Goa: HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades ended U Mumba TT’s winning streak with a thrilling 8-7 victory in Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. Despite the defeat, U Mumba also secured a place in the semifinals thanks to a superior game count and favourable results elsewhere.
The result confirmed HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades, U Mumba TT, and league leaders Dempo Goa Challengers as the first three teams to qualify for the knockout stage, leaving one semifinal spot still up for grabs.
Organised under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Butterfly UTT Season 7 features 42 players, including 14 Olympians, while continuing to strengthen India’s table tennis ecosystem through world-class competition.
Kolkata Take Early Control
Kolkata made a strong start as Eduard Ionescu recovered after losing the opening game to defeat Manush Shah 2-1.
The biggest surprise of the evening came when young Indian paddler Taneesha Kotecha produced a dominant performance to hand Anna Hursey her first defeat of the tournament, winning in straight games and giving Kolkata a commanding advantage.
U Mumba Fight Back
The defending champions responded in the Mixed Doubles contest, where Manush Shah and Anna Hursey bounced back after dropping the opening game to defeat Ankur Bhattacharjee and Taneesha Kotecha 2-1.
French star Lilian Bardet then edged past Ankur Bhattacharjee in another closely fought three-game contest, reducing Kolkata’s lead and keeping U Mumba in contention.
Dramatic Finish
The tie came down to the final Women’s Singles match.
Nithyashree Mani won the opening two games against Zeng Jian to level the overall tie at 7-7, setting up a winner-takes-all final game.
Showing remarkable composure under pressure, Zeng Jian responded with an emphatic 11-5 victory in the deciding game, sealing an 8-7 triumph for Kolkata and confirming semifinal qualification for both teams.
Award Winners
- Indian Player of the Tie: Taneesha Kotecha
- Foreign Player of the Tie: Lilian Bardet
- ChatGPT MatchIQ Player of the Tie: Lilian Bardet
- Bisleri Shot of the Tie: Ankur Bhattacharjee
With Kolkata and U Mumba joining Dempo Goa Challengers in the semifinals, attention now shifts to the remaining league fixtures as teams battle for the final knockout berth.
The action continues on Wednesday, with Dempo Goa Challengers taking on UP Prometheans, live on the Star Sports Network and JioHotstar.
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