UTT 2024 Tie 17: Diya Chitale stuns Manika Batra as Dabang Delhi TTC pull off unthinkable comeback to defeat Bengaluru Smashers

The second tie of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2024 doubleheader, held on Sunday, September 1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, saw the Dabang Delhi TTC stage an incredible comeback to defeat the PBG Bengaluru Smashers 8-7. Despite the loss, the Bengaluru Smashers became the first team to qualify for the semifinals.

The highlight of the tie was undoubtedly rising star Diya Chitale upsetting World No. 26 and one of India’s top-ranked players, Manika Batra. Chitale's heroics also helped Dabang Delhi TTC finish off a stunning comeback after being 1-7 down earlier in the tie.

A closer look at the results of Tie 17 of UTT 2024: PBG Bengaluru Smashers vs. Dabang Delhi TTC

The tie began with the table-toppers, PBG Bengaluru Smashers, taking a strong early lead. Spain’s Alvaro Robles dominated young Yashansh Malik in the first men’s singles, winning 3-0.

Robles comfortably secured the first game 11-3, held off Malik in a tight second game with a golden point victory, and wrapped up the third game 11-5, giving Bengaluru a 3-0 advantage.

The second match saw Lily Zhang of Bengaluru extend the lead with her fourth 3-0 win in the UTT 2024 season. The American star defeated Thailand’s Orawan Paranang with identical 11-7 scores in all three games, continuing her unbeaten run in the league and helping her team extend their lead to a commanding 6-0.

However, the momentum began to shift when Orawan Paranang and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran of Dabang Delhi TTC took on the star pairing of Manika Batra and Alvaro Robles in the mixed doubles match. In a thrilling three-game battle, Orawan and Sathiyan edged out the Bengaluru duo 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, securing crucial points and sparking hope for the Delhi team.

Sathiyan kept the fire alive in the second men’s singles match, defeating the in-form Jeet Chandra 3-0 with a scoreline of 11-10, 11-6, 11-5. With Delhi now trailing by 7-5, visions of a comeback were very much alive.

The stage was set for a dramatic finish in the second women’s singles as Diya Chitale took on the experienced Manika Batra. The young Diya stunned everyone with a masterclass performance. Chitale won the first game 11-6, taking the second game on a golden point, and securing the third 11-8 to complete a clean sweep of all three games.

Her victory capped off a remarkable seven-game winning streak for Dabang Delhi, completing an astonishing comeback to win the tie 8-7.

Complete results of Tie 17 of UTT 2024: PBG Bengaluru Smashers vs. Dabang Delhi TTC

Bengaluru Smashers 7- 8 Dabang Delhi TTC

Alvaro Robles 3-0 Yashansh Malik [11-3, 11-10, 11-5]

Lily Zhang 3-0 Orawan Paranang [11-7, 11-7, 11-7]

Robles/Batra 1-2 Sathiyan/Paranang [8-11, 11-8, 7-11]

Jeet Chandra 0-3 Sathiyan G [10-11, 6-11, 5-11]

Manika Batra 0-3 Diya Chitale [6-11, 10-11, 8-11]