UTT Season 5 to begin from August 22; Ahmedabad, Jaipur named as two new teams

The fifth season of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), the racket sport’s premier league, will be held in Chennai from August 22 to September 7 and will have two new teams from Jaipur and Ahmedabad, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), was held last year after a gap of four years.

It will be an eight-team league for the first time, according to a UTT release.

“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,” expressed UTT co-promoter Bajaj.

Ahmedabad SG Pipers and the Jaipur Patriots were announced as the new entrants to the league.

Goa Challengers secured victory over former champion Chennai Lions in the 2023 final.

The format has undergone a slight alteration with the inclusion of eight teams, that will now be divided into two groups of four 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.