UTT | Upsets galore as Thunder Blades edge U Mumba
HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades secured a semifinal spot in the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 after a narrow victory over U Mumba TT. Despite the loss, U Mumba also advanced to the semifinals based on league standings.
Why it matters
The results finalize the playoff bracket for a major regional sports league, highlighting individual player performances.
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.
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