UTT Season 7: Robles stars as Goa Challengers storm into final with 8-2 win over Dabang Delhi TTC
Panaji, July 24
Olympian Alvaro Robles delivered a flawless performance as Dempo Goa Challengers became the first team to book their place in the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7, defeating former champions Dabang Delhi TTC 8-2 in the first semi-final in Panaji on Friday.
The Spaniard starred in both the men's singles and mixed doubles as Goa extended their remarkable unbeaten run and moved one step closer to the title.
Goa made the most of their fast start, racing into an early lead before sealing the contest in the fourth match. While Maria Xiao briefly halted the hosts' momentum with a comeback victory over Bernadette Szocs, Robles and teenager Syndrela Das combined to put Goa on the brink before Abhinandh PB closed out the tie with a composed win over Delhi captain Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.
Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), the 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.
Robles gave Goa the perfect start, defeating Youssef Abdelaziz in straight games. After taking the opening two games comfortably, the Spaniard staged a remarkable comeback from 7-10 down in the third to complete the sweep and hand the league leaders an early 3-0 advantage.
Delhi responded through Xiao, who recovered after narrowly dropping the opening game to Bernadette Szocs. The Spaniard dominated the final two games to reduce the deficit, but Goa quickly regained control as Robles teamed up with Syndrela Das to outclass Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Xiao in straight games, moving the hosts to the brink of qualification.
With the tie on the line, Abhinandh PB showed remarkable composure against Delhi captain Sathiyan, edging the decisive game 11-9 to seal Goa's place in the final. Having become the first team in UTT history to complete the league stage unbeaten, the Challengers now stand one victory away from completing a historic campaign.
Robles was named both the Match IQ Player and Foreign Player of the Tie, while Syndrela claimed the Indian Player of the Tie award. Xiao earned the Shot of the Tie honour.
Final scores:
Dempo Goa Challengers 8-2 Dabang Delhi TTC
Alvaro Robles bt. Youssef Abdelaziz 3-0 (11-8, 11-4, 11-10)
Berdanette Szocs lost to Maria Xiao 1-2 (11-10, 6-11, 4-11)
Alvaro Robles/Syndrela Das bt. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-3)
Abhinandh P.B. bt. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 1-0 (11-9)
— IANS
Reader Comments
Syndrela Das is only a teenager? Wow, and she played so maturely in the mixed doubles alongside Robles. This is exactly what Indian table tennis needs—exposure to world-class players. So proud of our young talent. Goa looking unstoppable this season! 🔥
Great match! Robles is such a skilled player, and that mixed doubles win really turned the tide. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran is usually so strong, but he struggled today. Exciting times for Indian table tennis. Looking forward to the final! 🏓
Honestly, Delhi looked out of sorts. Sathiyan is a legend, but he didn't bring his A-game today. That said, Goa's teamwork was exceptional. Robles and Syndrela complemented each other perfectly. Abhinandh's composure in the last match was the highlight—11-9 in a pressure situation, that's champion mindset! 👏
The UTT format is so exciting! Love the mixed doubles element—it really adds a strategic layer. Robles seems to be the MVP of this season. Great to see international players like him and Maria Xiao bringing top-level competition to India.
Unbeaten in the league stage and now into the final—Goa are on a historic run! But I hope Delhi can bounce back. They have too much talent to go down without a fight. Still, credit to Abhinandh for stepping up when it mattered. Indian players are improving so much thanks to UTT. 📈