The top professional-level table tennis league in India, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is all set to begin its season 5 tonight, i.e., August 22 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. The event will get underway with a match between the reigning champs Goa Challengers and newcomers Jaipur Patriots.
UTT debuted in 2017 and was then played for two more seasons in 2018 and 2019. Nevertheless, the event did not take place from 2020 to 2022 and returned in 2023.
Overall, UTT 2024 will include 48 table tennis players, including 16 from overseas. Renowned players from India, Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra, as well as competitors from Romania and Germany, Bernadette Szocs and Nina Mittelham, will take centre stage for the next 16 days.
The table tennis event will feature a total of 23 ties. Each game will have five matches: two men’s singles, two women’s singles, and one mixed doubles match.
This time around, UTT has also welcomed two new teams: Ahmedabad SG Pipers and Jaipur Patriots. The eight units will be divided into two groups of four.
Each team will play five games in the group stage. Each side is scheduled to play three matches against the teams in their own group and two ties against the teams in the opposing group. A unified table will be held for all eight teams, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.
The semi-finals will take place on September 5 and 6, while the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 final will be held on September 7.
Where to Watch:
The event will be officially aired by Viacom18. This coverage will commence tonight at 7:30 PM IST on Sports18 Network and on JioCinema.