UTT 2024: Who are the two new teams in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 5?

The Ultimate Table Tennis Season 5 commences from August 22 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai as eight teams gear up to vie for the title.

Amongst these eight franchises are two newcomers that will make their debut in the fifth edition of the UTT – Ahmedabad SG Pipers and Jaipur Patriots.

“The introduction of additional teams will infuse a heightened level of competition, strategically coinciding with the post-Paris Games period to capitalize on the prevailing Olympic fervour nationwide. 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,” UTT co-promoter Bajaj had expressed a couple of months back when the two new teams were announced.

While the Ahmedabad side is owned by the SG Sports and Entertainment Private Limited, which has support from the APL Apollo Group, the Jaipur-based franchise is owned by the World of Krida Private Limited, that has numerous sporting teams under its wing.

At the helm in the CEO’s capacity for Ahmedabad SG Pippers is Indian tennis great Mahesh Bhupathi.

Led by Gujarat’s Manush Shah, the Ahmedabad team will also feature WR10 Bernadette Szocs of Romania. For Jaipur, it will be Snehit SFR leading the side after Sreeja Akula was forced to give this edition of the UTT a miss after sustaining an injury during the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Akula’s replacement is yet to be announced.