UTT 2023: Ayhika upsets World No. 26 Zhang as Dabang Delhi thrashes U Mumba TT
Dabang Delhi TTC had a near-perfect outing on every count on Monday night against U Mumba TT as the previous edition’s finalist all but assured itself of a place in the semifinal of Ultimate Table Tennis season four.
Thanks to a 11-4 landslide win – the joint-highest margin of the season, equalling Chennai Lions’ similar feat against Goa Challengers over the weekend – Dabang Delhi zoomed to the second position in the points tally with the last league round remaining for each of the six teams.
The Delhi think-tank had its plans in place, pitting Ayhika Mukherjee – the unorthodox Indian – against World No. 26 Lily Zhang in the singles at the top. Groomed in confidence with her teammate Jon Persson rolling over Manav Thakkar in the opening rubber, Ayhika responded to the call by stunning Zhang.
Ayhika, the in-form Indian, used her pimpled rubbers effectively to flummox Zhang and came atop twice in a match that saw each of the three games being stretched to the golden point.
Despite Aruna Quadri living up to the billing against Delhi’s G.
Sathiyan in the feature clash, overpowering the Indian ace with his forehand winners, Sreeja Akula ended the game with Delhi’s second clean sweep of the night. The loss could well result in the last league game on Thursday-between U Mumba and Puneri Paltan TT – being a virtual quarterfinal.
The result:
Dabang Delhi TTC bt U Mumba TT 11-4 (Jon Persson bt Manav Thakkar 11-8, 11-8, 11-7; Ayhika Mukherjee bt Lily Zhang 10-11, 11-10, 11-10; G. Sathiyan & Barbora Balazova bt Manav & Lily Zhang 5-11, 11-5, 11-8; Sathiyan lost to Quadri Aruna 6-11, 6-11, 11-8; Sreeja Akula bt Diya Chitale 11-8, 11-9, 11-8)
The standings:
Chennai Lions 35 points (4 ties); Dabang Delhi TTC 33 (4); Goa Challengers 30 (4); U Mumba TT 28 (4); Puneri Paltan TT 28 (4); Bengaluru Smashers 26 (4).