Sreeja Akula Leads Jaipur Patriots to Historic UTT Semi-Finals

Jaipur Patriots Secure Semi-Final Spot

In a thrilling match held on June 12 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Sreeja Akula's outstanding performance helped the Jaipur Patriots achieve a 9-6 victory over the PBG Pune Jaguars, marking their first entry into the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) semi-finals.

This win allowed the Jaipur Patriots to gather a total of 41 points, elevating them to the second position in the standings, just three points behind the leading Dempo Goa Challengers.

On the other hand, the PBG Pune Jaguars were eliminated from playoff contention, with only one playoff spot remaining ahead of the final league match between U Mumba TT and Dabang Delhi TTC, as stated in a UTT press release.

Organized by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and supported by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, the IndianOil UTT is rapidly establishing itself as a premier professional league. The competition features 23 matches over 16 exciting days at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad.

Jeet Chandra initiated the match with an impressive 2-1 victory against Anirban Ghosh, effectively countering Ghosh's aggressive style. Following him, Dutch player Britt Eerland also secured a win, taking the first two games before Pune's Reeth Rishya claimed the third on a Golden Point.

These crucial victories provided Jaipur with a significant advantage heading into the mixed doubles, where Jeet and Eerland overcame an early setback to win the next two games 11-6 and 11-7, confirming their place in the semi-finals for the first time in UTT history.

PBG Pune Jaguars' Alvaro Robles responded with a determined 2-1 win over Yashansh Malik, intensifying their playoff hopes. However, Sreeja Akula sealed the match with a commanding 2-1 victory against South Korea's Zion Lee, ensuring Jaipur's 9-6 triumph.

For their exceptional contributions, Jeet was honored as the Indian Player of the Tie, while Eerland received the title of Foreign Player of the Tie. Zion's remarkable round-the-net shot against Sreeja was awarded the Shot of the Tie.

Final Scores:

Jaipur Patriots 9-6 PBG Pune Jaguars

Jeet Chandra bt. Anirban Ghosh 2-1 (11-8, 11-9, 10-11)

Britt Eerland bt. Reeth Rishya 2-1 (11-9, 11-6, 10-11)

Jeet Chandra/Britt Eerland bt. Alvaro Robles/Reeth Rishya 2-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-7)

Yashansh Malik lost to Alvaro Robles 1-2 (4-11, 11-6, 3-11)

Sreeja Akula bt. Zion Lee 2-1 (11-5, 6-11, 11-8).