In a thrilling atmosphere at The Sportz Hub on August 21, 2026, the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis tournament reached its climax with the Under-17 boys’ and girls’ finals. Just moments before the finals commenced,
Despite her impressive credentials, Sreeja’s participation in the qualifiers raised eyebrows among some seasoned players. Former international player and current coach Sunil Babras expressed his discontent, stating, “It is ridiculous to see India’s top player being made to play the qualifiers.” In response, competition manager N. Ganesan clarified that the technical team was adhering to the tournament’s prospectus, which was established following a decision made during the TTFI AGM in July 2024. According to the guidelines, players ranked in the ITTF top 50 at the time of the first draw receive top seeding, while the remaining seeds are determined by the latest national rankings. Sreeja’s domestic ranking had fallen to 27 due to injuries and limited participation in the previous season, which included only the Senior Nationals.
Champions Crowned in Under-17 Finals
The finals showcased remarkable talent, with eighth seed Vivaan Dave concluding his impressive run in the boys’ Under-17 category by defeating Atharva Nawarange from Karnataka. The match was a nail-biter, ending with scores of 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, and 11-4. In the girls’ final, top seed
In the semifinals leading up to the finals, Vivaan triumphed over Vishruth Ramakrishnan from Tamil Nadu, while Atharva secured his spot by defeating Prateek Tulsani from Maharashtra. On the girls’ side, Divyanshi advanced past Ankolika Chakraborty from West Bengal, and Ananya edged out Naisha Rewaskar in a closely contested match. The tournament not only highlighted the emerging talent in Indian table tennis but also sparked discussions about the seeding process and its implications for top players.
