The excitement is building as India’s top table tennis talents, alongside some of the world’s best players, come together for the start of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7, powered by ChatGPT. Kicking off on Thursday, July 9, the season will feature an exhilarating western derby at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium. In this showdown, the local favorites and two-time champions, Dempo Goa Challengers, will take on the defending champions, U Mumba TT. Over the following 18 days, seven teams will compete fiercely for the prestigious title, culminating in the Grand Finale on July 26.
Event Context
This year’s Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) holds special importance for the Indian team as it wraps up just days before their departure to the Asian Games in Japan. The tournament offers crucial high-pressure match experience against elite competitors, serving as vital preparation for one of the year’s most significant international events.
Diya Chitale, a standout player for the PBG Pune Jaguars, shared her thoughts, stating, “Each season at UTT teaches me something new. The league presents a unique kind of pressure, especially in tight situations where every point counts. These intense moments are rare elsewhere, and they have tremendously contributed to my growth as a player, making it excellent training for the Asian Games.”
UTT Season 7 will showcase seven teams competing in a round-robin format, where each team will face every other team once during the league phase. The top four teams will advance to the knockout stage. Viewers can watch all matches live on Star Sports Khel (Hindi), Star Sports Tamil 2 HD, and Star Sports Tamil 3 HD, as well as streaming live on JioHotstar in Hindi, Tamil, and English.
Upcoming Matches:
– July 09, 2026 19:30: Dempo Goa Challengers vs U Mumba TT
– July 10, 2026 17:00: Dabang Delhi T.T.C. vs UP Prometheans
– July 10, 2026 19:30: Kolkata ThunderBlades vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 11, 2026 17:00: Dabang Delhi T.T.C. vs Kolkata ThunderBlades
– July 11, 2026 19:30: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs U Mumba TT
– July 12, 2026 17:00: UP Prometheans vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 12, 2026 19:30: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs Dempo Goa Challengers
– July 13, 2026 19:30: Dempo Goa Challengers vs Kolkata ThunderBlades
– July 14, 2026 19:30: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs UP Prometheans
– July 15, 2026 19:30: Dabang Delhi T.T.C. vs U Mumba TT
– July 16, 2026 19:30: U Mumba TT vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 17, 2026 17:00: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs Kolkata ThunderBlades
– July 17, 2026 19:30: Dabang Delhi T.T.C. vs Dempo Goa Challengers
– July 18, 2026 17:00: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 18, 2026 19:30: UP Prometheans vs U Mumba TT
– July 19, 2026 17:00: Dempo Goa Challengers vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 19, 2026 19:30: Kolkata ThunderBlades vs UP Prometheans
– July 20, 2026 19:30: Ahmedabad APL Pipers vs Dabang Delhi T.T.C.
– July 21, 2026 19:30: Kolkata ThunderBlades vs U Mumba TT
– July 22, 2026 19:30: Dempo Goa Challengers vs UP Prometheans
– July 23, 2026 19:30: Dabang Delhi T.T.C. vs PBG Pune Jaguars
– July 24, 2026 19:30: 1st Place vs 4th Place
– July 25, 2026 19:30: 2nd Place vs 3rd Place
– July 26, 2026 19:30: Winner of Semi Final 1 vs Winner of Semi Final 2
Player Focus
Organized by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and championed by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league is committed to enhancing the landscape of Indian table tennis through high-level competitions and continuous development efforts year-round. The upcoming Season 7 will showcase 42 participants from around the globe, including 14 Olympians.
Commenting on the competition, Thakkar noted, ‘Manush and I have been performing exceptionally well in doubles, currently holding the World No. 3 ranking, so playing against him will certainly be challenging. We are both evolving as athletes, and with the Asian Games on the horizon this year, we’re training extensively. We hope that this week will help us gain momentum toward winning a medal for our country.’
