Jha and Akula Propel Jaipur Patriots to Victory in UTT Season 6 Opener

In a thrilling opener for the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6, Kanak Jha and Sreeja Akula propelled the Jaipur Patriots to a decisive 9-6 victory against the Chennai Lions on Tuesday. Jha, the USA's top-ranked male paddler, made history by becoming the first player in the league to clinch a match using three Golden Points, defeating Kirill Gerassimenko 3-0. Complementing Jha's feat, India's leading female paddler Akula delivered a spotless 3-0 performance against Poymantee Baisya, catapulting Jaipur to a 6-0 lead.

The event, organized under the guidance of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and spearheaded by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, underscores the league's burgeoning stature as a premier professional platform. Taking place at Ahmedabad's EKA Arena, the league's 23 fixtures span 16 intense days. Following their individual victories, Jha and Akula united for a mixed doubles match, overpowering Payas Jain and Fan Siqi with a 2-1 win, thus ensuring an early triumph in their campaign.

However, Chennai Lions exhibited commendable tenacity. Payas Jain surged back with a 3-0 victory over fellow Delhi player Yashansh Malik, whilst Fan Siqi added two games to her tally in a 2-1 win against Britt Eerland. Although the Patriots had already sealed their victory, Chennai's late rally, collecting six additional games, might prove pivotal in the league's critical stages. Akula was celebrated as the Indian Player and Shot of the Tie, while Jha earned the Foreign Player of the Tie accolade.

On another front, the Dream UTT Juniors initiative saw Kolkata ThunderBlades and Dempo Goa Challengers secure emphatic 7-2 victories over Dabang Delhi TTC and PBG Pune Jaguars, respectively. Kolkata's charge was led by Ritvik Gupta and Swara Karmakar, both excelling in singles and teaming for a doubles triumph. For Goa, Sahil Rawat and Aarya Redkar showcased outstanding performances by winning all their matches against PBG Pune Challengers.

(With inputs from agencies.)