HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades snapped U Mumba TT’s winning streak with a dramatic 8-7 victory in Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT on Tuesday at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, sealing a semifinal berth for both teams.
While Kolkata took the tie on the night, U Mumba also confirmed qualification thanks to their superior game count and favourable permutations, joining Kolkata and league leaders Dempo Goa Challengers in the knockout stage. With the result arriving ahead of the final two league fixtures, only one semifinal spot remains open.
The contest swung repeatedly across five matches, highlighted by a breakthrough win for youngster Taneesha Kotecha and a decisive final-game response from Zeng Jian to close out the tie.
How the 8-7 tie unfolded
Kolkata made the first move through Eduard Ionescu, who recovered after dropping the opening game to defeat Manush Shah 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-7). The comeback gave Kolkata early momentum and set the tone for a tie that would be decided by fine margins.
Taneesha Kotecha then delivered one of the standout results of the season, handing Anna Hursey her first defeat of the campaign with a commanding 3-0 win (11-6, 11-4, 11-4). The straight-games victory not only extended Kolkata’s advantage but also proved pivotal in the overall game count as the tie tightened later.
U Mumba hit back in the mixed doubles. After falling behind early, Manush Shah and Anna Hursey recovered to beat Ankur Bhattacharjee and Taneesha Kotecha 2-1 (11-8, 4-11, 7-11). The three-game turnaround kept the defending champions firmly in the contest and ensured the tie remained within reach heading into the final two singles matches.
The momentum continued to shift as Frenchman Lilian Bardet edged Ankur Bhattacharjee in another hard-fought three-game match, winning 2-1 (9-11, 8-11, 11-6). With both teams trading games and points, the tie moved towards a finish where every game would matter.
The final singles match brought the decisive twist. Nithyashree Mani levelled the tie at 7-7 by taking the opening two games against Zeng Jian, winning 2-1 (11-10, 11-5, 5-11). With the tie hinging on the last game, Jian responded emphatically, sealing an 11-5 win in the deciding game to clinch the overall 8-7 result for Kolkata.
That final-game surge proved to be the difference on the scoreboard, delivering Kolkata the tie win while still allowing U Mumba to progress to the semifinals due to their overall position and game count scenario.
Match results (Butterfly UTT Season 7)
Eduard Ionescu bt Manush Shah 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-7)
Taneesha Kotecha bt Anna Hursey 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-4)
Ankur Bhattacharjee/Taneesha Kotecha lost to Manush Shah/Anna Hursey 1-2 (11-8, 4-11, 7-11)
Ankur Bhattacharjee lost to Lilian Bardet 1-2 (9-11, 8-11, 11-6)
Zeng Jian lost to Nithyashree Mani 1-2 (10-11, 5-11, 11-5)
Awards and what the result means next
Kotecha’s breakthrough performance earned her the Indian Player of the Tie award, while Bardet was recognised with both the ChatGPT MatchIQ Player and Foreign Player of the Tie honours. Ankur Bhattacharjee received the Bisleri Shot of the Tie award.
Beyond the individual accolades, the tie had immediate knockout implications. Kolkata’s 8-7 win confirmed their progression, and despite the loss, U Mumba also secured a semifinal place, joining Kolkata and Dempo Goa Challengers in the last four. With two league fixtures still to be played, the race for the remaining semifinal spot continues.
Butterfly UTT Season 7 is staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and is promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani. The season features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians, as part of the league’s elite competition and year-round development initiatives.
All Butterfly UTT Season 7 matches will be live on Star Sports Khel (Hindi), Star Sports Tamil 2 HD and Star Sports Tamil 3 HD, and streamed live on JioHotstar in Hindi, Tamil and English.
