Star-Studded National Table Tennis Tournament Unveiling in Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) — A star-studded lineup of Indian table tennis players, featuring current national champion Diya Chitale and Commonwealth Games gold medallists G Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai, is set to take center stage at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Tournament commencing September 7 in New Delhi. The event marks a significant gathering with a staggering 2,958 entries, highlighting the soaring interest in the sport.

The Delhi State Table Tennis Association is hosting this national ranking tournament in the capital for the first time since 2008. However, the Table Tennis Federation of India organized one in 2012 with Haryana's support. The tournament will be held at Thyagraj Stadium from September 7 to 14, where players will compete across 12 events, including senior, U-19, U-17, U-15, U-13, and U-11 categories.

Among the male competitors, national champions Sathiyan, Harmeet, Anthony Amalraj, and Soumyajit Ghosh, the latter returning to the national circuit after a hiatus following the 2012 London Olympics, are expected to put on a stellar show. In the women's category, Diya Chitale leads the charge alongside veterans such as Mouma Das, Madhurika Patkar, Reeth Rishya, and Divya Deshpande.

Notably absent will be Delhi native and badminton star Manika Batra, due to her international commitments, which have seen her world ranking slip to 55.

Gurpreet Singh, President of the DSTTA, expressed excitement over the overwhelming number of entries, stating, "The number of entries, 2,958, serves as a strong indicator of the tournament's generated interest. I don't recall a national ranking event ever attracting so many participants. We are fully ready to host the event."

National coach and Dronacharya awardee, Sandeep Gupta, is part of the organizing committee. He remarked, "The participation of so many national champions provides a unique opportunity for Delhi's budding players to witness and learn from the best. Competing against top players in the country will enable them to enhance their skills."

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