Sathiyan exults after winning a point against Payas.
| Photo Credit: Butterfly UTT
Captain G. Sathiyan led from the front as Dabang Delhi TTC kept its Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 semifinal hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over Ahmedabad APL Pipers at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Monday.Sathiyan’s clean sweep of Payas Jain, an opponent who has troubled him over the past few seasons, proved decisive in a closely contested tie. The 9-6 result means that Delhi will head into its final league fixture against PBG Pune Jaguars on Thursday precisely knowing the permutations.With Dempo Goa Challengers, U Mumba TT and HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades having already secured last-four berths, both Delhi and Ahmedabad needed a convincing victory to stay in the race. After the opening three matches, there was little to separate the teams, with Delhi holding a slender 5-4 advantage. The onus fell on Sathiyan to deliver against Payas.The youngster looked set to turn the contest in Ahmedabad’s favour as he surged to a 10-6 lead in the first game, his powerful winners repeatedly piercing Sathiyan’s defence.
Sathiyan brought his experience to the table.
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