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.

Manush’s impact increased with every passing tie.
| Photo Credit:
BUTTERFLY UTT

“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”.

Taneesha Kotecha produced a major upset in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 to formally seal HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades’ place in the semifinals, while Frenchman Lilian Bardet ensured defending champion U Mumba TT also advanced despite a narrow defeat in its final league tie at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.

The night’s final flourish, however, belonged to Nithyashree Mani. The Chennai paddler, representing U Mumba, stunned Zeng Jian to take the contest down to the wire before the experienced Singapore paddler held her nerve to clinch the decider and hand the Kolkata outfit an 8-7 victory.

With both teams locked on 41 points before the tie, each needed at least five points to guarantee a semifinal berth. Eduard Ionescu gave Kolkata the ideal start by defeating the left-handed Manush Shah in a clash of equals.

Taneesha then delivered the standout performance of the evening, blanking World No. 34 Anna Hursey 3-0. Although Hursey, ranked more than 100 places above the Indian, was visibly hampered by a stomach bug, Taneesha was relentless in exploiting her opponent’s restricted movement with remarkable consistency.

Hursey, to her credit, returned for the mixed doubles and partnered Manush to secure two crucial points for U Mumba.

Bardet then confirmed U Mumba’s passage to the semifinals by taking the opening two games against the flamboyant Ankur Bhattacharjee. The Kolkata youngster responded with a sparkling display of backhand winners to claim the third game and keep his team in the hunt.

Trailing 5-7, U Mumba turned to Nithyashree ahead of the in-form Anusha Kutumbale. The gamble nearly paid off as Nithyashree raced through the first two games against Zeng, only for the vastly experienced paddler to edge the decider and complete a win for Thunder Blades.

The result: HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades bt U Mumba TT 8-7 (Eduard Ionescu bt Manush Shah 9-11, 11-8, 11-7; Taneesha Kotecha bt Anna Hursey 11-6, 11-4, 11-4; Ankur Bhattacharjee & Taneesha lost to Manush & Hursey 11-8, 4-11, 7-11; Ankur lost to Lilian Bardet 9-11, 8-11, 11-6; Zeng Jian lost to Nithyashree Mani 10-11, 5-11, 11-5).

The standings: HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades 49 points (6 ties), U Mumba TT 48 (6), Dempo Goa Challengers 46 (5), Ahmedabad APL Pipers 45 (6), Dabang Delhi TTC 36 (5), PBG Pune Jaguars 34 (5), UP Prometheans 27 (5).

Captain G. Sathiyan led from the front as Dabang Delhi TTC kept its Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 semifinal hopes alive with a hard-fought victory over Ahmedabad APL Pipers at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Monday.

Sathiyan’s clean sweep of Payas Jain, an opponent who has troubled him over the past few seasons, proved decisive in a closely contested tie. The 9-6 result means that Delhi will head into its final league fixture against PBG Pune Jaguars on Thursday precisely knowing the permutations.

With Dempo Goa Challengers, U Mumba TT and HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades having already secured last-four berths, both Delhi and Ahmedabad needed a convincing victory to stay in the race. After the opening three matches, there was little to separate the teams, with Delhi holding a slender 5-4 advantage. The onus fell on Sathiyan to deliver against Payas.

The youngster looked set to turn the contest in Ahmedabad’s favour as he surged to a 10-6 lead in the first game, his powerful winners repeatedly piercing Sathiyan’s defence.

Sathiyan brought his experience to the table.
| Photo Credit:
Butterfly UTT

But the veteran responded with his trademark composure, reeling off five consecutive points to snatch the opener. Buoyed by the comeback, Sathiyan adopted a more aggressive approach to take the second game comfortably.

Even when he trailed 2-5 in the third game, Sathiyan refused to relent. He continued to pile pressure on Payas, forcing errors at crucial moments before completing a facile win.

Ahmedabad stayed alive in the semifinal race only because Manika Batra defeated Sutirtha Mukherjee in the final match. Had Sutirtha prevailed, Delhi would have knocked Pipers out of top-four contention.

