Eight-team Ultimate Table Tennis to be held in Chennai in August-September

The fifth edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India's premier table tennis league, will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.

This time the tournament will be an eight-team affair, with two new teams joining the league.

Ahmedabad SG Pipers and the Jaipur Patriots will join defending champions Goa Challengers, runners-up Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi, Puneri Paltan, U Mumba, and Bengaluru Smashers.

The UTT is a platform where the world's top international talents mingle with Indian players, and it serves as a developmental tournament for domestic talents.

In the previous edition, Goa Challengers emerged victorious after they beat Chennai Lions.

Each team will maintain a roster of six players, including two foreign players, as they all contend for the coveted title this season.

Format

The eight teams will be divided into two groups of four teams each. Each franchisee will continue to compete in five ties during the league stage, facing all other teams within their respective group once, alongside two randomly selected teams from the opposing group, determined through a draw.

"The introduction of additional teams will infuse a heightened level of competition, strategically coinciding with the post-Paris Games period to capitalise on the prevailing Olympic fervour nationwide," said Niraj Bajaj, co-promoter of UTT, in a release.

Tribute to Chennai's sporting heritage

"Moreover, the decision to host the league in Chennai pays tribute to the city's esteemed sporting heritage, which has produced numerous legendary paddlers, but also reinforces our commitment to honouring its illustrious legacy,” he added.

"The core mission behind UTT's inception was to enhance the stature of table tennis in India, providing our players with a platform to compete against the world's best and propel Indian table tennis to unprecedented heights," emphasised Vita Dani, Chairperson of UTT.

"Recent historic victories by our Indian players against Chinese opponents and the National men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the Olympics through the world team rankings underscore this mission,” she added.