Goa, July 20: Indian table tennis star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran produced a captain’s performance to guide Dabang Delhi TTC to a crucial 9-6 victory over Ahmedabad APL Pipers in Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium.
The victory marked Delhi’s third win of the season, significantly boosting the team’s hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.
Organised under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Butterfly UTT Season 7 features 42 international players, including 14 Olympians, showcasing world-class table tennis while promoting the growth of the sport in India.
Delhi and Ahmedabad Trade Early Blows
The tie began on an even note as Youssef Abdelaziz edged Adrien Rassenfosse in a thrilling three-game contest, sealing victory on Golden Point to hand Delhi the early advantage.
Ahmedabad responded immediately through Austrian star Sofia Polcanova, who continued her excellent season by defeating Maria Xiao in another dramatic Golden Point finish to level the tie.
Sathiyan Takes Charge
With momentum hanging in the balance, Delhi captain Sathiyan Gnanasekaran combined brilliantly with Maria Xiao to overcome Payas Jain and Sofia Polcanova in the Mixed Doubles, restoring Delhi’s advantage.
The experienced Indian then delivered the defining performance of the evening in the Men’s Singles, defeating Payas Jain in straight games with an authoritative 3-0 victory, putting Delhi firmly in control of the contest.
Although Manika Batra ended the evening on a positive note for Ahmedabad by defeating Sutirtha Mukherjee, Delhi had already secured enough points to seal a valuable 9-6 victory.
Awards
For his outstanding leadership and performances, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran was named both the Indian Player of the Tie and the ChatGPT Match IQ Player of the Tie.
Ahmedabad’s Sofia Polcanova received the Foreign Player of the Tie award and also claimed the Bisleri Shot of the Tie honour.
Final Score
Dabang Delhi TTC 9-6 Ahmedabad APL Pipers
- Youssef Abdelaziz bt. Adrien Rassenfosse 2-1 (11-6, 5-11, 11-10)
- Sofia Polcanova bt. Maria Xiao 2-1 (11-2, 9-11, 11-10)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao bt. Payas Jain/Sofia Polcanova 2-1 (11-7, 9-11, 11-4)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bt. Payas Jain 3-0 (11-10, 11-8, 11-7)
- Manika Batra bt. Sutirtha Mukherjee 2-1 (11-5, 11-3, 9-11)
Butterfly UTT Season 7 continues with exciting league-stage encounters as teams battle for the remaining playoff spots.
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