Dabang Smashers take lead over Maharashtra

New Delhi, July 22 (Suryaa)  Dabang Smashers took a commanding 8-4 lead over DHFL Maharashtra United after four matches with some solid display in the 10th tie of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at the Thyagaraj Stadium here on Saturday.

World No.110 G. Sathiyan put Dabang Smashers ahead with a stunning 11-3, 11-9, 7-11 win over Hong Kong's world No.8 Wong Chun Ting in the men's singles.

Sathiyan ran away with the opening game and then rallied back to clinch the second. Wong Chun Ting, however, came back strongly to win the third and bag a point for his team.

North Korea's world No.19 Kim Song extended Dabang Smashers's lead to 4-2 with a 11-2, 11-5, 9-11 victory over Pooja Koparkar in the women's singles.

In-form Kim Song dominated the Indian in the first two games. But the Maharashtra lass rallied to win the third game to hand her side a second point. Next up was mixed doubles, and Dabang Smashers' Anthony Amalraj and Tetyana Bilenko registered a 11-8, 11-4, 4-11 win over Harmeet Desai and Liu Jia to increase their team's lead to 6-3.

China-born Ukraine international Kou Lei, ranked No.28 in the world, pulled off a thrilling 11-10, 11-9, 5-11 win over Wong Chun Ting in the men's singles to give Dabang Smashers a commanding 8-4 lead.