The result: Dabang Delhi TTC bt Ahmedabad APL Pipers 9-6 (Youssef Abdelaziz bt Adrien Rassenfosse 11-6, 5-11, 11-10; Maria Xiao lost to Sofia Polcanova 2-11, 11-9, 10-11; G. Sathiyan & Maria bt Payas Jain & Polcanova 11-7, 9-11, 11-4; Sathiyan bt Payas 11-10, 11-8, 11-7; Sutirtha Mukherjee lost to Manika Batra 5-11, 3-11, 11-9).

The standings: Dempo Goa Challengers 46 points (5 ties), Ahmedabad APL Pipers 45 (6), U Mumba TT 41 (5), HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades 41 (5), Dabang Delhi TTC 36 (5), PBG Pune Jaguars 34 (5), UP Prometheans 27 (5).

Introduced in India for the first time at Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7, the Table Tennis Review (TTR) system has largely earned positive feedback from players, officials and umpires.

Vipin Mehra, the TTR referee overseeing the review process from the control room whenever players challenge an on-court decision, said here on Thursday that the system has worked seamlessly, with every review producing a conclusive verdict.

“Right now, we are not facing any technical glitches. There has not been a single challenge where the decision was inconclusive. That means we are getting perfect results,” said Mehra, an ITTF Blue Badge umpire.

The TTR software, developed by Stupa Sports, uses 14 cameras positioned around the table to adjudicate six types of challenges — serve height, serve angle, service position relative to the ball surface, ball position relative to the playing surface, ball hiding and edge-ball contact — compared to 10 in World Table Tennis (WTT) events.

According to Mehra, serve angle has emerged as the most frequently challenged aspect during UTT Season 7.

“Initially, during the first two days, most challenges were for ball hiding. Right now, almost 70 per cent of the challenges are for service angle,” the 56-year-old revealed.

Mehra said a similar trend was observed during the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macau, wherein TTR was first introduced at a major international event and where he was the major player of the TTR team.

“Yes, in Macau, I gave 67 decisions in seven days. Out of those, 55 were for service angle,” he said.

While the technology has eased decision-making, Mehra believes it has also added to the responsibilities of the chair umpire. “For umpires, it is the biggest challenge. You already have to keep the score, control the match and make decisions on court. Suddenly, a challenge comes in. Moreover, you have to give the correct hand signals for each type of challenge. It is not easy,” he said.

During Thursday’s tie between U Mumba TT and PBG Pune Jaguars, play was briefly halted in the mixed doubles match after a dispute over whether the serve had landed on the centre line. Mehra said such situations could eventually be rectified as the technology evolves.

“I am sure that in the coming days we will get more support from technology. In doubles, whether the serve lands on the centre line is very important. That can definitely be added, but we will need additional cameras for that,” he said.s

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.

Dabang Delhi pulled off a remarkable 8-7 win over HVR Kolkata Thunderblades in an Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 clash at the Shyama Prasad Indoor Stadium on Saturday.

Dabang had to overcome a sensational show from 19-year-old Ankur Bhattacharjee to register its second successive victory. Fresh from beating UP Prometheans the other day, the Delhi outfit looked set for another comfortable win before Ankur produced the standout performance of the evening.

The teenager dismantled the vastly experienced G. Sathiyan in straight games in the fourth match, unleashing fearless attacking strokes from all parts of the table. In his exuberance after sealing the win, Ankur climbed onto the table in celebration, earning a yellow card from the umpire. Earlier, the teams had shared the honours in the opening two singles.

Dabang gained the upper hand by winning the third mixed doubles match — with Sathiyan and Maria Xiao maintaining an unbeaten run from the previous season — before Ankur’s dominant victory helped the Kolkata team narrow the lead.

The tie eventually hinged on women’s singles, with Dabang trailing 5-7. Kolkata needed just one game from Ayhika Mukherjee to clinch the contest, but Sutirtha Mukherjee had other ideas.

