The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) season is set to begin on August 22nd with a thrilling opening match between the defending champions Goa Challengers and the newly-joined Jaipur Patriots. The tournament, scheduled to run until September 7th, will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Delhi.
A total of eight teams will compete for the coveted UTT title, playing a total of 23 ties over the course of the tournament. The lineup boasts a mix of international stars and talented Indian players. Among the notable international players are World No. 10 Bernadette Szocs, World No. 16 Nina Mittelham, and Nigerian legend and current World No. 19 Quadri Aruna. India will be represented by top paddlers like Achanta Sharath Kamal (WR 40), Sreeja Akula (WR 25), and Manika Batra (WR 28), alongside promising young talent such as Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Poymantee Baisya, Abhinandh PB, Jeet Chandra, and Yashansh Malik. In total, 48 players, including 16 internationals, will take part in the franchise-based league.
The first few days of the tournament will feature exciting matchups. On day two, debutant team Ahmedabad SG Pipers will take on Puneri Paltan Table Tennis, while Chennai Lions will go head-to-head with PBG Bengaluru Smashers in a southern derby. Dabang Delhi TTC and U Mumba TT will square off on August 24th.
The addition of two new teams this season has slightly altered the competition format. The eight teams will be divided into two groups of four during the league stage. Each team will play five matches – one against each of the other three teams in their group and two against randomly chosen teams from the opposing group. The top four teams from the points table will advance to the knockout stage, with the semifinals pitting Team No. 1 against Team No. 4 and Team No. 2 against Team No. 3.
Each tie will consist of five matches: two men’s singles, two women’s singles, and one mixed doubles. The high-stakes action will be broadcasted live on Sports18 and streamed on JioCinema, ensuring fans don’t miss a moment of the exciting competition.
