In a major boost for Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7, franchises have locked in key Indian talents ahead of the April 28 auction in Mumbai. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran stays with Dabang Delhi TTC for his seventh season, while Manika Batra returns to Ahmedabad APL Pipers post-injury. The player pool welcomes back Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, and Diya Chitale, injecting fresh energy into the league.
Thakkar and Shah, world No. 5 in men’s doubles, step back after international duties. Shah’s mixed doubles partnership with Chitale, ranked No. 6 globally, made history at WTT Finals. Chitale, previously the priciest acquisition, reunites with Sathiyan, strengthening Delhi’s core.
Teams like Kolkata Thunderbolts (Ankur Bhattacharjee) and Yo Mumbai TT (Akash Pal) made strategic retentions. Goa Challengers, Pune Jaguars, and UP Prometheans go all-in with untouched INR 1 crore purses. The auction’s structured format—four pools, base prices from 3L to 20L, 20K increments—promises drama.
Co-promoter Neeraj Bajaj emphasized the pool’s strength: “Top Indians rejoining alongside global stars showcase table tennis’s rising quality in India. This mix of veterans and prospects will make bidding electrifying.”
Global flair comes from Anna Hursey (potentially Wales’ UTT first), Prithika Pavade, and heavyweights like Eduard Ionescu, Yusuf Abdel-Aziz, and returnees Bernadette Szocs and Alvaro Robles. Indian prodigy Divyanshi Bhowmik debuts after U-15 Asian gold and World Youth bronze, signaling the next generation.
Mark July 9-26 on your calendars for UTT Season 7 at Goa’s premier indoor stadium, where rivalries will ignite and champions will emerge.
