MUMBAI: Dabang Smashers
Table Tennis
Club, owned by DoIT Sports Management, has won the Second Edition of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (
UTT
). With a revamped squad comprising young, dynamic and talented players,
Dabang Smashers
overcame the defending champions in an enthralling season finale to lift the trophy.
UTT has successfully put table tennis under the spotlight in India, ever since the league was conceptualized. Besides heeding UTT as a stimulating platform for their upcoming global competitions like the
Asian Games 2018 and Olympics 2020, star paddlers Manika Batra and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (World rank 41) address the league as an important source of global exposure for their team. During the league, domestic players were presented with a chance to rub shoulders with top-ranked international players thus gaining acquaintance with newer game styles and match tactics. The expert mentorship of Sachin Shetty and Andrei Filimon, and globally acclaimed skill sets of Manika Batra and G. Sathiyan played a vital role in branding the spirited team with victory.
Commenting on the phenomenal victory, Manika Batra said, “I’m thrilled that our team won the UTT league under the expert guidance of our coaches, Sachin Shetty and Andrei Filimon, along with the unrelenting support of all our fans. Dabang Smashers TTC has an amazing energy and love towards the sport that I enjoyed being part of. Throughout the league, I channeled this energy to secure victories for the team and these exciting matches have also given me a great head-start in preparing for the upcoming Asian Games and Olympics.”
Expressing his delight over winning the league, the Captain of Dabang Smashers TTC, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran said, “Our victory proves that hard work and determination never go unnoticed. Rigorous training sessions, crucial tactical advise by coaches and supreme fan support has helped us win the title. With a series of global competitions coming my way, I feel like I am ready to further enhance my training with reinforced confidence.”
Beaming with pride, Coach, Dabang Smashers TTC, Sachin Shetty said, “It is mesmerizing, how our team came together to win the title. With players from Belgium, Japan, Puerto Rico and India collectively using their diverse game disciplines to accomplish one common goal, our mettle shone through and earned us the win. I am thankful for the franchise's decision of having retained Sathiyan in Dabang Smashers TTC as he played an integral role in the team’s victory. Additionally, the fact that Sakura Mori and G. Sathiyan remained unbeaten throughout the Mixed Doubles tie is perhaps the icing on the cake. It was an honor to mentor this unbelievably dynamic and zealous team in the second edition of UTT.”
Mrs. Radha Kapoor Khanna, Founder & Executive Director, DoIT Sports Management said, "Dabang Smashers TTC’s team spirit has been the perfect exhibit of sportsmanship and their efforts have successfully represented the exciting emotion of table tennis. Throughout the second season of UTT, we emphasized on promoting the sport of table tennis right at the grassroots level by getting our players to interact with young local talent, thus creating a bold spark of interest for the sport across the nation. The triumph of Dabang Smashers TTC definitely rallies the beginning of a bright future for the sport in India and I am already looking forward to the next edition of UTT."
The victory of Dabang Smashers TTC, under the ambitious and insightful mentorship of Sachin Shetty and Andrei Filimon, successfully concludes yet another chapter of the Ultimate Table Tennis league. As international paddlers participate and share the table with our domestic players in this incredibly competitive and resourceful event, there remains no doubt that India has dug its roots deep within the sporty soils of table tennis. The UTT has inspired masses and the hunger for table tennis in India is now on the rise and its celebration is only getting bigger, brighter, and bolder.
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