In a thrilling UTT 2024 encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, rising star Diya Chitale stunned World No. 26 Manika Batra, leading Dabang Delhi TTC to a remarkable 8-7 victory over table toppers PBG Bengaluru Smashers.
Despite trailing 7-1, Dabang Delhi TTC staged a stunning comeback, winning seven consecutive games. Chitale’s 3-0 (11-6, 11-10, 11-8) triumph over Batra proved pivotal.
Earlier, PBG Bengaluru Smashers had dominated, with Alvaro Robles and Lily Zhang securing victories in the first men’s and women’s singles, respectively. However, Orawan Paranang and G Sathiyan sparked the Delhi-based franchise’s resurgence with a 2-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-8) mixed doubles win over Manika and Robles.
Sathiyan then blanked Jeet Chandra 3-0 (11-10, 11-6, 11-5), setting the stage for Chitale’s heroics. The youngster’s impressive performance against Batra showcased her immense potential.
In another exciting clash, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis defeated debutants Jaipur Patriots 9-6. Ankur Bhattacharjee, Suthasini Sawettabut, Natalia Bajor, Anirban Ghosh, Joao Monteiro, and Bajor contributed to the victory.
PBG Bengaluru Smashers remain atop the standings with 48 points, while Dabang Delhi TTC sits second with 41 points. Puneri Paltan Table Tennis is fourth with 28 points, and Jaipur Patriots is fifth with 25 points.
