Kolkata Thunderblades Defeat U Mumba to Secure Semifinal Spot in UTT Season 7

Panjim, July 21: In an exhilarating match on Tuesday, the HVR Kolkata Thunderblades broke U Mumba’s winning streak with a narrow 8-7 victory in Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7. The match took place at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigao, near Panjim. Despite the loss, U Mumba secured their place in the semifinals due to their superior game count and favorable equations, ensuring qualification alongside the league-leading Dempo Goa Challengers.

Kolkata’s young player Tanisha Kotecha delivered a stunning performance, handing Anna Harshe her first defeat of the season. Zeng Jian maintained his composure in the decisive final game, clinching victory for Kolkata. This result confirmed both teams’ advancement to the knockout stage, leaving only one spot available.

Kolkata started strong with Eduard Ionescu, who, after losing one game, bounced back to defeat Manush Shah 9-11, 11-8, 11-7. Following this, Tanisha Kotecha pulled off a major upset by defeating the previously unbeaten Anna Harshe in straight games, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4.

U Mumba made a comeback in the mixed doubles; Manush and Harshe, after trailing initially, overcame Ankur Bhattacharjee and Tanisha in three games, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, keeping the defending champions in contention.

In another tight contest, France’s Lilian Bardet edged Ankur in three games, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, bringing U Mumba closer to victory. However, Nityashree Mani leveled the match at 7-7 by defeating Jian in the first two games, 11-10, 11-5. Everything hinged on the final game, where Jian made a remarkable comeback, winning 11-5 and sealing the match for Kolkata. With this outcome, both teams confirmed their spots in the semifinals.

Tanisha was named ‘Indian Player of the Tie,’ while Bardet received both the ‘Match IQ Player’ and ‘Foreign Player of the Tie’ awards. Ankur earned the ‘Bisleri Shot of the Tie’ honor.

The UTT Season 7, organized under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians.