In a dramatic evening of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) action at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena on Sunday, the Kolkata ThunderBlades reignited their Season Six campaign with a commanding 9-3 victory over defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers, even as returning paddler Selena Selvakumar endured another tough outing.
The ThunderBlades, dressed in their signature baby blue, had already sealed the tie before the final singles match, but their hunger for every game point highlighted the playoff intensity gripping the league. Skipper Adriana Diaz delivered a last-minute pep talk to Selena, who returned to the lineup after being left out of the previous fixture against Dabang Delhi TTC.
Yet, despite the vocal backing of the pro-ThunderBlades crowd, Selena was blanked 0-3 by Singaporean ace Zeng Jian, her third consecutive straight-game loss.
Nonetheless, Kolkata’s playoff hopes received a surprising boost later in the evening as Dabang Delhi TTC routed PBG Pune Jaguars 11-4, breathing new life into the ThunderBlades’ campaign.
The tie began on a high note for Kolkata. Quadri Aruna opened with a clinical win over Harmeet Desai, followed by a hard-fought victory for Diaz against Krittwika Roy. But the match that truly energised the ThunderBlades was the mixed doubles, where Diaz and Ankur Bhattacharjee registered their first-ever win as a pair, taking down the experienced duo of Desai and Zeng.
Despite missing star player Tiago Apolonia due to a stomach issue, Dempo Goa showed resilience. Ronit Bhanja stepped in and pushed Ankur Bhattacharjee to the limit in the second men’s singles match. While Bhanja claimed one game and matched Ankur stroke-for-stroke, the ThunderBlades’ rising star ultimately sealed the decider, preserving his unbeaten record this season.
“It was an important win for us, not just for the points but for our momentum,” said Ankur, who has emerged as Kolkata’s most dependable player.
Meanwhile, Dabang Delhi TTC, the only unbeaten side this season, cemented their dominance at the top of the table. Led by G. Sathiyan, Dabang won four of the first five matches 2-1 against the struggling Jaguars, before Diya Chitale’s emphatic 3-0 sweep over Lee Zi-on sealed the emphatic 11-4 triumph.
With the playoffs looming, every game, every point, and every match now carries weight. And while Selena’s form remains a concern, the ThunderBlades’ collective spirit suggests they are far from done in their debut UTT season.
