India’s G Sathiyan, ranked 110th in the world, stunned world number eight Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong in the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis match between Dabang Smashers and DHFL Maharashtra United in New Delhi on Saturday.
Smashers took a commanding 8-4 lead over Maharashtra United after four matches with a solid display in the 10th tie of the league.
Sathiyan put Smashers ahead with a stunning 2-1 (11-3, 11-9, 7-11) win over Ting in the men’s singles (Foreign v Indian), the day’s opening match.
He ran away with the opening game and then rallied back to clinch the second. Ting, however, came back strongly to win the third and bag a point for his team.
North Korea’s world No 19 Kim Song I extended Smashers’ lead to 4-2 with a 2-1 (11-2, 11-5, 9-11) victory over Pooja Koparkar in the women’s singles (Foreign v Indian).
In-form Kim Song-I dominated the world No 279 in the first two games but the Maharashtra paddler rallied to win the third game to hand her side a second point.
Next up was mixed doubles (Foreign/Indian pair), and Smashers’ Anthony Amalraj/ Tetyana Bilenko registered a 2-1 (11-8, 11-4, 4-11) win over Harmeet Desai/ Liu Jia to further their team’s lead to 6-3.
China-born Ukraine international Kou Lei, ranked 28th in the world, pulled off a thrilling 2-1 (11-10, 11-9, 5-11) win over Ting in the men’s singles to give Smashers a commanding 8-4 lead after four matches.
