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UTT | Contrasting victories for Goa Challengers and Dabang Delhi  


Dabang Delhi rode on captain G. Sathiyan’s exploits to outplay Jaipur Patriots.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Defending champion Goa Challengers and last year’s finalist Dabang Delhi TTC began their Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6 campaign with wins in contrasting fashion on the opening day at the EKA Arena here on Saturday.

Goa Challengers — with Gujarati captain Harmeet Desai and his better half Krittwika Sinha Roy — was stretched to the hilt by 2024 semifinalist Ahmedabad SG Pipers.

The tie was open till the last last rubber when Zeng Jian closed it out by pipping Giorgia Piccolin to set up a 10-5 win.

Dabang Delhi rode on captain G. Sathiyan’s exploits to outplay Jaipur Patriots 11-4. Sathiyan didn’t concede a single game in his two matches, including the mixed doubles tie with southpaw Maria Xiao as his partner.

Had Diya Chitale — the National women’s champion — not squandered a 7-2 lead in the last league and kept a clean slate, the Delhi squad would have equalled the joint-highest margin of result record.

In a late match, Harmeet and Krittwika had impressive outings in singles. Harmeet saved a match point in the second game against the seasoned German Ricardo Walther before running away with the decider. Krittwika used her experience against Ayhika Mukherjee to put Challengers in charge.

The results: Dabang Delhi TTC bt Jaipur Patriots 11-4 (Izaac Quek bt Kanak Jha 5-11, 11-5, 11-9; Maria Xiao lost to Sreeja Akula 11-4, 9-11, 10-11; G. Sathiyan & Maria Xiao bt Jha & Sreeja 11-6, 11-10, 11-6; Sathiyan bt Jeet Chandra 11-6, 11-7, 11-6; Diya Chitale bt Britt Eerland 11-8, 11-7, 8-11).

Dempo Goa Challengers bt Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5 (Tiago Apolonia bt SFR Snehit 11-6, 11-6, 10-11; Krittwika Sinha Roy bt Ayhika Mukherjee 4-11, 11-8, 11-9; Zeng Jian & Harmeet Desai lost to Ayhika & Ricardo Walther 9-11, 10-11, 11-10; Harmeet bt Riccardo Walther 6-11, 11-10, 11-3; Zeng bt Giorgio Piccolin 11-7, 11-7, 11-5).

Sunday’s fixture: U Mumba TT vs PBG Pune Jaguars (5 p.m.)



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