Latest news with #DreamUltimateTableTennis
India Gazette
4 days ago
- 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)
India Gazette
27-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Inaugural edition of Dream UTT Juniors to kick off in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 27 (ANI): The inaugural edition of the Dream Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Juniors tournament is scheduled to take place at EKA Arena, Ahmedabad, from May 29 to June 8 this year. Showcasing 16 of India's most talented U-15 table tennis players, this tournament marks a pioneering effort in grassroots sports development. The initiative is a result of the partnership between Dream Sports Foundation (DSF) and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), with DSF as the official Youth Development Partner, as per a press release. Showcasing emerging talent, the tournament brings together the top eight boys and eight girls from the Dream Sports Championship Table Tennis 2025 that concluded in March, headlined by champions Sahil Rawat of Chandigarh and Mumbai's Divyanshi Bhowmick. These 16 athletes have been drafted across UTT's eight franchises:-Ahmedabad SG Pipers: Abheek Kashyap and Mouboni Chatterjee-Stanley's Chennai Lions: Siddhanth Dhariwal and Divyanshi Bhowmick-Dabang Delhi T.T.C.: Akash Rajavelu and Dhaani Jain-Dempo Goa Challengers: Sahil Rawat and Aarya Redkar-Jaipur Patriots: Trishal Surapureddy and Shreya Dhar-Kolkata ThunderBlades: Ritvik Gupta and Swara Karmarkar-PBG Pune Jaguars: Atharva Nawarange and Tushti Sood-U Mumba TT: Prateek Tulsani and Ananya Muralidhar This competition will give them unprecedented exposure to India's premier table tennis ecosystem. The 11-day tournament will follow a league format with 20 ties in the group stage. The semi-finals will be held on June 07, and the final on June 08. Each match day will feature multiple ties starting from 9:00 AM and will be streamed live on FanCode. The action begins on Thursday, May 29, with the first three matches scheduled as below: Stanley's Chennai Lions vs Kolkata ThunderBlades: 9:00 AMU Mumba TT vs Dabang Delhi T.T.C.: at 10:00 AMAhmedabad SG Pipers vs Dempo Goa Challengers: 11:00 AM The tournament aims to bridge the gap between grassroots and professional table tennis in India, providing these young champions with authentic league experience that will accelerate their development toward representing India at future international competitions. 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. Dream Sports Foundation aims to empower the next generation of athletes to make India proud in the 2030 Youth Olympics and thereafter at the 2036 Olympics. (ANI)
