Bhupathi-backed Ahmedabad SG Pipers becomes eighth UTT team

Bengaluru Smashers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis and U Mumba TT are the other six teams in the league.The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India TTFI, continues to grow as SGSE -- a strategic arm of the APL Apollo Group -- comes on board after a successful fourth edition in July, 2023.

Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi-backed SG Sports and Entertainment (SGSE) Pvt Ltd became the eighth franchise of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) and it will represent Ahmedabad in the upcoming edition of the tournament. The team has been christened as Ahmedabad SG Pipers. The Ahmedabad SG Pipers will join Jaipur Patriots, who entered the UTT fray in August last year, and the two teams will make their debut when the league gets underway later this year. Bengaluru Smashers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis and U Mumba TT are the other six teams in the league.

The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), continues to grow as SGSE -- a strategic arm of the APL Apollo Group -- comes on board after a successful fourth edition in July 2023. With multiple Grand Slam champion Bhupathi as their CEO, SGSE focuses on supporting and nurturing sporting talent in the country. The company has already been part of the chess and tennis leagues, and will now look to contribute to the growth of table tennis through their association with UTT.

''Ultimate Table Tennis is the premier table tennis competition in the nation and they can showcase both homegrown and international talent at the elite level. We at SGSE are excited that we have the opportunity to participate in the growth of the sport. ''I am sure the presence of our team -- Ahmedabad -- will make the upcoming edition of the league more competitive and entertaining,'' Bhupathi said in a statement. ''We are delighted to welcome SGSE and the APL Apollo Group to the UTT family. The success of Indian table tennis stars on the international circuit and the popularity of UTT among players and fans has only made the league stronger over the years,'' UTT co-promoters Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani said in a joint statement.

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