Chennai, Aug 23 (IANS): Ayhika Mukherjee maintained her giant-killing ways in her first match of the season, beating World No. 13 and three-time Olympian, Bernadette Szocs, 3-0. Ayhika’s win set up a triumph for Puneri Paltan Table Tennis in their opening tie of Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Friday.
All eyes were on Ayhika following her sensational win over World No. 1 Sun Yingsha earlier in the year. On the opposite end was UTT 2024’s highest-ranked player, male or female, Szocs, who found it difficult to read Ayhika’s uncommon technique throughout. Ayhika ran away with the three games 11-7, 11-5, 11-6, adding Szocs to her list of scalps in 2024.
The tie began with captains Joao Monteiro and Manush Shah taking on each other in the first men’s singles match. Seventeen years Manush’s senior, Monteiro - ranked 92 - showed his considerable experience by blocking the youngster’s aggressive hits and finding the spaces he left behind, and took the first game 11-5. Manush - ranked 111 by comparison - hit back in game 2, adding precision to his power, and levelled the match 1-1.
Monteiro’s high serve became a feature in game 3, but Manush countered it with feisty topspin smashes on way to causing an upset against the two-time Olympian. Monteiro, Ayhika, Manush, and Szocs returned to the table to contest the mixed doubles tie, which went in favour of the debuting Ahmedabad SG Pipers 2-1.
The 17-year-old Ankur Bhattacharjee then announced himself to the wider table tennis world with a blistering win over World No. 90 Lilian Bardet; the debutant swept aside his higher-ranked opponent 3-0, handing Puneri Paltan Table Tennis the tie. Natalia Bajor added sheen to the win by defeating Ahmedabad SG Pipers’ Reeth Rishya 2-1.
Saturday’s ties feature Dabang Delhi TTC opening their UTT 2024 campaign against U Mumba TT. Later in the day, Goa Challengers are scheduled to face Ahmedabad SG Pipers.
UTT 2024, the franchise-based league promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), will be broadcast live on Sports18 Khel and streamed online on JioCinema (India) and Facebook Live (Outside India).
Brief scores:
Puneri Paltan Table Tennis bt Ahmedabad SG Pipers 10-5:
Joao Monteiro lost to Manush Shah 1-2 (11-5, 7-11, 6-11); Ayhika Mukherjee bt Bernadette Szocs 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-6); Monteiro/Ayhika lost to Manush/Szocs 1-2 (11-7, 3-11, 7-11); Ankur Bhattacharjee bt Lilian Bardet 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-8); Natalia Bajor bt Reeth Rishya (7-11, 11-8, 11-5).