Chennai, Aug 23 Jeet Chandra stunned India’s top-ranked male paddler, Sharath Kamal, while Ayhika Mukherjee beat World no. 13 Bernadette Szocs on the day of upsets in the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 here on Friday. Jeet’s sensational performance against Sharath drove his team, PBG Bengaluru Smashers, over the line against hosts Chennai Lions. Ayhika’s giant-killing, meanwhile, set the tone for Puneri Paltan Table Tennis’ victory over Ahmedabad SG Pipers.
New PBG Bengaluru Smashers captain Alvaro Robles began the tie with a men’s singles bout against Frenchman Jules Rolland. Robles, ranked 30th in the world, opened with a win, sustaining pressure in the final game from a resurgent Rolland to claim the match 2-1. Subsequently, Lily Zhang beat Poymantee Baisya by the same score-line to increase PBG Bengaluru’s lead to 4-2.
Another home favourite, Amalraj Anthony, partnered Zhang in an entertaining mixed doubles win over Sharath and Mori. Later, in the tie’s second women’s singles match, Manika Batra lost to Sakura Mori 2-1. Manika took the early lead but conceded the following two games to her opponent, the second being decided in a nail-biting manner through the Golden Point. Still, PBG Bengaluru Smashers won the tie 11-4.
In the day’s earlier tie, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis beat Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5, with Ayhika stealing the spotlight for her huge upset over Szocs. Previously, Manush Shah of Ahmedabad SG Pipers opened with a win over two-time Olympian Joao Monteiro. Later, 17-year-old Ankur Bhattacharjee announced himself with a scintillating performance against France’s Lilian Bardet. Despite defeats in men’s singles and mixed doubles, last year’s semi-finalists Puneri Paltan Table Tennis, reigned victorious.
Saturday’s ties will see Dabang Delhi TTC opening their UTT 2024 campaign against U Mumba TT. Later in the day, Goa Challengers are scheduled to face Ahmedabad SG Pipers.
UTT 2024 will be broadcast live on Sports18 Khel and streamed online on JioCinema (India) and Facebook Live (Outside India).
Detailed scores:
PBG Bengaluru Smashers bt Chennai Lions 11-4: Alvaro Robles bt Jules Rolland 2-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-6); Lily Zhang bt Poymantee Baisya 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-3); Amalraj/Zhang bt Sharath/Mori 3-0 (11-10, 11-9, 11-8); Jeet Chandra bt Achanta Sharath Kamal 3-0 (11-6, 11-10, 11-9); Manika Batra Sakura Mori (11-5, 5-11, 10-11)
Puneri Paltan Table Tennis bt Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5: Joao Monteiro lost to Manush Shah 1-2 (11-5, 7-11, 6-11); Ayhika Mukherjee bt Bernadette Szocs 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-6); Monteiro/Ayhika lost to Manush/Szocs 1-2 (11-7, 3-11, 7-11); Ankur Bhattacharjee bt Lilian Bardet 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-8); Natalia Bajor bt Reeth Rishya (7-11, 11-8, 11-5).
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