UTT Season 7: Record-breaking U Mumba crush UP for biggest-ever win, Ahmedabad power to 10-5 win over Pune

The emphatic victory saw U Mumba register the biggest winning margin in the competition's five-match format

Updated on: Jul 18, 2026, 22:41:48 IST

Edited by Aratrick Mondal

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Defending champions U Mumba TT produced a record-breaking display to overpower UP Prometheans 13-2 in Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 on Saturday. The emphatic victory saw U Mumba register the biggest winning margin in the competition's five-match format while also setting a new record with 11 consecutive game wins, climbing to first in the table.

Manush Shah and Anna Hursey in action (Butterfly UTT)

U Mumba’s Lilian Bardet and Anusha Kutumbale gave the side a 6-0 lead before the in-form mixed doubles pairing of Manush Shah and Anna Hursey sealed the tie with another blank. Manush then defeated longtime doubles partner Manav Thakkar, while Hursey completed the record-breaking 13-2 triumph. Earlier in the day, Ahmedabad APL Pipers defeated PBG Pune Jaguars 10-5 to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, UTT Season 7 features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians, while continuing to strengthen the Indian table tennis ecosystem through elite competition and year-round development initiatives.

U Mumba made a flying start as Bardet swept aside Ricardo Walther in straight games before Anusha Kutumbale produced one of her finest performances of the season, blanking two-time UTT MVP Yangzi Liu for her first match win of the campaign. The defending champions then all but settled the contest as Manush and Hursey continued their outstanding run in mixed doubles with another dominant straight-games victory, giving U Mumba an unassailable 9-0 lead.

Manush followed it up by defeating longtime doubles partner and close friend Manav Thakkar in the opening two games, extending U Mumba's streak to a record 11 consecutive game wins before Thakkar halted it by taking the third on Golden Point. Hursey then completed the statement victory with a three-game win over Sayali Wani, sealing a 13-2 triumph that set new competition records for both the biggest winning margin and the longest sequence of games won in the five-match Butterfly UTT format.

Anusha claimed both the ChatGPT Match IQ and Indian Player of the Tie awards, Bardet was named the Foreign Player of the Tie, while Manush Shah won the Shot of the Tie award.

In the day’s first tie, Ahmedabad seized control early as Adrien Rassenfosse handed Snehit Suravajjula his first singles defeat of the season before Sofia Polcanova overcame Diya Chitale in their first-ever meeting, winning the final two games on Golden Point. Payas Jain and Polcanova then rallied from a game down to clinch the mixed doubles and put the Pipers firmly in command.

Omar Assar kept Pune alive with a hard-fought victory over Payas, but Manika Batra sealed the tie in emphatic fashion, defeating Prithika Pavade in straight games. Polcanova was named both the ChatGPT Match IQ Player and Foreign Player of the Tie, while Manika claimed the Indian Player of the Tie award. Pavade earned the Shot of the Tie honour.

Earlier, Dream UTT Juniors, UTT's grassroots competition running alongside Season 7, saw Dabang Delhi TTC defeat Dempo Goa Challengers 5-2 and U Mumba TT overcome UP Prometheans 5-1 in the semifinals, with both teams advancing to the final, scheduled to be played on Sunday, July 19.

Final Score

Ahmedabad APL Pipers 10-5 PBG Pune Jaguars

Adrien Rassenfosse bt. Snehit Suravajjula 2-1 (11-8, 11-6, 8-11)

Sofia Polcanova bt. Diya Chitale 2-1 (4-11, 11-10, 11-10)

Payas Jain/ Sofia Polcanova bt. Anirban Ghosh/Prithika Pavade 2-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-7)

Payas Jain lost to Omar Assar 1-2 (6-11, 11-7, 9-11)

Manika Batra bt. Prithika Pavade 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-8)

U Mumba TT 13-2 UP Prometheans

Lilian Bardet bt. Ricardo Walther 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-6)

Anusha Kutumbale bt. Yangzi Liu 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-3)

Manush Shah/Anna Hursey bt. Ricardo Walther/Swastika Ghosh 3-0 (11-8, 11-4, 11-2)

Manush Shah bt. Manav Thakkar 2-1 (11-7, 11-4, 10-11)

Anna Hursey bt. Sayali Wani 2-1 (11-6, 7-11, 11-6)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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