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Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2024 is set to ignite the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai from August 22 to September 7, with 23 thrilling ties scheduled. The tournament will witness eight teams vying for the coveted title, including defending champions Goa Challengers and newcomers Jaipur Patriots.World-class players will grace the UTT stage, including World No. 10 Bernadette Szocs, World No. 16 Nina Mittelham, and Nigerian legend World No. 19 Quadri Aruna. They will be joined by Indian stars Achanta Sharath Kamal (WR 40), Sreeja Akula (WR 25), and Manika Batra (WR 28).UTT 2024 will also showcase promising Indian talents like Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Poymantee Baisya, Abhinandh PB, Jeet Chandra, and Yashansh Malik. Debutant team Ahmedabad SG Pipers will make their debut against Puneri Paltan Table Tennis, while Chennai Lions will face PBG Bengaluru Smashers in a southern derby.The addition of two new teams has led to a revised competition format. Teams will be divided into two groups of four for the league stage, playing five ties each. The top four teams will advance to the knockout stage, with the semi-finals featuring Team No. 1 vs Team No. 4 and Team No. 2 vs Team No. 3.Each tie will comprise five matches: two men's singles, two women's singles, and one mixed doubles. The tournament promises high-octane action and intense competition as teams battle for the ultimate glory.

The Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league is set to return with a bang in 2024, with eight teams vying for the coveted title. The Player Draft, held on Wednesday, saw franchises strategize and select their squads for the upcoming season, which will be held in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.Newcomers Jaipur Patriots made a bold move by selecting India's rising star Sreeja Akula, who recently became the first Indian to win a WTT Contender singles title. Puneri Paltan Table Tennis opted for Ayhika Mukherjee, while Ahmedabad SG Pipers secured the services of Manush Shah and Romania's world No. 10 Bernadette Szocs.The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, has attracted some of the best players in the world. "We are very excited for UTT 2024. This is the first time we have eight teams, and we want to make this even bigger and better," said UTT promoters.A total of 48 players, including 16 foreigners, will be in action. Jaipur Patriots COO Imran Shaikh expressed confidence in their squad, saying, "We wanted Sreeja and we got her in the first pick. We have a strong squad and we are confident that we can go all the way."Ahmedabad SG Pipers' Kartikeya Rao emphasized the importance of a balanced team, stating, "We've enjoyed success in other leagues and other sports with this same formula, so just looking to continue the same thing."Defending champions Goa Challengers have a new look, with Australia's Yangzi Liu and Italy's Mihai Bobocica joining their ranks. Last edition's runners-up Chennai Lions also made significant changes, adding Japan's Sakura Mori and Frenchman Jules Rolland to their squad.Dabang Delhi will rely on Sathiyan G. and Andreas Levenko of Austria, while PBG Bengaluru Smashers will have Alvaro Robles of Spain and Lily Zhang of the USA supporting Manika Batra.The Player Draft has set the stage for an exciting season of UTT, with each team aiming to lift the trophy. The league promises to showcase high-quality table tennis and provide a platform for both established and emerging players.