Paddler Fan Siqi, Bernadette Szocs join rising Indian stars in UTT Season 6 Player Auction

ANI April 12, 2025 161 views

The Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6 player auction promises an exciting blend of international and domestic table tennis talent. Twelve Olympian paddlers and 25 emerging Indian stars will be part of the unique bidding process. Teams will strategically build their rosters using 50 lakh virtual tokens across four price categories. The franchise-based league represents a significant milestone in Indian table tennis, showcasing both established champions and promising young athletes.

"For the first time in UTT history, team rosters will be shaped through a unique player auction" - UTT Official Statement
New Delhi, April 12: Chinese paddler Fan Siqi, world No 13 Bernadette Szocs, Olympians Aruna Quadri and Alvaro Robles, and several rising Indian paddlers led by Junior World No 6 Ankur Bhattacharjee, will headline the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6 player auction, set to take place in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Key Points

1

Global Olympians and young Indian talents headline prestigious table tennis auction

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56 players compete across four token price pools

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Eight teams battle for top international and domestic paddling talent

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Franchise-based league set for May-June in Ahmedabad

For the first time in UTT history, team rosters will be shaped through a unique player auction, giving franchises greater control over their recruitment and strategies.

Among the 56 players in the auction pool, youngsters Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade, India's top-ranked women's singles players, teenage sensation Syndrela Das, and former U-17 World No. 1 Payas Jain lead a group of 25 rising Indian stars under 25, who have earned their spot alongside seasoned pros like two-time champion Harmeet Desai, former winners Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Manika Batra, Sutirtha Mukherjee, and WTT Contender Lagos 2024 winner Sreeja Akula.

All eight teams have been allotted 50 lakh virtual tokens to bid on the players, along with a one-time Right to Match (RTM) card to retain a player from the previous season by matching the final bid price. The franchise-based league will take place from May 29 to June 15 at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad.

Twelve of the 16 foreign paddlers to feature in the UTT Season 6 auction are Olympians. Among those returning from previous seasons are UTT Season 2 champion Adriana Diaz and Spaniard Maria Xiao.

Making their debuts are Britt Eerland, Dina Meshref, Zeng Jian, and Giorgia Piccolin. France's Lilian Bardet, who impressed in his debut last season, returns, while former UTT champion Tiago Apolonia and Kirill Gerassimenko add experience. Kanak Jha, Ricardo Walther, and Izaac Quek are entering the player pool for the first time.

Meanwhile, the Indian contingent is packed with emerging stars, including World Youth Championship medalists Taneesha Kotecha, Suhana Saini, and Sayali Wani, Asian Championships medalist Sarth Mishra, and rising talents like Jennifer Varghese, Abhinandh PB, and Deepit Patil, who are looking to go shoulder-to-shoulder with senior stalwarts.

Players will be divided into four base price categories: Pool A (11 lakh tokens), Pool B (7 lakh), Pool C (4 lakh), and Pool D (2 lakh). Bidding will follow a structured format with increments of 10,000 tokens, ensuring a competitive and strategic selection process as teams build their squads for UTT Season 6.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
So excited to see Fan Siqi in UTT! Her backhand is legendary. Hope one of the teams picks her up 🤞 The auction format sounds interesting too - makes it more strategic than just random player assignments.
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Priya M.
Love that they're giving young Indian players a platform alongside international stars! Ankur Bhattacharjee vs Bernadette Szocs would be 🔥
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Arjun S.
While I appreciate the auction format, I worry it might lead to uneven team strengths. Some franchises with better strategists could dominate while others struggle. Maybe implement salary caps in future seasons?
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Sneha P.
Can't wait to see Manika Batra play again! She's been in great form lately. Also excited about the young talent - Jennifer Varghese has been impressive in domestic tournaments.
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Vikram J.
The player pool is stacked this year! Olympians, rising stars, and veterans all in one auction. Smart move having different price pools too - gives smaller teams a fighting chance.
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Neha T.
Hope Payas Jain gets picked by a good team. The kid has amazing potential! Also rooting for Sreeja Akula after her recent WTT win 🏓

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Ultimate Table Tennis Table Tennis Auction Fan Siqi Bernadette Szocs Indian Table Tennis UTT Season 6
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