Taking on her childhood friend and doubles partner, Sutirtha delivered a superb all-round attacking display, nullifying the spin variations of Ayhika, who uses a long-pimpled rubber, to sweep all three games and snatch victory for the former champion.

The results: Dabang Delhi bt HVR Kolkata Thunderblades 8-7 (Youssef Abdulaziz bt Eduard Ionescu 6-11, 11-7, 11-4; Maria Xiao lost to Zeng Jian 3-11, 11-8, 9-11); Maria & Sathiyan bt Ankur Bhattacharjee & Zeng Jian 11-5, 7-11, 11-5; Sathiyan lost to Ankur 10-11, 6-11, 10-11; Sutirtha Mukherjee bt Ayhika Mukherjee 11-6, 11-2, 11-7).

Ahmedabad APL Pipers bt U Mumba TT 9-6 (Adrien Rassenfosse lost to Lilian Bardet 7-11, 6-11, 11-9; Manika Batra lost to Anna Hursey 7-11, 6-11, 11-4; Payas Jain & Sofia Polcanova bt Manush Shah & Anna Hursey 11-10, 11-9, 10-11; Payas bt Manush 11-8, 8-11, 11-8; Polcanova bt Anusha 11-8, 11-8, 11-4).

Like fine wine, G. Sathiyan’s partnership with Dabang Delhi has matured and grown richer over the years.

The only player to represent the franchise in all seven editions of Ultimate Table Tennis, the 33-year-old again proved his worth at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Friday.

He won both his matches — first in the mixed doubles alongside Spain’s Maria Xiao and later against Germany’s Ricardo Walther in the fourth singles — as the former champion opened its campaign with a 9-6 victory over debutant UP Prometheans.

In the day’s other keenly fought tie, Kolkata ThunderBlades edged out PBG Pune Jaguars 8-7.

As expected, India’s top-ranked paddler Manav Thakkar gave UP the early advantage with a 2-1 win over Youssef Abdelaziz in the opening men’s singles. Maria restored parity for Delhi by beating Yangzi Liu 2-1 in the women’s singles.

With the scores locked at 3-3 (in points) after the opening two matches, the pivotal mixed doubles assumed added significance.

Delhi seized the initiative as Sathiyan and doubles specialist Maria combined brilliantly to register a commanding 3-0 victory over the Manav-Yangzi pairing.

Maria, a five-time WTT mixed doubles champion with Alvaro Robles, was the perfect foil for Sathiyan as the duo dominated from start to finish.

Returning for the fourth singles, Sathiyan was at his best. Mixing sharp attacking play with his trademark consistency, he defeated Walther 2-1 to all but seal the contest for Delhi.

In the second women’s singles, UP’s Sayali Wani fought off a spirited challenge from 15-year-old Divyanshi Bhowmick to win 2-1 and reduce the final margin to 9-6.

While on Thursday, Table Tennis Review (TTR) wasn’t employed, it was put to use on Friday three times in the UP-Delhi tie.

The results: Dabang Delhi bt UP Prometheans 9-6 (Youssef Abdelaziz lost to Manav Thakkar 11-8, 11-5, 10-11; Maria Xiao bt Yangzi Liu 11-6, 11-7, 4-11; Sathiyan & Maria bt Manav & Yangzi 11-9, 11-7, 11-5; Sathiyan bt Ricardo Walther 11-8, 11-6, 6-11; Divyanshi Bhowmick lost to Sayali Wani 11-9, 5-11, 10-11).

PVR Kolkata Thunder Blades bt PBG Pune Jaguars 8-7 (Ankur Bhattacharjee lost to SFR Snehit 9-11, 4-11, 11-5; Zeng Jian bt Prithika Pavade 11-6, 11-7, 8-11; Eduard Ionescu & Ayhika Mukherjee bt Snehit & Prithika 7-11, 11-10, 11-6; Ionescu lost to Omar Assar 11-5, 6-11, 4-11; Taneesha Kotecha bt Diya Chitale 11-7, 11-2, 9-11).

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).