The golden point has been announced and the crowd is on the edge of their seats.
Table tennis is alive at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, with the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league still in action with some exciting matches for sports fans in the city. Some of the best paddlers in the world are in Chennai for the league, which has eight teams and 48 players, including 16 international stars. MetroPlus hold the top three stars:
Bernadette Szocs (Ahmedabad SG Pipers)
Bernadette Szocs of Ahmedabad SG Pipers
For this Romanian, currently ranked 13th in the world, the Indian experience is unique. “I like playing TT in India because it gives me an opportunity to fight with different players. I am happy to be a part of the upcoming league season,” he said.
What was his main lesson? “Indian players are special and have a rubber that is only here and not in the rest of the world. Even the tempo of the game is different from Indian players. UTT gives us players from all over the world the opportunity to understand how the game is different, and to adapt to it.
Bernadette’s initiation into the sport came at a young age, when she went with her parents to watch her sister play in a tournament. “I remember winning my first medal and feeling very proud,” he recalled, “I immediately pestered my parents to let me do sports and tomorrow, I could put the ball.” Years later, her sister and Bernadette would play against each other in mixed doubles at the Romanian championships. “He was provocative and always challenged me.”
Back in Romania, Bernadette is careful about how she presents herself. “When a kid comes up to me and says he wants to be like me, it’s a great feeling. There’s also pressure, but it’s a great feeling.
Now, he is enjoying himself in Chennai. But he is very strong about one thing: Indian food. “I’m allergic to spices, so I don’t want to eat it and get sick. But boy, everything looks so good!
Sharath Kamal (Chennai Lion)
Sharath Kamal of Chennai Lions
If there is a name synonymous with Indian table tennis, it is Sharath Kamal. The veteran rower, who is India’s flag bearer at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, is currently fighting hard for the host team, Chennai Lions. “Starting in 2016, UTT has highlighted promising talent and has given the right platform to young people who want to play sports. As a youngster, in the early 2000s, I had to go to the European league in search of such a platform,” said Sharath.
Much like the Indian Premier League, which appeals to people who don’t follow cricket, UTT aims to take table tennis to a newer audience. “It’s not a spectator-friendly sport because it’s fast and the rally is short,” he said, “Proper production and projection will help the sport.”
He shared his experience at the stadium, which featured a close-up display of sports, with songs during the break and contrasting emotions to enjoy. “I’m asking more kids and parents to watch it, just to see what it takes to win the game.”
While he is a true blue Chennai boy, Sharath brings hope to the entire nation, in Paris Olympics 2024. Paris is the last Olympic games, and I hope to build a good ecosystem in India to aim for a medal in Brisbane Olympics 2032 at least. I want to help India get an Olympic medal which I personally could not achieve as a player.
Lily Zhang (Begaluru Smashers)
US table tennis player Lily Zhang
Lily Zhang, among the top paddlers in the US, is enjoying her time playing against Indian players in the current UTT season. “There is a lot of variety in India… I can play against anti-spin rubber and long-pimples, which has helped my game grow. It’s a style we rarely play on the international stage,” the 28-year-old said.
Young Lily honed her skills at an Indian club in the US. “I’m really used to the food and the culture. For me, India is like a second home. So I look forward to coming back here every season.”
Lily’s parents immigrated from China to the US in her twenties. “My parents played TT for fun in China and as Asian parents do, they made me go to a lot of classes,” he laughs. Young Lily studied the violin, attended math classes and tried her hand at table tennis. “I love sports, and I look forward to my classes every day.”
Today, having played sports for 21 years, Lily – a six-time national champion in the US, in addition to representing the country in the Olympics – is still in love with. “I often remind myself to be in the moment and keep wondering why the seven-year-old me picked up an oar in the first place.”
But his parents had other plans: they wanted him to choose a “normal job.”
“For most immigrant parents, having a stable job and income is a big problem. Sport, in general, does not fall into that category because it depends on results and injuries. They have good intentions and we have many conversations about life and career, but they support what I do.
The Ultimate Table Tennis Match is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium till September 7. Tickets, starting at ₹49, are available on BookMyShow and at the venue. The match was also telecast on JioCinema.
