In a finale packed with drama, intensity, and a touch of showmanship, U Mumba captured their first-ever Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) title, defeating Jaipur Patriots 8-4 at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The crowning moment came as 17-year-old P.B. Abhinandh dropped flat on his back in triumph, emulating Carlos Alcaraz’s iconic French Open celebration, after Jeet Chandra’s final shot clipped the net and sailed out.
Entering the reverse singles with U Mumba leading 7-2, Abhinandh needed just one game to end the contest. The Chennai-based teenager, unfazed by the pressure, recovered from two tough games to win the third 11-8, sealing the championship without the need for any heroics from teammate Yashaswini Ghorpade, a stark contrast to the semifinal against Goa Challengers where he faced a far graver scenario.
The backbone of U Mumba’s success was built on the shoulders of their captain, Bernadette Szocs. The Romanian world No. 12 delivered yet another masterclass, halting the winning run of India’s Sreeja Akula with her tactical brilliance. Szocs’ wide range of serves, particularly her tomahawk and pendulum variations, left Akula scrambling. Her daring pendulum serve at game point in the opener caught Sreeja completely unprepared.
Despite the crowd chanting Akula’s name and pushing for a comeback, the Indian star’s forehand faltered in the decider. Szocs’ unrelenting retrievals from deep behind the table kept the rallies alive and swung the momentum firmly in Mumba’s favor.
The captain’s momentum carried into the mixed doubles, where she paired with Akash Pal to dispatch Chandra and Dutchwoman Britt Eerland in straight games, extending Mumba’s lead and dampening any hopes of a Jaipur fightback.
Earlier, Jaipur’s Kanak Jha had given his side a bright start by thrashing Lilian Bardet 11-4 in the first game. But Bardet, nicknamed ‘T.Rex’ for his aggressive style, bounced back strongly to win the next two games and reverse the opening deficit.
The final scoreline read 8-4 in favor of U Mumba. For their triumph, they earned INR 60 lakh in prize money, while the Patriots took home INR 40 lakh. Losing semifinalists Dabang Delhi TTC and Goa Challengers each received INR 17.5 lakh.
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