UTT 2025: Diya Chitale completes singles whitewash with eight-point streak in Dabang Delhi’s win over ThunderBlades; Challengers romp home

While the Kolkata Thunder Blades fans celebrated Quadri Aruna’s forehand winners against Dabang Delhi TTC skipper G. Sathiyan, Diya Chitale looked calm in the warm-up area.

Standing a few metres away from Chitale was fellow Mumbaikar and 19-year-old Ananya Chande, preparing for her debut in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league.

With Dabang trailing 5-7 after Aruna’s victory over Sathiyan, Diya had to blank Ananya to clinch the tie.

For once it seemed, Ananya might win the war in a losing battle. But Diya, trailing 3-7 in the final game, went on an incredible eight-point winning streak to stun the majorly pro-Kolkata crowd at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on Friday.

“I think the drums really helped us until the end. Thank you for the drums,” said Diya in the post-match interview with the official broadcaster, referring to the arrangements done by the opponent team.

Ankur Bhattacharjee ended Singaporean Izaac Quek’s unbeaten streak in Season 6 while keeping his own intact to give Thunder Blades the ideal start. The Indian celebrated the win by dropping his racquet and gesturing his naysayers to keep quiet.

Adriana Diaz took down Maria Xiao to stretch the Thunder Blades’ lead to 4-2. Sathiyan and Xiao cut the deficit to one with the 2-1 win over Ankur and Diaz in the mixed doubles, only to see it being restored for the Thunder Blades through Aruna.

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However, Diya, the player who attracted the highest bid for an Indian player at the auction, made sure Dabang had the last laugh as the only unbeaten team after three rounds climbed to the top of the table.

Earlier in the day, defending champion Dempo Goa Challengers comprehensively defeated PBG Pune Jaguars 10-5 with impressive performances from skipper Harmeet Desai, Krittwika Roy and Singaporean Zeng Jian.

PBG Pune Jaguars’ Alvaro Robles was up against Dempo Goa Challengers’ Harmeet Desai.
| Photo Credit:
VIJAY SONEJI / THE HINDU

Desai edged Alvaro Robles in a close opener.

Krittwika had been preparing for a possible clash against left-handed Dina Meshref. But with the Egyptian being ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to an injury, the Indian adapted well to beat the replacement player – Korea’s Lee Zi-on.

Harmeet and Zeng clean swept Anirban Ghosh and Lee to widen the lead to 7-2.

With Portuguese Tiago Apolonia managing to grab a game against Anirban and Zeng beating Reeth Rishya, the Challengers brought the tie to a close.