Winning an Ultimate Table Tennis title is special. Defending it, Lilian Bardet believes, is even more satisfying.

The Frenchman, one of only two surviving players from U Mumba TT’s maiden triumph in 2025 alongside reserve paddler Akash Pal, felt Sunday’s victory over Dempo Goa Challengers, unbeaten in the seventh season until then, was a testament to the team’s resilience after a shaky start.

“The first time is always something new for the team, for the players. But to achieve it a second time in a row is even bigger,” Bardet said after lifting the trophy at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Panaji on Sunday.

“Teamwork from the first day until today [Sunday]… we are really proud of this victory.”

Coach John Murphy, who continued alongside Jay Modak after last year’s title-winning campaign, believed this triumph was markedly different from the first. “We lost the first two matches. We didn’t panic. We built our way back into the league. We qualified and then hit the ground running in the playoffs,” Murphy said.

“Last year, we ran on adrenaline and had some really big individual performances. This year was more calculated. I felt that the longer the tournament went on, the better we became.”

That measured approach was exemplified by Manush Shah. Returning to UTT after missing the 2025 season due to international commitments, the ace Indian paddler grew into the tournament before producing decisive performances in the semifinal and final.

“When we saw that Manush was available in the auction, he was one of the players we wanted,” Murphy said. “We were lucky enough to get him. Coming back after missing last season, he had to adapt again because UTT is a different format. But good players find their way.”

Murphy felt Manush’s impact increased with every passing tie. “He never backed down. He was probably the one player who just got better and better as the tournament went on. In the end, he was probably the key.”

Even so, Murphy insisted the title was built on collective consistency rather than individual brilliance. “But the team is a team. We wouldn’t have got there if we weren’t stable all the way through the league”.

The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 has once again lived up to its reputation of giving youngsters the platform to showcase their potential and they have grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

At the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium here, it has been these young paddlers who have injected the league with energy, fearlessness and fresh ambition. Time and again, they have delivered much-needed breakthroughs for their franchises, swung the momentum with fearless performances, thrown the rankings out of the window, and in the process, propelled their teams ahead in the race for crucial points.

They have served up memorable contests for the modest gathering at the stadium and the OTT audience by producing performances rich in skill, composure and daring that fans are likely to cherish for a long time.

It was P.B. Abhinandh of Dempo Goa Challengers who opened the floodgates for Gen Z. The 18-year-old matched 25-year-old Frenchman Lilian Bardet in both attack and defence by displaying maturity that belied his age.

It was refreshing to see him with such freedom, composure and nonchalance, and his victory unleashed a wave that continued through to 20-year-old Sayali Wani of UP Prometheans defeating Ahmedabad APL Pipers’ Manika Batra on Tuesday.

The paddler who has borne the brunt of the ‘youth aggression’ has been Manika, a three-time Olympian and multiple Commonwealth Games medallist. The 31-year-old has lost all her singles matches so far. While her defeat to Anna Hursey could perhaps be dismissed as an off day against an accomplished international, her losses to 16-year-old Syndrela Das and 20-year-old Sayali cannot be viewed in the same light.

The manner in which Syndrela dismantled Manika was a lesson in fearless, attacking table tennis. The teenager had an answer to every variation Manika’s racquet could conjure up and her backhand down-the-line and crosscourt winners repeatedly left the veteran stranded.

Equally impressive was HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades’ Ankur Bhattacharjee’s victory over 33-year-old G. Sathiyan. A powerhouse of talent, the 19-year-old produced a masterclass in aggressive play, refusing to yield an inch, as he relentlessly attacked and broke through Sathiyan’s famed defence. His celebration of standing atop the table after the victory, however, was not in the spirit of the game.

Taneesha Kotecha’s win over Diya Chitale, Payas Jain’s victory against Manush Shah, and the high-quality contests featuring Abhinandh against Ankur and Payas illustrated how far the country’s young paddlers have progressed. Their shot-making, tactical awareness and ability to absorb pressure reflected a generation that is no longer content merely to compete with established names.

At the same time, there remains considerable room for improvement. Syndrela, for instance, struggled against the anti-spin rubber used by Kolkata’s Ayhika Mukherjee, highlighting the need to adapt better to different styles and equipment.

Mixed doubles remains an area in which the youngsters can improve. Barring UP’s Swastika Ghosh, who has shown the ability to adapt, the rest have quite a long way to go.

This season has demonstrated that Indian table tennis has a vibrant pipeline of talent and that a new generation is keen to take the sport to greater heights.

Fired by 18-year-old P.B. Abhinandh’s blazing start, Dempo Goa Challengers thumped defending champion U Mumba TT 10-5 on the opening day of the Ultimate Table Tennis at the Shyama Prasad Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.

Abhinandh, ranked 210 in the world, produced an outstanding display of aggressive table tennis, combining precision with some quick serves to dismantle Lilian Bardet 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 and hand the host a rousing start.

The teenager, ranked 11 in the junior-19 international circuit, was firing on all cylinders from the outset, attacking at every opportunity— on the receive, off his own serve and during rallies — to keep the World No.42 Frenchman under constant pressure.

Bardet struggled to read Abhinandh’s deceptively quick serves as the Indian raced to early leads in all three games. Whenever Bardet threatened to take the offensive route, Abhinandh responded with rock-solid defence before seamlessly switching back to attack.

The costliest pick at the auction, Goa’s Bernadette Szocs justified her price tag with a clinical 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 victory over Nithyashree Mani. The World No. 25 produced a near error-free display, dictating play from the start and rarely allowing her opponent a foothold into the match.

The 23-year-old Indian appeared a touch stiff in the opening game. Her forehand lacked its usual penetration, while her backhand failed to add any sting to the rallies, allowing Szocs to seize the initiative and stay in complete control.

Having won the opening two matches to build a commanding 6-0 points lead, Goa entered the crucial mixed doubles tie brimming with confidence. Abhinandh and Szocs went on to defeat Manush Shah and Anna Hursey 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 to virtually seal the contest in Goa’s favour.

The results: Dempo Goa Challengers bt U Mumba TT 10-5 (P. B. Abhinandh bt Lilian Bardet 11-6, 11-2, 11-3; Bernadette Szocs bt Nithyashree Mani 11-7, 11-9; Abhinandh & Szocs bt Manush Shah & Anna Hursey 11-7, 7-11, 11-6; Alvaro Robles lost to Manush 10-11, 8-11, 4-11; Syndrela Das lost to Hursey 9-11, 11-9, 7-11).