UTT 2025 | Izaac and Maria shine, Dabang exacts revenge against Challengers
The Hindu
Dabang Delhi TTC avenges final loss, defeats Goa Challengers in Ultimate Table Tennis with stellar performances.
Riding on a sterling show by Quek Izaac up front and Maria Xiao in the last rubber, Dabang Delhi TTC avenged last year’s final loss against defending champion Goa Challengers in the sixth edition of Ultimate Table Tennis.
The 9-6 victory at the EKA Arena on Wednesday not only brought a smile to captain G. Sathiyan’s face — despite being beaten by arch rival Harmeet Desai in his singles affair — but also catapulted the Delhi outfit to the top of the standings.
Izaac – the Singaporean teenager – set the tone for Dabang by overcoming veteran Tiago Apolonia, the five-time Olympian, in the first match.
Despite being ranked much lower than the Portugal paddler, Izaac’s raw power and quick reflexes helped him win all three games in the battle between the youngest and oldest overseas participants of the season.
Zeng Jian – Izaac’s fellow Singaporean – then brought parity to the scoreline by handing Dabang’s Diya Chitale a lesson in consistently finishing off rallies.
Sathiyan and Maria then teamed up to defeat Harmeet and Zeng before Harmeet levelled the scoreline at six games apiece after trailing 1-0.
Harmeet upped the ante and increased his pace substantially to force Sathiyan into errors at key moments.
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