Latest news with #DreamUTTJuniors
India Gazette
08-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Kolkata Thunder Blades beat U Mumba TT in season 1 of Dream UTT Juniors
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 8 (ANI): Season 1 of Dream Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Juniors concluded with a thrilling finale that showcased India's brightest U-15 table tennis talent. After two weeks of intense competition between young athletes from across the country, Ritvik Gupta and Swara Karmakar of the Kolkata Thunder Blades emerged victorious in a nail-biting final that ended 5-2. They beat U Mumba TT's Prateek Tulsani and Ananya Muralidharan at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on Sunday, as per a press release from UTT and Dream Sports Foundation. The tournament provided a unique platform for junior players to experience professional-level competition and learn alongside seasoned athletes, marking a significant milestone in Indian table tennis development. The awards were presented by Vita Dani, Co-promoter, Ultimate Table Tennis, Neel Shah, CEO of Dream Sports Foundation, and Sumit Pandey, COO of the Dream Sports Foundation. Speaking about the tournament, Neel Shah, CEO, Dream Sports Foundation said, 'The inaugural Dream UTT Juniors has been a remarkable success, providing our talented U-15 players with an invaluable opportunity to compete in a professional league format and learn from senior athletes. This tournament represents more than just competition - it is a crucial stepping stone that will help these young champions develop the skills needed to represent India on the global stage. We are proud to partner with Ultimate Table Tennis for this tournament -- strengthening our shared commitment to nurturing grassroots talent and shaping a stronger future for Indian table tennis.' The duo representing the Kolkata Thunder Blades were elated following their victory. 'The experience was incredible. I had so many opportunities to play alongside top players. I really enjoyed spending time with senior players Adriana Diaz and Quadri Aruna - they were very friendly and welcoming,' said Swara Karmakar. Her teammate Ritvik Gupta echoed the sentiment, adding, 'I never imagined I would get the chance to play in Dream UTT Juniors. It was always my dream to be part of UTT. This was my first time here, and coming as a player rather than just a spectator makes me incredibly happy.' A blistering start from Prateek saw him come back well against Ritvik to win the first set 11-10 in their boys' singles tie. The two youngsters fought tooth and nail, with Ritvik winning the second set 11-10. In the end, Ritvik gave the Kolkata Thunder Blades the early lead in the final with an 11-8 win in the third set. Ritvik and Swara of the Kolkata Thunder Blades made a strong start to their mixed doubles tie with an 11-4 win over U Mumba's Prateek and Ananya. Despite an impressive comeback from U Mumba in the second set, it was the Thunder Blades who won with an 11-9 score. In the final set of the mixed doubles, U Mumba secured the set with an 11-9 score to ensure the tie read 4-2 entering the girls' doubles. In the end, Swara sealed the trophy for her team with a 11-4 victory in the first set of the girls' doubles to confirm the trophy for the Kolkata Thunder Blades. Dream UTT Juniors Final: U Mumba TT vs Kolkata Thunder Blades -Prateek Tulsani vs Ritvik Gupta: 11-10, 10-11, -Prateek/Ananya vs Ritvik/Swara: 4-11, 9-11, 11-9-Ananya Muralidharan vs Swara Karmakar: 4-11. (ANI)
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
U Mumba TT, Jaipur Patriots
Prateek Tulsani and Ananya Muralidharan eked out a thrilling 11-8, 11-10, 11-10 mixed doubles victory over Trishall Surapureddy and Shreya Dhar to put U Mumba TT in the final with a 5-2 victory over Jaipur Patriots in the Dream UTT Juniors table tennis tournament at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on Saturday. In the other semifinal, Swara Karmarkar beat Aarya Redkar 11-7, 11-10 in the decisive girls singles match to guide Kolkata ThunderBlades to a 5-3 victory over Dempo Goa Challengers. The final will be played at 11 a.m. on Sunday, and will be streamed live on FanCode. The results: Semifinals: U Mumba TT bt Jaipur Patriots 5-2 (Prateek Tulsani lost to Trishal Surapureddy 8-11, 11-10, 5-11; Prateek & Ananya Muralidharan bt Trishal & Shreya Dhar 11-8, 11-10, 11-10; Ananya bt Shreya 11-6). Kolkata ThunderBlades bt Dempo Goa Challengers 5-3 (Ritvik Gupta bt Sahil Rawat 11-4, 10-11, 11-8; Ritvik & Swara Karmarkar lost to Sahil & Aarya Redkar 10-11, 11-10, 7-11; Swara bt Aarya 11-7, 11-10).
