Top News

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Reigning champions U Mumba TT will return with their title-winning coaching combination of Jay Modak and John Murphy, while national team coach Sourav Chakraborty will be among four new coaches making their Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) debut, as all seven teams confirmed their coaching lineups for Season 7, set to take place in Goa in July 2026.

Chakraborty will take charge at Ahmedabad APL Pipers, marking his first stint in the league, while former UTT Season 1 player Abhishek Yadav returns in a coaching role with UP Prometheans.

Meanwhile, Dabang Delhi TTC will feature an entirely new coaching setup this season, with the Czech Republic’s Petr David—a three-time Czech Men’s Doubles champion and two-time mixed doubles champion—joining Indian tactician Srivatsa Chakravarthy in the dugout.

Commenting on the coaching lineups, UTT Co-Promoter Vita Dani said, "It’s exciting to see such a strong blend of continuity and fresh perspectives across teams this season. Coaches are central to how teams prepare, adapt, and perform, and this mix of experienced names and new entrants will raise the overall level of competition. We’re looking forward to another closely fought season with high-quality table tennis.”

At U Mumba TT, the title-winning duo of Modak and Murphy continues, with Modak’s proven work in nurturing young talent complemented by Murphy’s vast international experience. UP Prometheans will see Yadav step into a coaching role alongside the returning Chris Pfeiffer, while Ahmedabad APL Pipers welcome back former champion Francisco Santos after a season away, partnering with Sourav Chakraborty.

Among the continuing combinations, Dempo Goa Challengers have brought back Parag Agarwal and Elena Timina. Sachin Shetty, extending his run of appearing in every UTT season so far, returns this time alongside Frenchman Julien Girard for PBG Pune Jaguars, while Kolkata Thunderblades continue with the pairing of Jubin Kumar and Tobias Bergman.

The seventh season of India’s premier table tennis league will feature seven teams and a round-robin league stage format, with every team playing the other once. After 21 high-intensity matches, the top four will advance to the semi-finals.

Teams & coaches:

Ahmedabad APL Pipers - Sourav Chakraborty (Indian), Francisco Santos (Foreign)

PBG Pune Jaguars - Sachin Shetty (Indian), Julien Girard (Foreign)

Dempo Goa Challengers - Parag Agarwal (Indian), Elena Timina (Foreign)

Dabang Delhi TTC - Srivatsa Chakravarthy (Indian), Petr David (Foreign)

Kolkata Thunderblades - Jubin Kumar (Indian), Tobias Bergman (Foreign)

U Mumba TT - Jay Modak (Indian), John Murphy (Foreign)

UP Prometheans - Abhishek Yadav (Indian), Chris Pfeiffer (Foreign)

--IANS

hs/bsk/