Ultimate Table Tennis: Prithika Pavade stars as PBG Pune Jaguars defeat UP Prometheans 9-6 for maiden win

French Olympian Prithika Pavade starred on her debut as PBG Pune Jaguars defeated UP Prometheans 9-6 in Goa. Pavade’s stellar comeback win over two-time MVP Yangzi Liu sealed the Jaguars' first victory of the Ultimate Table Tennis season

Hyderabad: French Olympian and Butterfly UTT debutant Prithika Pavade produced a powerhouse performance as PBG Pune Jaguars defeated UP Prometheans 9-6 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa on Sunday, securing its first victory of Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 powered by ChatGPT.

Pavade capped a memorable outing by toppling two-time Butterfly UTT MVP Yangzi Liu in the deciding Women’s Singles, recovering from a game down before producing a superb display in the decider to seal one of the standout wins of the season so far.

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UP made the brighter start through Germany’s Ricardo Walther, who overcame Egypt’s Omar Assar in three games with an assured display. Pune responded immediately as Diya Chitale fought back from a game down to edge Sayali Wani in another closely contested battle, before the Jaguars seized control through Snehit SFR and Pavade, who held their nerve to win a pair of dramatic mixed doubles Golden Points.

Snehit then maintained his unbeaten start to the season by edging Sudhanshu Grover in another three-game contest, handing Pune a crucial cushion heading into the final match. With the tie still alive, Pavade delivered the performance of the afternoon, bouncing back after dropping the opening game against Liu to take control of the contest and close out a memorable victory over one of the league’s most decorated players, sealing Pune’s first win of Season 7.

Pavade was named the Foreign Player of the Tie, while Snehit collected the Indian Player of the Tie, as well as the ChatGPT Match IQ Player of the Tie awards. Omar Assar’s scintillating winner in the third game of his singles rubber earned him the Bisleri Shot of the Tie honour.

The results:

PBG Pune Jaguars bt UP Prometheans 9-6 (Omar Assar lost to Ricardo Walther 4-11, 10-11, 11-9; Diya Chitale bt Sayali Wani 9-11, 11-8, 11-10; Snehit SFR/Prithika Pavade bt Ricardo Walther/Swastika Ghosh 8-11, 11-10, 11-10; Snehit SFR bt Sudhanshu Grover 11-7, 3-11, 11-9; Prithika Pavade bt Yangzi Liu 4-11, 11-7, 11-9).