UTT Season 7 kicks off Thursday with focus on Asian Games preparation

Goa is set to host the seventh season of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), with India’s top paddlers and several international stars ready to battle for the title at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium from Thursday.

The 18-day competition will begin with hosts and two-time champions Dempo Goa Challengers taking on defending champions U Mumba TT, while the final is scheduled for July 26.

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The tournament comes at a crucial time for India’s leading players as it concludes just before the Asian Games in Japan, offering valuable match practice against world-class opposition.

Reigning UTT MVP Bernadette Szocs, who helped U Mumba TT win the title last season before moving to Dempo Goa Challengers in this year’s auction, said she was excited to return.

“I’m always very happy to come back to UTT every year. The league keeps growing with each season, and every year it becomes even better. It’s a wonderful feeling to be part of it. Last season, winning the title was something truly amazing, a feeling I can’t really describe in words. I’m delighted to be back again and to be part of this league once more,” she said.

India’s Diya Chitale believes the pressure of UTT has played a major role in her development.

“Every season, I learn something new. The league also brings a different kind of pressure… I think it’s excellent preparation ahead of the Asian Games,” she said.

The league will feature 42 players, including 14 Olympians. One of the biggest attractions will be World No. 3 men’s doubles player Manush Shah, who will lead U Mumba TT’s title defence and could face his regular doubles partner, Manav Thakkar, representing UP Prometheans.

UTT Juniors will also return alongside the main competition. Last year’s Girls MVP Divyanshi Bhowmick, now representing Dabang Delhi TTC, said training alongside senior stars has already been a memorable experience.

This season will also see the introduction of the AI-powered Table Tennis Review (TTR) system, making UTT one of the few leagues in the world to use video review technology for umpiring decisions.