While many may have hoped for it, few would have predicted it. Underdogs have a quite understandable interest in defying the predicted order of finish, as do their loyal supporters. Now, with money suddenly pouring in to bet on Russian table tennis, Korean baseball and other default darlings of a sports-starved world, underdogs now find their fan bases swollen by several orders of magnitude. As table tennis tentatively tests trial tournaments, exercising all due diligence with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most consistent source of legitimate competition is the Düsseldorf Masters. The weekly tournament series for German league players boasts many of the top players in the world, even if they play in the eerie echoing silence of an empty hall. This week's installment, the fourth in a summer-long series, was headlined by Kanak Jha. The four-time US men's champion, not yet a week removed from his 20th birthday, was seeded first by virtue of his #27 world ranking. In the first round, Jha faced little resistance from Felix Köhler of Germany, sweeping the promising but unproven 16-year-old in four games. This set up a quarterfinal clash with another underdog in the shape of Germany's own Bastian Steger (pictured). Steger, listed 125th in the world, was the sixth seed. This modest billing, however, belied Steger's vast experience. The 39-year-old was already a world-class player when Jha was born in 2000. He spent a decade hovering around a top-twenty ranking, winning two bronze medals with the German team at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. With the bets in the books, the match was underway today at 11:10 a.m. (Düsseldorf time). The first game proceeded according to the conventional wisdom, with Jha cruising to an easy 11-5 victory. His occasional fast topspin serves caught Steger off guard, and the German veteran failed to establish any offensive rhythm. Game two was just like the first, but in reverse. Now it was Steger's serve, a reverse pendulum resembling a mirror image of his left-handed countryman Timo Boll, which dictated the pace, forcing errors from Jha and greatly limiting his firepower. Steger leveled not only the game score but the point total with an 11-5 runaway. This naturally set up game three. While any odd-numbered game in a level match is potentially pivotal, this one proved especially so. As the two heavyweights traded haymakers, it was Jha who edged ahead on the scorecard, 10-8. With the serve, Jha held two game points. Steger, however, stole the game and all the momentum, closing game three on a 5-1 run. Jha puts up a spirited fight in game four, but succumbed 11-8. After four very competitive games, the fifth was a mere formality as Steger defended his home court, (5-11, 11-5, 13-11, 11-8, 11-4). "It was actually a bit surprising for me to win 4-1," said Steger afterward. "I had thought it would be a very close match, because Kanak plays at a very high level. I am quite satisfied with my performance today." With the win, Steger earns a spot in Thursday's semifinals. He faces his compatriot Qiu Dang, the fourth seed ranked #52 in the world. While Jha is left looking for answers, Steger's fans celebrate their hero's return to form. Especially those who bet on the long shot.

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