Bernadette Szocs Holds Nerve In Thriller, Powers Dempo Goa Challengers To 8-7 Win

Last Updated:July 13, 2026, 23:01 IST

Dempo Goa Challengers, led by MVP Bernadette Szocs, beat HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades 8-7 in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7.

Reigning MVP Bernadette Szocs held her nerve in a winner-takes-all finale to guide undefeated Dempo Goa Challengers to a thrilling 8-7 win against HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Monday.

With the tie level at 7-all heading into the final game of the night, Szocs showed her champion’s pedigree, edging Singapore’s Zeng Jian 11-9 to preserve Dempo Goa Challengers’ undefeated start to UTT Season 7.

The win was set up by another composed performance from teenage sensation Abhinandh PB, who maintained his undefeated start to the season with a commanding victory over Ankur Bhattacharjee in a clash between two of UTT Season 7’s breakout Indian talents.

Two-time champions Dempo Goa Challengers drew first blood through Spain’s Alvaro Robles, who bounced back after dropping the second game to beat Eduard Ionescu 2-1, capping the contest with a flawless 11-0 final game.

Kolkata ThunderBlades hit back immediately as Ayhika Mukherjee edged past giant-killer Syndrela Das 2-1, restricting the teenager to just one game after her headline-grabbing upset of Manika Batra the previous day.

Kolkata then moved ahead through Ayhika and Ankur, who combined to win the mixed doubles 2-1 and hand the ThunderBlades a slender 5-4 lead in a fiercely contested tie.

Abhinandh then underlined his status as one of the standout performers of the opening week, producing a dazzling display of attacking table tennis to defeat Ankur 2-1 and restore Goa’s lead.

That set up a winner-takes-all women’s singles showdown between Szocs and Jian. After dropping the opening game, the former mounted a spirited comeback to force a decider before holding her nerve in a tense finish, converting her fourth match point with a blistering topspin winner to clinch an 8-7 win for Goa.

Earlier in the day, Dream UTT Juniors, Butterfly UTT’s grassroots competition running alongside Season 7, saw Dabang Delhi TTC hand U Mumba TT their first loss of the campaign with a 6-3 win.

Dempo Goa Challengers also registered a 6-3 victory over PBG Pune Jaguars, moving up to fourth in the standings.

All UTT Season 7 matches will be live on Star Sports Khel (Hindi), Star Sports Tamil 2 HD and Star Sports Tamil 3 HD, and streamed live on JioHotstar in Hindi, Tamil and English.

Final Score

Dempo Goa Challengers 8-7 HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades

Alvaro Robles bt. Eduard Ionescu 2-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-0)

Syndrela Das lost to Ayhika Mukherjee 1-2 (9-11, 7-11, 11-4)

Alvaro Robles/Syndrela Das lost to Ankur Bhattacharjee/Ayhika Mukherjee 1-2 (9-11, 11-7, 7-11)

Abhinandh P.B. bt. Ankur Bhattacharjee 2-0 (11-8, 11-8, 6-11)

Bernadette Szocs bt. Zeng Jian 2-1(5-11, 11-8, 11-9)

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