Bernadette Szocs, Zeng Jian, and Maria Xiao dazzle in thrilling start to India’s premier table tennis league UTT Season 6
The sixth season of IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) kicked off in thrilling fashion at the EKA Arena, Ahmedabad, with three high-quality team ties delivering edge-of-the-seat action, standout Indian performances, and international flair.
Reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers, Dabang Delhi TTC, and PBG Pune Jaguars each opened their campaigns with vital wins, as Indian stalwarts Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Reeth Rishya, and Anirban Ghosh led from the front.
All 23 ties of the season will be telecast live on Star Sports Khel and Star Sports 2 Tamil, and streamed on JioHotstar, giving fans across India access to the action.
Reeth, Anirban Inspire Pune to Turnaround Win Over Rivals
In a dramatic Sunday night showdown, PBG Pune Jaguars came from behind to defeat Maharashtra rivals U Mumba TT 9-6. The tie began with U Mumba in control, as French paddler Lilian Bardet and Romanian star Bernadette Szocs posted 2-1 wins to hand their side an early 4-2 lead.
Bardet was dominant against Alvaro Robles, winning the opening games 11-1 and 11-4. Robles clawed one back in the third, a potentially crucial game in a format where every point counts. Szocs then maintained her perfect record against debutant Dina Meshref, saving three match points to win the women’s singles 2-1.
But the tide turned when Anirban Ghosh took the stage. First, he partnered Meshref to clinch the mixed doubles via Golden Point, then edged Akash Pal 2-1 in a tightly contested singles match to level the tie 6-6. In the decider, Reeth Rishya Tennison produced a clinical 3-0 sweep of Swastika Ghosh, sealing a memorable 9-6 comeback win for Pune.
Reeth was named Indian Player of the Tie, while Szocs earned the Foreign Player of the Tie accolade. Akash Pal took home the Shot of the Tie award.
Defending Champs Goa Start Strong, Harmeet Steals the Show
Dempo Goa Challengers, eyeing a historic third title, began their title defence with a 10-5 win over Ahmedabad SG Pipers. Portuguese veteran Tiago Apolonia got them off to a strong start with a 2-1 win over Snehit Suravajjula, before Krittwika Sinha Roy turned in a fighting 2-1 victory over Ayhika Mukherjee.
Ahmedabad clawed back via a 2-1 mixed doubles win from debutant Ricardo Walther and Ayhika. But Harmeet Desai, facing World No. 34 Walther, turned the tie on its head with a gritty comeback—winning 11-10 in Game 2 before blowing past his opponent 11-3 in the decider.
Singapore’s Zeng Jian sealed the tie with a dominant 3-0 win over Giorgia Piccolin in the final rubber.
Harmeet and Zeng were named Indian and Foreign Player of the Tie, respectively, while Ayhika and Maria Xiao won Shot of the Tie for their individual brilliance.
Sathiyan, Diya Guide Delhi to Commanding Victory
In the opening tie of the season, Dabang Delhi TTC sent out a strong message with an 11-4 rout of Jaipur Patriots. Izaac Quek stunned three-time Olympian Kanak Jha 2-1 in the men’s singles to put Delhi ahead early.
Jaipur responded through Sreeja Akula, who edged Maria Xiao 2-1 in a tight battle featuring the season’s first Golden Point. But Delhi seized back control in the mixed doubles, where Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Xiao showcased top-tier chemistry to win 3-0.
Sathiyan returned to dominate Jeet Chandra in straight games, before Diya Chitale—the highest-valued Indian at this season’s auction—wrapped things up with a composed 2-1 win over World No. 43 Britt Eerland.
Dream UTT Juniors Spotlight Emerging Talent
Alongside the main league, the Dream UTT Juniors—a collaboration between IndianOil UTT and Dream Sports Foundation—showcased India’s grassroots table tennis prospects.
- Dempo Goa Challengers edged Stanley’s Chennai Lions 5-4, led by a flawless 3-0 win from Sahil Rawat and a clutch mixed doubles result.
- Jaipur Patriots secured a 6-3 victory over Ahmedabad SG Pipers, with Shreya Dhar excelling in singles and partnering Trishal Surapureddy in doubles.
Earlier in the week, U Mumba TT and PBG Pune Jaguars juniors won their respective matches on the back of strong doubles play.
Final Scores
PBG Pune Jaguars 9-6 U Mumba TT
- Alvaro Robles lost to Lilian Bardet 1-2 (1-11, 4-11, 11-8)
- Dina Meshref lost to Bernadette Szocs 1-2 (11-5, 10-11, 9-11)
- Anirban Ghosh/Dina Meshref bt. Akash Pal/Bernadette Szocs 2-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-10)
- Anirban Ghosh bt. Akash Pal 2-1 (11-6, 10-11, 11-8)
- Reeth Rishya Tennison bt. Swastika Ghosh 3-0 (11-9, 11-10, 11-6)
Dempo Goa Challengers 10-5 Ahmedabad SG Pipers
- Tiago Apolonia bt. Snehit Suravajjula 2-1 (11-6, 11-6, 10-11)
- Krittwika Sinha Roy bt. Ayhika Mukherjee 2-1 (4-11, 11-8, 11-9)
- Harmeet Desai/Zeng Jian lost to Ricardo Walther/Ayhika Mukherjee 1-2 (9-11, 10-11, 11-10)
- Harmeet Desai bt. Ricardo Walther 2-1 (6-11, 11-10, 11-3)
- Zeng Jian bt. Giorgia Piccolin 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
Dabang Delhi TTC 11-4 Jaipur Patriots
- Izaac Quek bt. Kanak Jha 2-1 (5-11, 11-5, 11-9)
- Maria Xiao lost to Sreeja Akula 1-2 (11-4, 9-11, 10-11)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao bt. Kanak Jha/Sreeja Akula 3-0 (11-6, 11-10, 11-6)
- Sathiyan Gnanasekaran bt. Jeet Chandra 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-6)
- Diya Chitale bt. Britt Eerland 2-1 (11-8, 11-7, 8-11)
About Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT)
Launched in 2017, UTT is India’s premier franchise-based table tennis league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Featuring eight teams and 48 world-class players, UTT boasts a rich mix of Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games medalists. The league also invests in grassroots development through Dream UTT Juniors, national ranking events, the Table Tennis Super League, and co-organises WTT events in India. With each season, UTT raises the sport’s profile, inspiring a new generation of Indian paddlers.
