UTT 2024: Ahmedabad SG Pipers’ coach Francisco Santos on how Ultimate Table Tennis is elevating the sport in India

The probability of a tournament’s defending champion succumbing to a crushing defeat against a newly introduced team is quite low. 

Ultimate Table Tennis witnessed one such episode as Ahmedabad SG Pipers steamrollered Goa Challengers 10-5 on Saturday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. 

However, the Pipers’ foray into the tournament was a rocky affair. The scoreline was similar, 10-5, but they were on the receiving end against Puneri Paltan. 

The side bounced back in style the very next day, thanks to an early impetus from the first two matches where Lilian Bardet and Bernadette Szocs conquered six out of six possible games. 

“After yesterday’s match (vs. Puneri Paltan), it was very important that we started today’s proceedings on a positive note. That helped us get an early advantage,” said Pipers head coach Francisco Santos.

“We didn’t plan anything specific for the match as we had to play on consecutive days. The collective thought in our minds was to get a win no matter what, and I’m happy that we got it done,” he added. 

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Santos’ coaching career in the UTT circuit started off with a bang. He clinched the title with the now-defunct Falcons TTC in the first-ever season. 

But ever since, he has hopped from team to team and coached three different teams before striking a deal with the Pipers. 

In season two, he coached Maharashtra United (defunct), then Puneri Paltan in the following edition, and U Mumba in season four. Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate the success he achieved in the first season.

Santos reveals he is a firm believer in the phrase ‘Change is the only constant’. “I like this. Constant changes. If I get retained on the same team, it will be the same players and support staff. I like to find new people, identify new talents, and teach them everything about table tennis. I can understand that the franchises might want a stable coaching staff, but I like it this way.” 

The former Portuguese international feels that leagues like UTT help the sport improve not only in terms of quality but also gain popularity. 

Ahmedabad SG Pipers team during the match of the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 played between Goa Challengers.
| Photo Credit:
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“UTT, I feel, is very important for the players in this country. It not only provides a platform for them to showcase their talent but also enables them to face players from around the world. Not just players, but they also get to pick the brains of foreign coaches as well, and that helps them a lot,” he said. 

He also pointed out that the tournament’s dynamics encourage players to make decisions on the go and get accustomed to the bigger stage. 

“What makes the league all the more interesting is the fact that each point matters. The winner of a tie is decided by the number of games won. So it also teaches players to handle pressure,” said the 

Santos’ side will next face his previous team, U-Mumba, and he intends to maintain the tremendous momentum gained and remain in the top half of the points table.