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Syndrela Das, 16, stuns World No. 52 Manika Batra in UTT Season 7, leading Dempo Goa Challengers to an 8-7 win.
Syndrela Das in action against Manika Batra (Picture credit: Butterfly UTT)
Sixteen-year-old Syndrela Das pulled off one of the biggest upsets of Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7, stunning World No. 52 and Indian stalwart Manika Batra in straight games as two-time champions Dempo Goa Challengers edged past Ahmedabad APL Pipers 8-7 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Sunday, July 12.
The teenager’s stunning win against Manika proved to be the turning point, as Dempo Goa Challengers held off a spirited Ahmedabad APL Pipers comeback to register their second successive victory of UTT Season 7.
Earlier in the day, French Olympian and UTT debutant Prithika Pavade starred as PBG Pune Jaguars beat UP Prometheans 9-6. Pavade capped a memorable debut by overcoming two-time UTT MVP Yangzi Liu in the decisive women’s singles, recovering after losing the opening game before producing a commanding display in the decider to register one of the standout victories of Season 7 till now.
The clash between Ahmedabad APL Pipers and Dempo Goa Challengers was dominated by one-sided contests, with four of the five matches ending in straight-game wins.
Goa set the tone early as Spain’s Alvaro Robles swept past Adrien Rassenfosse 3-0 before Syndrela stole the spotlight with the performance of the evening.
Displaying brilliant composure beyond her years, the 16-year-old battled through three closely fought games to blank Manika 3-0, giving Goa a commanding 6-0 lead after the opening two matches.
Ahmedabad mounted a spirited comeback as Payas Jain and Sofia Polcanova swept the mixed doubles before Abhinandh PB beat Payas in the second men’s singles. But Abhinandh had already done enough by winning the opening two games to seal the match and, with it, the tie for Goa.
The tie concluded with a high-quality clash between international doubles partners Sofia Polcanova and reigning UTT MVP Bernadette Szocs, with the Austrian emerging victorious in straight games.
But Goa’s dominant start proved decisive as they held on to bag a narrow 8-7 victory.
UP Prometheans drew first blood in the opening tie of the day as Ricardo Walther beat Omar Assar in a three-game contest. PBG Pune Jaguars responded immediately, with Diya Chitale recovering from a game down to defeat Sayali Wani 2-1.
Pune then took control of the tie as Snehit SFR and Prithika Pavade clinched the mixed doubles through consecutive Golden Points, before the former backed it up with a win against Sudhanshu Grover to extend their advantage.
Pavade then delivered the performance of the afternoon, staging a superb comeback after dropping the opening game to defeat two-time UTT MVP Yangzi Liu and bag PBG Pune Jaguars’ first victory of Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7.
Final Score
PBG Pune Jaguars 9-6 UP Prometheans
Omar Assar lost to Ricardo Walther 1-2 (4-11, 10-11, 11-9)
Diya Chitale bt. Sayali Wani 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-10)
Snehit SFR/Prithika Pavade bt. Ricardo Walther/Swastika Ghosh 2-1 (8-11, 11-10, 11-10)
Snehit SFR bt. Sudhanshu Grover 2-1 (11-7, 3-11, 11-9)
Prithika Pavade bt. Yangzi Liu 2-1 (4-11, 11-7, 11-9)
Dempo Goa Challengers 8-7 Ahmedabad APL Pipers
Alvaro Robles bt. Adrien Rassenfosse 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-2)
Syndrela Das bt. Manika Batra 3-0 (11-10, 11-9, 11-9)
Abhinandh P.B./Bernadette Szocs lost to Payas Jain/Sofia Polcanova 3-0 (7-11, 5-11, 10-11)
Abhinandh P.B. bt. Payas Jain 2-1 (11-8, 11-10, 5-11)
Bernadette Szocs lost to Sofia Polcanova 3-0 (8-11, 6-11, 8-11)
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