UTT remains dedicated to fostering the next generation of Indian talent through initiatives like Dream UTT Juniors, which will run concurrently this season to further strengthen player development. Last season’s Girls MVP, 15-year-old Divyanshi Bhowmick, etched her name in history as the youngest player ever drafted by Dabang Delhi TTC.
‘Last season, I followed the league on Instagram and witnessed its impressive growth. It was wonderful to see Bernadette (Szocs) and her team clinch the title. The league has garnered increasing attention over the years and continues to evolve. I’m thrilled to be back, and everyone has been incredibly welcoming,’ shared a player from Ahmedabad APL Pipers.
In this season, UTT will also introduce the AI-driven Table Tennis Review (TTR) system, positioning itself among the few leagues globally to embrace video review technology. The system, developed by Stupa Sports, the league’s official technology partner based in Gurugram, will ensure contested decisions are analyzed in under 20 seconds.
UTT Season 7 Teams
One of the major highlights of this season is the addition of Manush Shah, the World No. 3 men’s doubles player, to the reigning champions, U Mumba TT, as they aim to defend their title.
“Being part of such a remarkable franchise like U Mumba TT is truly a special moment for me. Adjusting to play alongside or against my usual partners can be a challenge, yet there’s always a lighthearted atmosphere among teammates and fellow Indian players. I’m eager for an exciting season and hope we can retain the championship,” Manush expressed.
Another newcomer, who recently expressed her excitement, remarked, “I am thrilled to be part of UTT and to join this exceptional team with numerous renowned senior players. Practicing with them over the past two days has been an incredible honor and a fantastic learning opportunity.”
This season also welcomes back Austrian Olympian Sofia Polcanova after her absence since Season 2. She has been closely following the league and witnessed her international doubles partner Bernadette Szocs lift last season’s championship trophy.
Jeet Chandra from HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades noted, “We’re excited to introduce the TTR system this season, which I believe will enhance fan engagement. Each team will have three TTR reviews throughout a match, offering a fresh experience for Indian audiences. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.”
**Team Rosters:**
**Ahmedabad APL Pipers:** Manika Batra, Adrien Rassenfosse (Belgium), Kavya Bhatt, Sanil Shetty, Sofia Polcanova (Austria), Payas Jain
**Dabang Delhi TTC:** Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Divyanshi Bhowmick, Maria Xiao (Spain), Youssef Abdelaziz (Egypt), Raegan Albuquerque, Sutirtha Mukherjee
**Dempo Goa Challengers:** Bernadette Szocs (Romania), Syndrela Das, Alvaro Robles (Spain), Divyansh Srivastava, Ananya Chande, Abhinandh PB
**HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades:** Ankur Bhattacharjee, Ayhika Mukherjee, Eduard Ionescu (Romania), Taneesha Kotecha, Zeng Jian (Singapore), Jeet Chandra
**PBG Pune Jaguars:** Diya Chitale, Prithika Pavade (France), Snehit SFR, Mudit Dani, Omar Assar (Egypt), Sayanika Maji
**U Mumba TT:** Manush Shah, Akash Pal, Lilian Bardet (France), Anna Hursey (Wales), Nityashree Mani, Anusha Kutumbale
**UP Prometheans:** Manav Thakkar, Yangzi Liu (Australia), Ricardo Walther (Germany), Sayali Wani, Sudhanshu Grover, Swastika Ghosh
Match Outlook
Leading the home challenge is Bernadette Szocs, the reigning league MVP and one of UTT’s standout performers. She arrives in Goa fresh off her role in securing the title for U Mumba TT last season before joining the Dempo Goa Challengers during this year’s auction. Another highly anticipated matchup this season features Shah going head-to-head against his regular men’s doubles partner, Manav Thakkar, who is competing for UP Prometheans in season 7.
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“I always look forward to returning to UTT every year. The league continues to grow with each new season, becoming even more exciting with time. Being part of it is a truly special experience. Winning the title last season was an indescribable feeling, and I couldn’t be happier to join the league again this year,” Szocs expressed during a press conference on Wednesday.
