UP Prometheans made a strong showing at the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 auction in Mumbai by acquiring top players Manav Thakkar and Yangzi Liu. The auction also saw Bernadette Szocs becoming the highest-valued player at 40 L tokens, joining Dempo Goa Challengers. Meanwhile, young talents like Diya Chitale and Manush Shah found new teams, adding excitement to the upcoming season.
The franchise-based league, co-promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, is scheduled to take place from July 9 to 26 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa. The event will be live-streamed on JioHotstar and broadcast on the Star Sports Network. Dani praised the teams for investing in emerging Indian players, highlighting the growth of the grassroots ecosystem in table tennis.
Reigning champions U Mumba TT made strategic moves by securing talents like Manush Shah and Anna Hursey. U Mumba TT CEO Suhail Chandhok expressed confidence in Shah’s abilities, emphasizing his potential in both singles and doubles matches. On the other hand, PBG Pune Jaguars focused on building a strong team around Diya Chitale, aiming for a well-rounded unit in the upcoming season.
Dempo Goa Challengers opted for a mix of experience and young talent in their auction strategy, aiming for a balanced squad. The team’s owner, Shrinivas Dempo, highlighted the importance of having a combination of proven performers and energetic young players. The auction also saw Dabang Delhi TTC making key acquisitions to strengthen their lineup for the upcoming season.
The auction witnessed various teams finalizing their squads, with each team aiming to create a competitive and balanced roster for UTT Season 7. The league will feature seven teams competing in a single round-robin format, followed by a knockout stage where the top four teams will progress.