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
UTT Juniors
Ritvik Gupta and Swara Karmarkar guided Kolkata ThunderBlades to a 5-4 victory over Dempo Goa Challengers in the league stage of the Dream UTT Juniors table tennis tournament at the EKA Arena on Thursday. The Kolkata team completed its league engagements with 26 points, while Dempo Goa Challengers wound up with 27 points. Both should be making the semifinals, along with U Mumba and Jaipur Patriots who have 23 points each so far, and have one more league match to play. The results: League: PBG Pune Jaguars bt Dabang Delhi TTC 7-2 (Atharva Nawarange bt Akkash Rajavelu 11-7, 11-3, 11-5; Atharva & Tushti Sood bt Akash & Dhaani Jain 11-8, 10-11, 11-9; Tushtii bt Dhaani 11-7, 11-8, 6-11). Kolkata ThunderBlades bt Dempo Goa Challengers 5-4 (Ritvik Gupta bt Sahil Rawat 11-3, 11-10, 3-11; Ritvik & Swara Karmarkar lost to Sahil & Aarya Redkar 10-11, 11-9, 10-11; Swara bt Aarya 11-5, 11-7, 9-11).
United News of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
DSF collaborates with UTT as Youth Development Partner to launch Dream UTT Juniors
Ahmedabad, May 9 (UNI) In a bid to foster sports development at the grassroots level, Dream Sports Foundation (DSF), the philanthropic arm of Dream Sports, on Monday announced an exclusive partnership with Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT). As the Youth Development partner, DSF will launch the inaugural Dream UTT Juniors, a U-15 Table Tennis tournament curated to provide professional league experience to emerging table tennis talent. The inaugural Dream UTT Juniors will be held alongside the sixth edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis league in Ahmedabad from May 29 to June 8 and will be streamed live on FanCode. Speaking on the partnership, Harsh Jain, CEO & Co-founder, Dream Sports said, "At Dream Sports, we are driven by our vision to 'Make Sports Better'. Thanks to Vita Dani and Niraj Bajaj, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has played a pivotal role in nurturing India's table tennis talent to compete & win at the global stage. But there remains a pressing need to support grassroots talent, and our partnership to create Dream UTT Juniors is a big step toward bridging this gap." "Through our Dream Sports Foundation, we aim to empower the next generation of athletes to make India proud in the 2030 Youth Olympics and thereafter at the 2036 Olympics,' Jain said. Vita Dani, Co-promoter, Ultimate Table Tennis further added, 'Dream UTT Juniors is a natural extension of our shared vision with Dream Sports Foundation — to strengthen the foundation of sport in India and empower young athletes. By giving budding table tennis talent early exposure to the world-class UTT ecosystem, we're not just launching a tournament — we're creating a pathway for the next generation of Indian stars to emerge.' As part of the Dream UTT Juniors, the top eight boys and eight girls from the recently concluded Dream Sports Championship Table Tennis 2025, a first-of-its-kind U-15 tournament organised by DSF in association with Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), have been drafted into the eight franchises of UTT. They will have the unique opportunity to experience the intensity and standards of India's premier table tennis league, thus accelerating their growth. The announcement follows the recent success of DSF's U-15 table tennis tournament, which was widely praised for its high level of competition and professionally managed setup—qualities rarely seen at the youth level in India. Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has elevated the sport since its inception in 2017, featuring top international and domestic talent. The tournament has played a pivotal role in the steady growth of table tennis talent in India, by providing a platform for young players to compete and learn under a professional set-up. The collaboration between DSF and UTT will play a pivotal role in the comprehensive growth of Indian table tennis, establishing a clear pathway for athlete progression by nurturing the sport and providing a structured roadmap for player development. UNI BM
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
DSF collaborates with UTT as Youth Development Partner to launch 'Dream UTT Juniors'
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): In a bid to foster sports development at the grassroots level, Dream Sports Foundation (DSF), announced an exclusive partnership with Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT). As the Youth Development partner, DSF will launch the inaugural Dream UTT Juniors, a U-15 Table Tennis tournament curated to provide professional league experience to emerging table tennis talent, according to a release from Dream Sports Foundation. The inaugural Dream UTT Juniors will be held alongside the sixth edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis league in Ahmedabad from May 29 to June 8. Speaking on the partnership, Harsh Jain, CEO & Co-founder, Dream Sports said, 'At Dream Sports, we are driven by our vision to 'Make Sports Better'. Thanks to Vita Dani and Niraj Bajaj, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has played a pivotal role in nurturing India's table tennis talent to compete & win at the global stage. But there remains a pressing need to support grassroots talent, and our partnership to create Dream UTT Juniors is a big step toward bridging this gap. Through our Dream Sports Foundation, we aim to empower the next generation of athletes to make India proud in the 2030 Youth Olympics and thereafter at the 2036 Olympics,' as quoted from a release by Dream Sports Foundation. Vita Dani, Co-promoter, Ultimate Table Tennis further added, 'Dream UTT Juniors is a natural extension of our shared vision with Dream Sports Foundation -- to strengthen the foundation of sport in India and empower young athletes. By giving budding table tennis talent early exposure to the world-class UTT ecosystem, we're not just launching a tournament -- we're creating a pathway for the next generation of Indian stars to emerge.' As part of the Dream UTT Juniors, the top eight boys and eight girls from the recently concluded Dream Sports Championship Table Tennis 2025, a first-of-its-kind U-15 tournament organised by DSF in association with Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), have been drafted into the eight franchises of UTT. They will have the unique opportunity to experience the intensity and standards of India's premier table tennis league, thus accelerating their growth. The announcement follows the recent success of DSF's U-15 table tennis tournament. (ANI)
