to confidence with strong point after strong point pushing Kanak Jha away from the table.

The two traded points early in the first game, seemingly content to largely play short serves and returns until the first opening set off a flurry of hard attacks and counters. Tsao was up two points early, and a lucky net and a few very aggressive backhands helped him expand that to a 7-3 advantage. The game quickly got away from Jha, and Tsao logged a relatively easy 11-4 win.

Jha locked things down in the second game, being careful not to make any mistakes and to focus on higher percentage points. But Tsao turned his energy up again – playing very aggressive balls to push the pace and landing many of his big shots. Jha needed to win two in a row to tie the score 7-7, just to see two big forehands by Tsao to press to a 9-7 lead. The first of those big forehands was just stepping around and one big swing, but the second was a backhand then forehand combination that was brilliantly landed. Jha won the next point when Tsao missed an aggressive backhand, and what could be the point of the match followed as Jha managed to return 4 smashes to win. The two then traded mistakes – leaving the score 10-10. Tsao leaned in and attacked the serve for a clear winner, and then secured the second game with a great crosscourt backhand.

Tsao started the third game up 2-0, and he turned up the energy again – taking huge backhand swings and forcing Jha to pick up the pace. Tsao scores the first two points, drops one, and then scores two more. Jha called time out, played a brilliant left/right point and then missed a serve. Jha turned up the pace and played two points in a row aggressively attacking Tsao’s forehand. Jha then repeats the strategy with a strong ball to Tsao’s forehand just to see Tsao blister the forehand back down the line for a clear winner. Down a point, Jha broke up the pattern with an aggressive step around – but Tsao’s angle pushed him three full steps wide of the table – Jha wins the point with a great effort but all of that effort just to tie the score 6-6.

Will Tsao answer the effort, absolutely – another blistering forehand down the line. Another big forehand handcuffs Jha, and then a pair of misses by Jha and Tsao is once again up 3 points late in a game. Tsao lands a big backhand and goes up 10-6, just to see Jha fight back to 10-10. Then 11-11. Then a backhand miss by Jha and a long rally that goes to Tsao, and what could have been a momentum-changing comeback is instead an 0-3 deficit with the young Darryl Tsao just 1 game away from the upset of the tournament.

Jha started strong in the fourth game – and dominated throughout. Tsao’s energy was lost when the score was lopsided, and with a four or five point advantage for Jha, both players went through the motions to close out the game and move on to the next. Jha wins 11-4… but is still down in the match 1-3.

Game Five: A pair of Jha misses to start the game. With the 2-0 lead, Tsao is back with full energy – lands an aggressive service return for the 3-0 lead and the whole arena hears his cheer. The next two points were careful but aggressive by Jha, and each lead to misses late in the rally by Tsao. A missed serve, and then a missed service return, and Jha is up a point. Both players have slowed slightly as they trade points – seemingly every point taking 4 or 5 shots. Jha built a 6-4 lead, then a net ball late in a rally gives Tsao a small reprieve (6-5). A Jha service winner (7-5). Jha then got a lucky break – a backhand return of serve that takes an edge and bounces away from the table. Jha cruises to a 11-6 win. Jha 2, Tsao 3. Jha finally seemed to find a rhythm where he was in every point and keeping Tsao off-balance. And Tsao finally looked like he tired and slowed – though he has two more chances to throw a knock-out blow.

The sixth game started with a rally where Tsao hit three strong backhands before rotating to hit a clearly forehand winner. The second point was another long serve by Jha, but this time a change of direction with Jha landing the winner wide of Tsao’s forehand (backhand down the line). Two strong serves by Tsao both caused weak returns – he landed one winner and had an unforced error in the second (2-2 tied). Consecutive misses by Tsao’s backhand, and Jha is up two points early. Jha pressed the pace into Tsao’s backhand again – this time Tsao did not go for a big forehand and it was Jha who missed the last ball of the rally. The two trade big forehand winners and Tsao gets the serve back down 4-6. Jha attacked the middle with a long underspin service and pushed him out of position. Tsao didn’t recover quickly – as Jha ran off three in a row. Now up 9-5, Jha is able to play careful and Tsao again falls (11-6 Jha).

The seventh game began with a series disjointed rallies – each uneasy and making errors that weren’t present in the last few games. Tsao is up early 4-2 and Jha again is careful passing up a potential big shot and instead opting to move Tsao around and handcuff him at his elbow. Jha wins a pair of rallies and then Tsao lands a big forehand – the two trade sides with Tsao up 5-4. 5-5 after Tsao goes for a big winner and Kanak defends. Jha service winner (6-5), Jha forehand smash on third ball (7-5). A big forehand winner for Tsao narrows the lead (7-6). An unforced error by Tsao gives Jha the 8-6 lead. An unlucky bounce off of the net (on what was a tentative Jha forehand) narrows the lead – and Jha goes for a big forehand and misses (8-8). A backhand rally ends with a Tsao missed backhand smash (9-8 Jha). Another tentative swing by Jha tips the net and goes off (9-9). A big, pounding forehand to forehand rally ends with a Jha winner for the 10-9 lead, and the last point is another Jha all-out attack. Jha wins 11-9 in the seventh.