Goa: U Mumba TT produced an inspiring comeback to successfully defend their Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 title, defeating hosts Dempo Goa Challengers 8-5 in a thrilling grand finale at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
The victory ended Dempo Goa Challengers’ remarkable unbeaten run throughout the tournament and secured U Mumba’s second consecutive UTT championship. With the triumph, U Mumba joined Dempo Goa Challengers as the most successful franchise in Ultimate Table Tennis history with two titles each.
Goa Make Bright Start
The hosts opened the final strongly as India’s rising star Abhinandh PB defeated Lilian Bardet 2-1 by winning the opening two games before Bardet took the third.
Soon after, Bernadette Szocs fought back brilliantly after losing the opening game to Anna Hursey, giving Goa an early 4-2 advantage and putting the defending champions under pressure.
Manush Shah and Anna Hursey Spark Stunning Revival
With the title slipping away, U Mumba responded in emphatic fashion.
Captain Manush Shah and Anna Hursey dominated the mixed doubles, defeating Alvaro Robles and Syndrela Das in straight games to completely change the momentum of the final.
The duo extended their unbeaten partnership to six consecutive victories, providing the perfect platform for U Mumba’s comeback.
Captain Leads From the Front
Manush Shah then delivered when it mattered the most.
Facing Olympian Alvaro Robles, Shah lost the opening game before staging a remarkable turnaround. He edged the crucial second game 11-10 before comfortably winning the decider 11-5, giving U Mumba a crucial 7-5 lead heading into the final match.
Anusha Holds Her Nerve
Everything rested on the final encounter between Anusha Kutumbale and Syndrela Das.
The match produced high drama as Syndrela recovered from 5-9 down to level the score at 10-10. However, Anusha maintained her composure to claim the decisive point 11-10, sealing U Mumba’s title and sparking jubilant celebrations.
Historic Double for U Mumba
The championship completed a memorable campaign for U Mumba TT, who had already lifted the Dream UTT Juniors Season 2 title earlier in the tournament.
They became the first franchise in UTT history to win both the senior and junior championships in the same season, highlighting the strength of their player development programme.
League Continues to Boost Indian Table Tennis
Butterfly UTT Season 7, organised under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, featured 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians.
Speaking after the tournament, Vita Dani said the league continues to fulfil its objective of strengthening Indian table tennis by providing players with world-class competition and exposure.
Co-promoter Niraj Bajaj added that the steady growth of the league reflects the rising standard of Indian table tennis and thanked players, franchises, partners and fans for their continued support.
Season Award Winners
The league’s top performers were honoured following the final:
- Men’s Most Valuable Player: Manush Shah (U Mumba TT)
- Women’s Most Valuable Player: Anna Hursey (U Mumba TT)
- ChatGPT Player of the League: Abhinandh PB (Dempo Goa Challengers)
- Shot of the League: Omar Assar (PBG Pune Jaguars)
In the final, Manush Shah was named the ChatGPT Player of the Tie, Indian Player of the Tie, and also received the Bisleri Shot of the Tie award. Anna Hursey was adjudged the Foreign Player of the Tie.
Final Score
U Mumba TT 8-5 Dempo Goa Challengers
- Abhinandh PB bt. Lilian Bardet 2-1 (11-7, 11-9, 6-11)
- Bernadette Szocs bt. Anna Hursey 2-1 (5-11, 11-7, 11-7)
- Manush Shah/Anna Hursey bt. Alvaro Robles/Syndrela Das 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9)
- Manush Shah bt. Alvaro Robles 2-1 (6-11, 11-10, 11-5)
- Anusha Kutumbale bt. Syndrela Das 1-0 (11-10)
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