UTT Season 7: Manush Shah, Anna Hursey power U Mumba to final with 8-3 rout
Synopsis
Defending champions U Mumba TT needed just four rubbers to dismantle HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades 8-3 in the UTT Season 7 semifinal, with captain Manush Shah going unbeaten across all five games and Anna Hursey winning five of six. The final is a rematch of the season opener — U Mumba versus Dempo Goa Challengers — setting up a clash between two former champions.
Key Takeaways
U Mumba TT beat HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades 8-3 in the UTT Season 7 second semifinal on 25 July at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Panaji .
Captain Manush Shah won all five games he played across two matches and was named Indian Player of the Tie .
Anna Hursey won five of six games across Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles, claiming the Foreign Player of the Tie and ChatGPT Match IQ Player awards.
The Manush-Hursey Mixed Doubles pairing conceded just 14 points in the final two games to put the tie beyond Kolkata's reach at 6-3 .
U Mumba will face unbeaten league leaders Dempo Goa Challengers in the final — a rematch of the UTT Season 7 tournament opener.
UTT Season 7 features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians , under the aegis of the TTFI .
U Mumba TT captain Manush Shah and Welsh star Anna Hursey delivered commanding performances as the defending champions stormed into the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 final with an 8-3 victory over HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades in the second semifinal at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigao, Panaji on Saturday, 25 July. The win sets up a title clash against unbeaten league leaders Dempo Goa Challengers.
Key Performances
Manush remained flawless throughout the evening, winning all five games across his two matches. Hursey was equally influential, contesting six games across Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles and winning five. Together, the pair combined for an unbeaten Mixed Doubles outing, conceding just 14 points across the final two games of that contest to hand U Mumba a decisive 6-3 lead.
How the Tie Unfolded
Kolkata made the brighter start, with Romanian international Eduard Ionescu edging Lilian Bardet in a tight three-game contest — claiming the opening two games 11-9 and 11-10 before Bardet pulled one back — to hand the ThunderBlades an early 2-1 advantage. Hursey quickly levelled matters with a composed win over Ayhika Mukherjee, taking the first two games before Ayhika claimed the third, leaving the tie at 3-3 heading into the pivotal Mixed Doubles.
From that point, U Mumba seized full control. Manush and Hursey overwhelmed Ankur Bhattacharjee and Ayhika in straight games (11-7, 11-5, 11-2), opening up a 6-3 lead. Manush then closed out the tie against Ankur with a clinical 11-7, 11-5 victory, sealing U Mumba's passage to a second successive UTT final.
Final Scoreline
Lilian Bardet lost to Eduard Ionescu 1-2 (9-11, 10-11, 11-8); Anna Hursey beat Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1 (11-8, 11-5, 8-11); Manush Shah and Anna Hursey beat Ankur Bhattacharjee and Ayhika Mukherjee 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-2); Manush Shah beat Ankur Bhattacharjee 2-0 (11-7, 11-5).
Awards and Tournament Context
Manush was named the Indian Player of the Tie, while Hursey claimed both the ChatGPT Match IQ Player and Foreign Player of the Tie awards. Bardet completed a clean sweep for U Mumba by collecting the Bisleri Shot of the Tie honour. Notably, the final is a repeat of the tournament opener between Goa and U Mumba, bringing the season full circle.
Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), UTT Season 7 features 42 players from across the world, including 14 Olympians, and continues to strengthen India's table tennis ecosystem through elite competition and year-round development initiatives. The final between two former champions promises to be a fitting conclusion to the season.
Point of View
Where each rubber carries outsized weight. The Mixed Doubles pairing of Manush and Hursey has become U Mumba's match-defining axis — conceding just 14 points in the final two games of that rubber is not dominance, it is demolition. The final against Dempo Goa Challengers, who went through the league stage unbeaten, will test whether U Mumba's star duo can sustain that level against a fresher, more rested opponent. The season-opener rematch adds a narrative layer, but the real question is tactical: can Kolkata's blueprint of an early lead — which briefly worked — be refined by Dempo into something U Mumba cannot absorb?
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the UTT Season 7 second semifinal?
U Mumba TT won the second semifinal of UTT Season 7, defeating HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades 8-3 on 25 July at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Panaji. The result books U Mumba's place in the final against Dempo Goa Challengers.
How did Manush Shah perform in the UTT semifinal?
Manush Shah was unbeaten across all five games he played, winning his Men's Singles rubber against Ankur Bhattacharjee 11-7, 11-5 and combining with Anna Hursey to win the Mixed Doubles 3-0. He was named the Indian Player of the Tie.
Who will U Mumba TT face in the UTT Season 7 final?
U Mumba TT will face Dempo Goa Challengers in the UTT Season 7 final. Dempo finished as unbeaten league leaders, and the final is a rematch of the tournament's opening fixture.
What awards did Anna Hursey win in the UTT semifinal?
Anna Hursey claimed both the ChatGPT Match IQ Player of the Match and the Foreign Player of the Tie awards after winning five of her six games across Women's Singles and Mixed Doubles for U Mumba TT.
What is UTT Season 7 and who organises it?
UTT Season 7 is the seventh edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis league, organised under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The season features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians, and is being held in Panaji, Goa.
