Jaipur Patriots Edge Dabang Delhi 8‑7 to Book First-Ever Final Berth

IndianOil UTT Season 6: Jaipur Patriots Edge Dabang Delhi 8‑7 to Book First-Ever Final Berth

Akula remains unbeaten; Yashansh Malik stuns Sathiyan in a night of high drama

Ahmedabad, June 13, 2025:

Sreeja Akula extended her unbeaten run in IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6, while 19-year-old Yashansh Malik delivered a career-defining win over Dabang Delhi TTC captain Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, as Jaipur Patriots sealed a nail-biting 8-7 victory to reach their maiden UTT final.

The thrilling semi-final was broadcast live on Star Sports Khel, Star Sports 2 Tamil, and JioCinema (JioHotstar), with the Patriots now set to face the winner of Dempo Goa Challengers vs U Mumba TT in the Grand Finale on June 15.

Promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), IndianOil UTT continues to flourish as a premier professional league. The ongoing sixth season, held at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena, features 23 ties over 16 action-packed days, with tickets available exclusively on BookMyShow.

Match Summary

The Patriots got off to a perfect start as Kanak Jha avenged his earlier defeat to Izaac Quek, coming back from a game down to win 2-1. After losing the opener 7-11, Jha edged the second on Golden Point with a blistering forehand winner, then dominated the decider 11-3 to put Jaipur ahead 2-1.

Dabang Delhi TTC responded swiftly. Maria Xiao rallied from a slow start to beat Britt Eerland 2-1, and then combined with Sathiyan to defeat Jeet Chandra and Eerland in mixed doubles, helping Delhi edge ahead 5-4 with two matches remaining.

The turning point came in Match 4, when Yashansh Malik, in only his second outing this season, took on Indian star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. Malik saved three game points in the first to win on Golden Point and followed up with a composed 11-9 win in the second, sealing his first-ever win in UTT. Sathiyan managed to pull one game back 11-6, but Jaipur levelled the tie at 6-6 heading into the decider.

In the high-stakes final rubber, Sreeja Akula edged Diya Chitale 11-9 in the first game despite trailing 1-5 early on. Diya hit back with a clinical 11-6 win to take the tie into a thrilling final game. With the teams locked at 8-8, Sreeja sealed the match and the tie with a blazing forehand winner to take the final game 11-9—sending Jaipur Patriots into their first-ever UTT final.

Player Awards

• Indian Player of the Tie: Sreeja Akula (Jaipur Patriots)
• Foreign Player of the Tie: Maria Xiao (Dabang Delhi TTC)
• Shot of the Tie: Diya Chitale (Dabang Delhi TTC)

Final Scores

Jaipur Patriots 8-7 Dabang Delhi TTC

• Kanak Jha bt. Izaac Quek 2-1 (7-11, 11-10, 11-3)
• Britt Eerland lost to Maria Xiao 1-2 (11-6, 6-11, 8-11)
• Jeet Chandra/Britt Eerland lost to Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao 1-2 (11-8, 9-11, 10-11)
• Yashansh Malik bt. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 2-1 (11-10, 11-9, 6-11)
• Sreeja Akula bt. Diya Chitale 2-1 (11-9, 6-11, 11-9)

About Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT)

Launched in 2017, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is India’s flagship franchise-based table tennis league, conceptualised by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the patronage of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Featuring eight competitive teams and over 48 elite players from India and across the globe, UTT has become a cornerstone of India’s table tennis ecosystem.

The league showcases Olympic, Commonwealth, and Asian Games medallists and aims to popularise the sport nationwide. UTT also supports the growth of table tennis through grassroots initiatives, national ranking events, and partnerships with international bodies like WTT.

With each passing edition, UTT strengthens its global profile while nurturing India’s next generation of champions.

Download IndiaSportsHub App for all the updates.