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The latest tie of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2024 league witnessed a stunning performance by the Chennai Lions as they thrashed Puneri Paltan Table Tennis 12-3, marking the biggest win in UTT history on Tuesday. The win has almost propelled Chennai to the knockout round.
Sharath Kamal set the tone for the evening with a dominant display in the first men’s singles match. He comfortably dispatched the in-form and talented 17-year-old Ankur Bhattacharjee with an 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 victory. This win gave the Chennai Lions an early 3-0 lead.
The momentum continued in the second match, where Poymantee Baisya of the Chennai Lions faced off against Asian Games medalist Ayhika Mukherjee. In a thrilling encounter, Baisya emerged victorious after winning two golden points and a game at 11-9.
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The match saw intense rallies, with both players pushing each other to the limit. However, Baisya kept her composure in the crucial moments, extending Chennai's lead to 6-0.
The mixed doubles match saw Sharath Kamal return to the table alongside Sakura Mori. The duo delivered another flawless performance, defeating Puneri Paltan’s Natalia Bajor and Anirban Ghosh 11-3, 11-8, 11-8. This victory virtually sealed the tie for Chennai, who surged ahead with a 9-0 lead.
Jules Rolland of the Chennai Lions continued the winning streak in the second men’s singles match against Pune’s Joao Monteiro. After taking the first game 11-7, Rolland saw Monteiro bounce back in the second game to win 11-2. However, the Lions' paddler found his rhythm again to close out the match.
In the final match of the evening, Sakura Mori faced off against Natalia Bajor in a closely fought women’s singles encounter. Bajor managed to break the hearts of the home crowd by handing Mori her first defeat of the season, winning 11-10, 8-11, 11-3. Bajor’s victory was Pune’s only one of the evening, and they lost the overall tie 12-3.
The historic win catapulted the Chennai Lions to the fourth spot on the league table with 37 points. Puneri Paltan Table Tennis, meanwhile, remains in sixth place with 31 points.
The fate of the Chennai Lions now depends on the final league match between the Jaipur Patriots and the Ahmedabad SG Pipers. A win for Jaipur would guarantee Chennai's spot in the semi-finals, but an eight-point or more win for Ahmedabad might put the Lions out of contention.
Complete results of Tie 19 of UTT 2024: Chennai Lions vs. Puneri Paltan TT
Puneri Paltan TT 3 - 12 Chennai Lions
Ankur Bhattacharjee 0-3 Sharath Kamal [7-11, 6-11, 2-11]
Ayhika Mukherjee 0-3 Poymantee Baisya [10-11, 9-11, 10-11]
Natalia/Anirban 0-3 Sharath/Sakura [3-11, 8-11, 8-11]
Joao Monteiro 1-2 Jules Rolland [7-11, 11-2, 3-11]
Natalia Bajor 2-1 Sakura Mori [11-10, 8-11, 11-3]
