Led by Achanta Sharath Kamal, Chennai Lions bounced back in style from their previous loss in the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 by defeating Dabang Delhi TTC 8-7 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
Home favourite Sharath, who is the league’s highest-ranked male Indian paddler, showed his class in a 2-1 win over Dabang Delhi TTC’s Andreas Levenko in the tie’s first men’s singles, unleashing a range of powerful smashes on the Austrian making his debut in the fifth season of UTT. Sharaths’s win set the tone for the tie, with his teammates following suit later.
Subsequently, in the tie’s first women’s singles, Sakura Mori defeated Orawan Paranang, 2-1, to extend Chennai Lions’ lead. Mori proved her prowess in difficult circumstances, staying in control of the match despite repeated fightbacks from her opponent. While the Japanese paddler took the opening two games, her Thai counterpart varied her approach in the third and claimed a consolation victory, reducing Dabang Delhi TTC’s deficit.
The mixed doubles match between the two teams followed the same trend, as Chennai Lions’ pairing of Sharath and Mori beat Dabang Delhi TTC’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Paranang 2-1. The hosts secured the tie in the very next match, with Jules Rolland defeating local boy Sathiyan two games to one.
In the final match of the tie, Dabang Delhi TTC’s Diyale Chitale scripted personal history. The Mumbai girl, who used to watch UTT as a fan from the stands, won her first match ever in the league in her second year. She beat Poymantee Baisya 3-0.
For her impressive victory, Chitale scooped the Indian Player of the Tie honour. Meanwhile, Chennai Lions’ Mori claimed the Foreign Player of the Tie gong, while Rolland was awarded with DafaNews Shot of the Tie award.
Detailed Scores
Chennai Lions bt Dabang Delhi TTC 8-7:
Sharath Kamal bt Andreas Levenko 2-1 (11-5, 11-8, 8-11); Sakura Mori bt Orawan Paranang 2-1 (11-10, 11-8, 4-11); Sharath/Mori bt Sathiyan/Paranang 2-1 (11-6, 11-6, 9-11); Jules Rolland bt Sathiyan G. 2-1 (11-7, 11-9, 8-11); Poymantee Baisya lost to Diya Chitale 0-3 (9-11, 7-11, 5-11)
U Mumba Lose to Jaipur Patriots
Manav Thakkar’s spirited fightback went in vain as U Mumba TT lost their second tie to debutants Jaipur Patriots 6-9.
Manav partnered Maria Xiao to stage a sensational comeback win for the team from Mumbai in the mixed doubles round; later, he fought back from a game down to beat Snehit SFR 2-1 in the tie’s second men’s singles. Still, earlier victories for Jaipur Patriots’ international stars Cho Seung-min and Suthasini Sawettabut meant that a miracle come-from-behind win for U Mumbai TT proved just beyond their reach.
Cho, playing just his second match in UTT, defeated African table tennis great Quadri Aruna in the tie’s first men’s singles 3-0. Suthasini followed in his footsteps by besting Spain’s Maria Xiao over three games by a two-one margin, their match decided by a Golden Point.
Manav’s outstanding display meant the impetus to continue the fightback fell on Sutirtha Mukherjee. However, Jaipur Patriots’ Nithyashree Mani maintained her composure amid the high pressure – hitting some incredible shots along the way – to hand the tie to the debutants.
For his efforts, Manav took home the Indian Player of the Tie award. Cho was named the Foreign Player of the Tie, while Nithyashree claimed the DafaNews Shot of the Tie for her incredible chop finish from a tight angle.
Read More: UTT 2024: Sharath Kamal Leads Chennai Lions’ Triumph Over Dabang Delhi, Jaipur Panthers Beat
