UTT Season 6: Jaipur Patriots march into final

India international Sreeja Akula maintained her stellar unbeaten run while Yashash Malik trumped G Sathiyan to power Jaipur Patriots into the final of the Ultimate Table Tennis Season Six with an 8-7 win over Dabang Delhi TTC, in Ahmedabad on Friday.

In the final scheduled for Sunday, Jaipur Patriots will meet the winners of the second semifinal between Dempo Goa Challengers and U Mumba.

Malik pulled off a superb 2-1 win over Delhi skipper and veteran Sathiyan, while Sreeja pulled off a narrow victory over Diya Chitale in the final game of the tie.

After saving three game points in the opener to win on Golden Point, Malik bounced back once again in the second game to win 11-9 which also marked his maiden win in the competition.

Sathiyan hit back hard with a 11-6 win in the third game which tied the contest to 6-6 heading into the final tie.

Sreeja took the opening game 11-9 despite Diya clawing back from 1-5 down. With Dabang Delhi's hopes on the line, Diya responded with a strong 11-6 win in the second game.

The final game was a nail-biter, with both the players locked at 8-8 before Sreeja sealed it with a blazing forehand winner to help her side qualify for their maiden final.

Earlier, Jaipur Patriots drew first blood when Kanak Jha turned the tables on Izaac Quek with a 2-1 win. Quek controlled the early pace to take the first game 11-7, but Jha edged a tense second game on Golden Point with a forehand winner, before powering through the decider.

Dabang Delhi quickly drew level through Maria Xiao, who overcame a strong start from the in-form Britt Eerland to win 2-1.
It was followed by a win for Sathiyan and Xiao who got the bette of Jeet Chandra and Eerland, extending their perfect mixed doubles run to edge their team ahead on the night.

Result: Jaipur Patriots 8 beat Dabang Delhi TTC 7

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).