U Mumba TT clinched its first victory of Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 with a dramatic 8-7 triumph over defending champion Dabang Delhi in a closely fought tie at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
The contest went down to the fifth and deciding match, where Mumba’s Anusha Kutumbale delivered under immense pressure. Heading into the final singles clash, Mumba held a narrow 7-5 advantage after Lilian Bardet defeated Delhi’s G. Sathiyan 2-1 in a fiercely contested encounter. With just one game needed to seal the tie, the odds were firmly in Mumba’s favour.
Delhi’s Maria Xiao started strongly, claiming the opening two games against Anusha and putting her team on the brink of forcing a turnaround. However, Anusha displayed remarkable composure, relying on her counter-attacking game to win the crucial third game. That single game proved enough to hand U Mumba the overall tie by an 8-7 margin.
The evening began with a setback for Mumba as Manush Shah struggled against Youssef Abdelaziz in the opening singles match. Shah failed to find consistency, often attempting ambitious winners before constructing rallies, resulting in a series of unforced errors. Abdelaziz capitalised on those mistakes to secure a 2-1 victory and give Delhi the early advantage.
Mumba responded through Anna Hursey, who continued her impressive unbeaten run in the singles competition. She overcame Delhi’s Sutirtha Mukherjee 2-1 in a hard-fought contest to level the tie at 3-3 and restore momentum for her side.
The turning point came in the mixed doubles, where Mumba produced one of the biggest surprises of the tie. Shah rediscovered his attacking rhythm, while Hursey maintained her composure as the pair combined effectively to defeat Delhi’s experienced duo of G. Sathiyan and Maria Xiao. The victory shifted the momentum decisively towards Mumba, giving them a 5-4 lead heading into the closing stages.
Although Delhi fought back and pushed the contest to the final match, Anusha’s resilience under pressure ensured Mumba emerged victorious. Her decisive third-game win completed a memorable comeback and secured the franchise’s maiden win of the season in a thrilling encounter that was decided by the narrowest of margins.
