Vadodara: The 2025-26 domestic table tennis season is set to launch with a bang as the first UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships begin tomorrow at the SAMA Indoor Stadium Complex here. The response to the season opener has been nothing short of overwhelming, with 1,549 players competing across 12 categories and a staggering 2,587 entries—setting a new benchmark for participation and underscoring the growing competitive intensity of the sport in India.
The championship kicks off with the Senior events, and fittingly, the draw features all top-eight ranked men’s players, alongside several strong contenders, all eager to set the tone for the season. In the women’s section, the field is nearly complete, with only Sreeja Akula (RBI) opting to sit out, opening up opportunities for others to establish early dominance.
Local favourite Manush Shah (RBI) currently tops the men’s national rankings with 375 points. However, the top-seed position would go to Manav Thakkar, who holds a higher global standing at No. 43 in WR. Both players will showcase their skills in front of their home crowd. On the women’s side, reigning national champion Diya Chitale, also representing RBI, enters the tournament after a consistent season that earned her 360 points and the top seed in the women’s draw. With early-season momentum on their side, the top seeds will face tough challenges as they look to justify their top billing.
Manush, in particular, will face a formidable line-up that includes the likes of Ankur Bhattacharjee, G. Sathiyan, Payas Jain, Akash Pal, SFR Snehit, and rising star Divyansh Srivastava—all ranked within the top eight—plus Harmeet Desai, another threat from the host state. That makes for an intriguing intra-state and inter-institutional battle, especially with three top paddlers from Gujarat vying for supremacy.
In the women's section, Diya’s immediate tests will come from a talented pool of challengers—Yashaswini Ghorpade, Swastika Ghosh, Taneesha Kotecha, and Syndrela Das, all of whom are in fine form following successful international stints. Veterans Sutirtha Mukherjee and Reeth Rishya add valuable experience to the mix, while the Under-19 Girls category—set to begin after the senior rounds of qualification—promises equally fierce competition.
On the men’s side, emerging names like P.B. Abhinand, Sudhanshu Grover, Jas Modi, and Sarth Mishra are snapping at the heels of the senior pros. Add to that the watchful presence of experienced campaigners like Anthony Amalraj and Sourav Saha, and you have a draw brimming with depth and unpredictability.
Even in the junior sections—Under-17, U-15, U-13, and U-11—a steady stream of fresh talent continues to emerge from various corners of the country, affirming the sport’s solid grassroots development and broadening competitive base.
The tournament is being ably managed by N. Ganeshan and his seasoned team, with veteran referee A.S. Kler and deputies Mangesh Mopkar and K.R. Manjunatha overseeing the technical conduct, assisted by 70 experienced officials. Played on 24 Stiga tables with Stiga Perform balls, the event upholds international standards, offering an ideal platform for both senior and junior players to make their mark at the very outset of the season.
With an unprecedented number of entries, the Table Tennis Association of Baroda, the organisers, and the competition department are bracing for extended match hours, particularly during the early rounds. The sheer volume of participants may push the schedule beyond planned timings, testing the efficiency of match management and the endurance of both players and officials alike.
