UTT 2024: Diya Chitale injured before the final between Goa Challengers and Dabang Delhi

Dabang Delhi TTC's bid to win the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 title could be hampered by the injury of its key player Diya Chitale, who was spotted with a suspected ankle injury ahead of the final against defending champions Athlead Goa Challengers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

The paddler appeared to be in pain during the first men's singles match between Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Harmeet Desai. She sat in her dugout, resting her left leg and applying an ice pack to her ankle.

Chitale's consistent performance has been crucial for the 2018 champions this season. She has just one loss and five wins, including three clear victories. Her victories include a crucial 3-0 victory over Reeth Rishya in the semifinals and a comeback 3-0 win over Manika Batra in the league stage, which saw Bengaluru Smashers suffer their first defeat.

As Delhi and Goa vie to become the first team to win the UTT championship twice, Chitale's injury could prove to be a blow to her team's chances.