Kolkata Thunder Blades beat U Mumba TT in season 1 of Dream UTT Juniors
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)
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