Butterfly UTT Season 7: History-Makers Dempo Goa Challengers Finish League Phase Unbeaten, Defeat UP 10-5
Delhi take on Pune in the final league phase tie on Thursday, with all the action live on the Star Sports Network and JioHotstar
Goa, July 22, 2026: Dempo Goa Challengers became the first team in the competition’s history to remain unbeaten through the league phase after defeating UP Prometheans 10-5 in Butterfly UTT Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT on Wednesday. The victory capped a remarkable league campaign for the two-time champions, who defeated all six of their opponents to finish atop the standings heading into the semifinals.
Alvaro Robles and Bernadette Szocs starred once again as Goa built an early advantage before Abhinandh PB and Szocs combined to clinch the mixed doubles and seal the tie. While UP fought back through Manav Thakkar and Yangzi Liu in the closing matches, Goa’s commanding start ensured they created history as the competition’s first unbeaten league-stage side.
Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Butterfly UTT Season 7 features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians, while continuing to strengthen the Indian table tennis ecosystem through elite competition and year-round development initiatives.
Goa made the perfect start as Robles swept aside Sudhanshu Grover in straight games before Szocs overcame a spirited fightback from Sayali Wani to double the advantage. The reigning champions then took complete control in the mixed doubles, with Szocs and Abhinandh edging Ricardo Walther and Swastika Ghosh in three tight games to secure the tie and maintain Goa’s unbeaten record.
UP finished the evening with two morale-boosting victories. Manav Thakkar handed Abhinandh a second successive singles defeat after the youngster had gone unbeaten for much of the campaign, while former two-time MVP Liu recovered from dropping the opening game to beat teenage star Syndrela Das. Despite the late resistance, Goa comfortably completed a historic unbeaten league phase.
Szocs was named both the ChatGPT MatchIQ Player and Foreign Player of the Tie, while Abhinandh PB claimed the Indian Player of the Tie award. Robles earned the Bisleri Shot of the Tie honour.
Dabang Delhi TTC will take on PBG Pune Jaguars in the final league phase tie, with the fourth semi-final spot at stake. All Butterfly 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 10-5 UP Prometheans
Alvaro Robles bt. Sudhanshu Grover 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-4)
Bernadette Szocs bt. Sayali Wani 2-1 (11-3, 9-11, 11-9)
Abhinandh PB/Bernadette Szocs bt. Ricardo Walther/Swastika Ghosh 3-0 (11-9, 11-10, 11-9)
Abhinandh PB lost to Manav Thakkar 1-2 (8-11, 7-11, 11-8)
Syndrela Das lost to Yangzi Liu 1-2 (11-10, 7-11, 6-11)
ENDS
About Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT)
Launched in 2017, Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is India’s premier franchise-based table tennis league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Over the years, Butterfly UTT has established itself as one of the world’s leading table tennis leagues, bringing together elite Indian and international paddlers, including Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games medalists. With each edition, the league continues to raise the standard of the sport in India, providing a global platform for emerging and established talent. Season 7 features seven franchises competing for the coveted title.
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