Kolkata ThunderBlades registered a statement victory over defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers, winning 9-6 in a high-stakes encounter in IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 on Sunday at the EKA Arena.
Key singles wins from Ankur Bhattacharjee, Quadri Aruna, and Adriana Diaz propelled Kolkata into the playoff positions, as they climbed to fourth with 29 points.
All 23 ties of the season are being staged at the EKA Arena, Ahmedabad, under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani. The tournament is being broadcast on Star Sports Khel and Star Sports 2 Tamil, and streamed live on JioHotstar. Tickets are available exclusively on BookMyShow.
Kolkata’s win keeps the playoff race wide open, with Dempo Goa Challengers now tied on points with league leaders Jaipur Patriots and U Mumba TT but ahead on game wins.
Match Summary: Kolkata ThunderBlades vs Dempo Goa Challengers
The tie opened with a clash of titans as Goa skipper Harmeet Desai edged the first game against Quadri Aruna 11-10 after recovering from a 4-9 deficit. But Aruna responded with power and precision to take the next two games, handing Harmeet his first singles defeat of the season and giving Kolkata the early momentum.
Photos : Shibu Preman / Focus Sports / UTT
Next up, Adriana Diaz was in sublime form as she blanked Krittwika Sinha Roy 3-0 (11-1, 11-4, 11-6), producing a thrilling defensive winner to seal match point—a moment that earned her the Shots of the Tie award.
In the mixed doubles, Diaz teamed up with Ankur Bhattacharjee for the first time this season. The duo held their nerve in a close contest, defeating Harmeet and Zeng Jian 2-1. Diaz’s angled forehands and Ankur’s aggressive third-ball play proved decisive in the final game.
Ankur then returned for his singles match and overcame a slow start to beat Ronit Bhanja 2-1. After dropping the first game, the 19-year-old came back with calm intensity, closing the decider 11-1 to stay unbeaten this season.
Goa’s only straight-game win came through the ever-reliable Zeng Jian, who kept her 100% record intact with a commanding 3-0 victory over Selena Selvakumar. But by then, Kolkata had already secured the tie.
For their pivotal contributions, Ankur Bhattacharjee and Adriana Diaz were named Indian Player of the Tie and Foreign Player of the Tie, respectively.
Double Delight: Kolkata Wins Dream UTT Juniors Title
Earlier in the day, Kolkata ThunderBlades clinched the inaugural Dream UTT Juniors title, defeating U Mumba TT 5-2 in the final. The event, a joint initiative between IndianOil UTT and the Dream Sports Foundation, showcased future stars of Indian table tennis.
Ritvik Gupta opened with a win in the singles, before combining with Swara Karmakar in the doubles to help Kolkata take a 4-2 lead. Swara then sealed the victory with a confident performance in her singles match. Kolkata took home the INR 2 lakh winner’s cheque, while U Mumba settled for INR 1 lakh as runners-up.
Final Tie Scorecard: Kolkata ThunderBlades 9-6 Dempo Goa Challengers
- Quadri Aruna bt. Harmeet Desai 2-1 (10-11, 11-10, 11-6)
- Adriana Diaz bt. Krittwika Sinha Roy 3-0 (11-1, 11-4, 11-6)
- Ankur Bhattacharjee/Adriana Diaz bt. Harmeet Desai/Zeng Jian 2-1 (11-10, 9-11, 11-7)
- Ankur Bhattacharjee bt. Ronit Bhanja 2-1 (10-11, 11-10, 11-1)
- Selena Selvakumar lost to Zeng Jian 0-3 (4-11, 6-11, 4-11)
About Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT)
Launched in 2017, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is India’s premier professional table tennis league. Promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), UTT features eight franchise teams and brings together 48 elite players from India and around the world, including Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games medalists.
Beyond the main league, UTT is committed to the grassroots development of the sport in India through initiatives like national ranking events, the Table Tennis Super League, and co-organisation of WTT events. With each season, UTT strengthens its global appeal while inspiring the next generation of Indian table tennis talent.
