The Jaipur Patriots sealed a place in the semi-finals of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 after a tightly contested 9–6 victory over PBG Pune Jaguars. Led by India’s top-ranked woman paddler Sreeja Akula, the team showcased resilience and composure in a must-win encounter held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai.
The tie began with Jeet Chandra setting the tone for Jaipur by defeating Anirban Ghosh 2–1 in the opening men’s singles match. Dutch Olympian Britt Eerland extended Jaipur’s lead with a 2–1 win over Reeth Rishya in the women’s singles, followed by a comeback victory in the mixed doubles, where Eerland partnered with Chandra to beat Alvaro Robles and Reeth Rishya by the same margin.
Despite a 2–1 loss in the subsequent men’s singles match, where Alvaro Robles overcame Yashansh Malik, the Patriots remained in control. It was then left to Sreeja Akula to close out the tie. Facing South Korea’s Zion Lee, Akula once again delivered under pressure, winning 2–1 to maintain her unbeaten run this season and confirm Jaipur’s progression to the knockout stage.
This win takes Jaipur to 41 points in the league standings, ensuring them a semi-final berth with one league match remaining. The result also eliminates PBG Pune Jaguars from contention, with only one semi-final spot left to be decided in the final league match of the season.
Akula’s form has been a defining factor in Jaipur’s campaign. Undefeated across all her appearances this season, she continues to build on an impressive 2024 in which she became the first Indian woman to win a WTT Contender singles title. Her reliability has offered the Patriots a competitive edge in critical moments.
Jaipur’s qualification marks their first-ever entry into the semi-finals of UTT. With strong performances across the board and momentum firmly behind them, the team will now prepare to face the top sides of the tournament in the knockout phase.
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