Table Tennis is one sport where India has made considerable improvement in the last few years. Against all odds, the team won two medals at the 2018 Asian Games, and Birmingham 2022 was also a very good outing for India’s paddlers. In mixed doubles, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra have notched some really good performances, while Sharath Kamal and Sathiyan too have played some good matches including at the World Championships, where they lost a very close contest 2-3 in the pre-quarters. In women’s doubles too, the pair of Sreeja Akula and Diya Chitale have been impressive. With the Ultimate Table Tennis League allowing the players the exposure and opportunity of playing with international stars for close to a month, things can only get better in future. This exposure a month ahead of the Asian Games should help the sport, a point emphasised by both Sreeja and Diya in this conversation with Boria Majumdar.
Boria: Since its inception in 2017, the UTT has helped the sport in a big way. And this year, the tournament seems to have taken a big leap ahead from what I have seen so far. Your thoughts?
Sreeja: Yes, it is a very good platform for us. We are able to play with international players and the intensity of the tournament means each one of us stands to improve with the experience. For me personally, it has been extremely enriching. I have played some good matches, and such matches add to your confidence going into the Asian Games.
Diya: When I started out, there was a kind of feeling that international players are better than us. But with competitions like the UTT where we get to play with international players and spend time with them socially, the myth has been broken. It has added to our confidence, and the results are showing. We now have the confidence of beating higher-ranked teams and players, and that will only help the sport going forward.
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In my case, I used to watch the UTT as a spectator and now that I am part of it and playing, I am enjoying every bit of the experience.
Boria: The format too is exciting. When I watch it on TV, I sense the excitement. There is a lot of shouting and cheering going on, with players backing each other. And what is fascinating is that each point counts.
Sreeja: Absolutely, and that’s what has added to the intensity. It is much faster than what we are used to, and is a very different format than what you generally see. You can’t ever relax and when you are playing for your team, there is always that added pressure. You need to stand up and deliver for your team and the UTT has been really good learning for me. It has helped me handle pressure better and that is a key takeaway.
Diya: What I will add to what she said is that here, every point is crucial. It is not just the match that impacts a team’s standing. Every point matters and that’s what has added to the charm of the tournament. Each one of us knows it, and are giving our best every single game, every single point. That’s what explains the intensity and the cheering. Even when I am down, for example, I get charged up by all the intensity, and that helps my game. I am an aggressive player, and the format works really well for me.
Boria: Finally, both of you will be playing in the Asian Games, and this month of UTT should really help players get ready?
Diya: Yes, for sure. When you play quality opponents, you improve as a player. We have had some good results and in 2018 also, we had brought back two medals for India. Being the best prepared is the key, and we will go in with a lot of optimism to do well and try and win medals for the country.
Sreeja: We are aware that in India, multi-discipline games like the CWG or the Asian Games are widely followed. The Asian Games will be much tougher than the CWG, but that’s when you want to excel as players. The tougher the competition, the more challenging it is for you. If you are able to do better against such a field, you feel immensely satisfied, and to do it for India – there can be nothing better. That’s what we will aim to do in the Asian Games, and the UTT has served as a really good platform to get us prepared and be ready.
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