The season’s second UTTNational Ranking Table Tennis Championships is set to kick off tomorrow at theManohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium in Navelim, and the excitement is palpable.With entries just about touching a staggering 2,500 across 12 categories, theenthusiasm for the sport has reached new heights. This growing passion fortable tennis reflects the sport’s rising popularity in India, as players andinstitutions push to make their mark.

However, while the sheervolume of participants is an encouraging sign it raises eyebrows. Many players,even those unlikely to survive the demanding qualification rounds and past 60,have entered the competition. Some of this overconfidence is spurred by institutionsbacking their employees, while state associations often gratify ‘hopefuls’ whomay not be up to the task. Nevertheless, it’s this unwavering belief in theirpotential that keeps the spirit of the game alive.

The Goa Table TennisAssociation’s new office-bearers have reason to be excited, as reflected intheir preparations. President Sudhir Verenekar has hired event managementpeople to oversee the logistics, and the team is proving to be efficient. Sofar so good.

The championship willcommence with the seniors’ category—men and women—with finals scheduled for thefourth day. On the men’s side, top-seeded Manav Thakkar, fresh from a stellarperformance at the Astana Asian Championships, will lead the charge, alongsideG. Sathiyan (PSPB) and Manush Shah (RBI). Both Sharath Kamal and Harmeet Desaihave skipped the event.

In the women’s section,Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee, who created history by winning awomen’s doubles medal and contributing to India’s bronze-medal finish in team eventsof the Asian Championships, will look to extend their winning streak. With thetop-ranked Indians in the world, Sreeja Akula and Manika Batra, missing thetournament, the stage is wide open to them, along with Diya Chitale, to shineagain.

The Under-19 competitorswill join the action a day later, adding more intensity to the domesticcircuit. Facing off against some of the best in the U-17 and U-15 categories,these young players are eager to prove themselves, ensuring no shortage ofthrilling matches.

As the tournamentprogresses into its final stretch, the spotlight will shift to the Under-13boys and girls. The last two days of action will see the stadium buzzing withenthusiastic parents. Their involvement has always been crucial in nurturing theseyoung talents, and their presence will add zing to the engagement.

With the overwhelmingentries, the competition department faces a tough challenge. From managinggroup stages to the final draws, the referees will have their work cut out forthem, especially referee T.G. Upadhya, and his deputies, and a batter of BlueBadge, International and National umpires in ensuring a smooth and faircontest. The contests, set to begin at 8 a.m., could stretch beyond 10 p.m. “Ihave taken note of the sizeable entries at the early stages and drawn up theschedule accordingly as we will use 23 Stag Global tables and their equipment.However, we will use the DHS balls for senior events only,” said CompetitionManager N. Ganeshan.

But, as always, theunpredictability and energy of the event will make it one to watch, as tabletennis in India continues to scale new heights.

====