Andreas levenko

Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium: Led by Achanta Sharath Kamal, Chennai Lions bounced back in style from their previous loss in the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 by defeating Dabang Delhi TTC 8-7 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.

Home favourite Sharath, who is the league’s highest-ranked male Indian paddler, showed his class in a 2-1 win over Dabang Delhi TTC’s Andreas Levenko in the tie’s first men’s singles, unleashing a range of powerful smashes on the Austrian making his debut in the fifth season of the UTT. Sharaths’s win set the tone for the tie, with his teammates following suit later on.

Subsequently, in the tie’s first women’s singles, Sakura Mori defeated Orawan Paranang, 2-1, to extend Chennai Lions’ lead. Mori proved her prowess in difficult circumstances, staying in control of the match despite repeated fightbacks from her opponent. While the Japanese paddler took the opening two games, her Thai counterpart varied her approach in the third and claimed a consolation victory, reducing Dabang Delhi TTC’s deficit.