Coming in clutch: Sutirtha put it past Ayhika in the decider.
| Photo Credit: BUTTERFLY UTT
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).
Published – July 11, 2026 10:56 pm IST
