Defending champions Chennai Lions were at their imperious best in the first tie of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 4 and will look to continue their winning form as they take on U Mumba TT at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, here on Sunday.
Chennai Lions defeated Puneri Paltan Table Tennis by 10-5 team points in their first tie where ace paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal continuously produced swashbuckling shots to blank his opponent and give his franchise a positive start in the league.
He will remain a key player for the defending champions against U Mumba TT as well, while Sutirtha Mukherjee, Payas Jain and Prapti Sen will take inspiration from the ace Indian shuttler to give their best in the tie.
"Sharath Kamal is our most senior player and the way he played and we performed as a team in the last tie has given us a lot of confidence going into the next tie against U Mumba TT. We are the defending champions and it gives us a lot of confidence when we play against any opponent," said Sutirtha ahead of the tie.
Yangzi Liu and Benedikt Duda bring international flavour to the franchise and have been in fine form in the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 4.
On the other hand, U Mumba TT also made a fiery start in Season 4 as they registered a come-from-behind victory by 10-5 against Bengaluru Smashers who have stars like Manika Batra in their ranks.
Manav Thakkar was on top of his game in the last tie and will pose a big threat to Chennai Lions' title defence with his fighting spirit, while Lily Zhang has also brought her A game to the table in the ongoing Season.
"The team spirit and environment in U Mumba TT are really good. I am super excited to be here and play some really good table tennis. I am looking forward to another enthralling tie," stated Lily Zhang.
World No. 18 Aruna Quadri and Diya Chitale fought bravely in the previous tie despite facing a defeat in the first game of their respective matches. They will be a challenge for Chennai Lions as they possess the right combination of speed and precision to defeat any opponent.
Meanwhile, Mouma Das and Sudhanshu Grover are also exciting prospects for U Mumba TT in the upcoming tie of Season 4.
Being 'Delhi da Munda' means having a stress-free approach, says Kohli ahead of 300th ODI
As India are set to face New Zealand in Dubai to determine who tops Group A in the Champions Trophy, India star batter Virat Kohli opened up about his Delhi roots and said his prototype 'Delhi da munda' denotes a stress-free approach towards things.
Women's Pro League: India beat World No. 1 Netherlands 2-1 in shootout, Hockey India announces cash prize
Following the incredible upset victory, Hockey India announced a cash award of Rs 1 lakh to each Indian player and Rs 50,000 to each member of the support staff in addition to their existing policy of rewarding Rs 50,000 for every victory.
India don't need to be complacent, should focus on big matches ahead: BCCI Secy
After India's thumping six-wicket win over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia lauded the team for their effort and advised them to not be complacent and focus on the big matches ahead.
Big games equal big names: Ponting lauds Kohli's masterclass against Pakistan in CT
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has lauded India star batter Virat Kohli’s ability to step up in crucial moments after the right-hander steered India to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy with a rollicking unbeaten ton.
India beat Bangladesh for 2-0 lead in Men’s Bilateral T20 Cricket Series for the Blind
India continued their winning streak, securing a 43-run victory over Bangladesh in the second game of the five-match Men’s Bilateral T20 Cricket Series for the Blind 2025 here on Monday.
Champions Trophy: Indian team management will be extremely happy with near-perfect execution, says Paranjape
Jatin Paranjape, the former India cricketer and national selector, stated that the current team management will be thrilled with the near-flawless execution by the Rohit Sharma-led side in registering a six-wicket win over Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
NRAI announces 35-member Indian Shooting team for year’s first two ISSF World Cups
Olympic Games double-bronze medallist Manu Bhaker is the only one selected for two individual events by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for the year's first two World Cups which will kick-start the international shooting sports season for 2025.
Mumbai Open: Indian duo of Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Riya Bhatia enter QF
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Riya Bhatia, Prarthana Thombare and Rutuja Bhosale all enter the quarter final stage of the Mumbai Open 2025 after what was a fruitful day for India’s doubles charge.