IndianOil UTT Season 6: Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, and Diya Chitale Shine as Defending Champions and Dabang Delhi Open with Statement Wins
IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 began with a double-header full of grit, flair, and high-quality rallies, as defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers and former champions Dabang Delhi TTC registered strong opening victories in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The tournament, backed by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, will run across 16 thrilling days, with all 23 ties broadcast on Star Sports Khel and Star Sports Tamil, and streamed live on JioHotstar.
In the evening tie, Dempo Goa Challengers overcame home side Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5, with India’s Harmeet Desai stealing the spotlight. Trailing after the first game against World No. 34 Ricardo Walther, Harmeet bounced back superbly to win 2-1 in a match that swung the momentum firmly in Goa’s favour. He showed poise in a tight 11-10 second game before finishing with a dominant 11-3 third game, earning him the Indian Player of the Tie award.
Earlier in the tie, veteran Tiago Apolonia, at 43 the oldest player in the league, showed no signs of slowing down as he dispatched India’s Snehit Suravajjula with back-to-back 11-6 wins. Though Snehit clawed back one game with a Golden Point finish, the Challengers held firm. In the women’s singles, Krittwika Sinha Roy overcame a slow start to defeat Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1, showcasing consistency under pressure.
The only bright moment for the hosts came in the mixed doubles, where Ayhika and debutant Ricardo Walther combined to win 2-1 against Harmeet and Singapore’s Zeng Jian. But Zeng, making her UTT debut, proved too strong for Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin in the final encounter, sweeping her aside 3-0 and clinching the win for Goa.
In the earlier tie of the day, Dabang Delhi TTC produced a comprehensive 11-4 win over Jaipur Patriots, with star performers Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Diya Chitale leading the charge. Returning for his sixth straight season with Delhi, Sathiyan looked sharp and focused, clinching a 3-0 win over Jeet Chandra to seal the tie for Delhi in Match 4. His performance earned him the Indian Player of the Tie honour.
Diya Chitale, the most expensive Indian player at this year’s auction, lived up to the billing with a gritty 2-1 win over World No. 43 Britt Eerland. Diya’s aggressive forehand play and calmness under pressure gave Delhi a strong finish to the tie and signaled her growing stature on the domestic and international circuit.
The match opened with a thrilling clash between Singapore’s Izaac Quek and USA’s Kanak Jha, a three-time Olympian. Quek, only 19, showed tremendous composure after losing the first game, coming back to win 2-1 with blistering counter-attacks and heavy topspin play. His performance gave Delhi an early edge.
Jaipur did show resistance in the second match, with Sreeja Akula mounting a spirited comeback to defeat Maria Xiao in a tight three-game affair. Sreeja was down 0-7 in the opening game but rallied strongly, clinching the tie with the season’s first Golden Point.
In the mixed doubles, Sathiyan and Maria combined seamlessly to defeat Kanak and Sreeja 3-0, setting the tone for the final stretch of the match. Delhi closed the contest in clinical fashion, taking 5 of the 6 games in the last two singles.
Off the main court, the Dream UTT Juniors, a joint grassroots initiative by IndianOil UTT and Dream Sports Foundation, also got underway with exciting results. Both Maharashtra teams registered narrow 5-4 wins, as U Mumba TT edged out Stanley’s Chennai Lions, and PBG Pune Jaguars saw off Kolkata ThunderBlades thanks to doubles brilliance from Atharva Nawarange and Tushti Sood.
With some of the world’s top-ranked paddlers, Olympians, and rising Indian stars in action, UTT Season 6 promises to be its most competitive yet. With passionate crowds at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena and growing digital and TV reach, Indian table tennis is poised for yet another boost from its marquee league.
Final Scores:
Dempo Goa Challengers 10-5 Ahmedabad SG Pipers
- Tiago Apolonia bt. Snehit Suravajjula 2-1 (11-6, 11-6, 10-11)
- Krittwika Sinha Roy bt. Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1 (4-11, 11-8, 11-9)
- Harmeet Desai/Zeng Jian lost to Ricardo Walther/Ayhika Mukherjee 1-2 (9-11, 10-11, 11-10)
- Harmeet Desai bt. Ricardo Walther 2-1 (6-11, 11-10, 11-3)
- Zeng Jian bt. Giorgia Piccolin 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
Dabang Delhi TTC 11-4 Jaipur Patriots
- Izaac Quek bt. Kanak Jha 2-1 (5-11, 11-5, 11-9)
- Maria Xiao lost to Sreeja Akula 1-2 (11-4, 9-11, 10-11)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao bt. Kanak Jha/Sreeja Akula 3-0 (11-6, 11-10, 11-6)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bt. Jeet Chandra 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-6)
- Diya Chitale bt. Britt Eerland 2-1 (11-8, 11-7, 8-11)
ENDS
