The golden point has been announced and the crowd is on the edge of its seat.
Table tennis comes to life at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, with the ongoing Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league dishing up some exciting matches for the city’s sports enthusiasts. Some of the world’s best paddlers are in Chennai for the league, which features eight teams and 48 players, including 16 international stars. MetroPlus catches up with three of the top stars:
Bernadette Szocs (Ahmedabad SG Pipers)
Bernadette Szocs of Ahmedabad SG Pipers
For this Romanian, currently ranked 13 in the world, the Indian experience is unique. “I love playing TT in India because it gives me the opportunity to clash against a variety of players. I would love to be part of the forthcoming seasons of the league,” she says.
What have her key learnings been? “Indian players are special and have rubbers that are found only here and nowhere in the world. Even the tempo of the game is different with the Indian players. The UTT gives us players from across the globe a chance to understand how the game differs, and to adapt to that.”
Bernadette’s initiation into the sport was at a young age, when she once accompanied her parents to watch her brother play a tournament. “I remember him winning his first medal and feeling very proud,” she recalls, “I immediately pestered my parents to get me into the sport too and the very next day, I managed to land a ball.” Years later, her brother and Bernadette would clash against each other in mixed doubles at the Romanian championships. “He is provocative and always challenges me.”
Back in Romania, Bernadette is careful on how she presents herself. “When a child comes to me and says that she wants to be like me, it is a great feeling. There is also pressure, but it feels very nice.”
For now, she is enjoying herself in Chennai. But she is mighty careful about one thing: Indian food. “I have an allergy towards spice, so I do not want to eat and fall sick. But boy, everything looks so good!”
Sharath Kamal (Chennai Lions)
Sharath Kamal of Chennai Lions
If there is a name synonymous with Indian table tennis, it is Sharath Kamal. The veteran paddler, who was India’s flagbearer in the recent Olympics 2024 in Paris, is currently fighting hard currently for the home team, Chennai Lions. “Right from 2016, the UTT has been highlighting very promising talent and has given the right platform for young kids wanting to take up the sport. As a youngster, in the early 2000s, I had to go to European leagues in search of such platforms,” says Sharath.
Much like the Indian Premier League, which appeals even to people who do not keenly follow cricket, the UTT aims to take table tennis to newer audiences. “It is not a very spectator-friendly sport as it is fast and the rallies are short,” he admits, “The right kind of production and projection will help the sport.”
He is referring to the in-stadia experience, which features an up-close view of the sporting action, with songs during the time-outs and contrasting dugout emotions to savour. “I would urge more kids and parents to watch, just to see what it takes to win those matches.”
While he is a true-blue Chennai boy, Sharath carried the hopes of an entire nation, at the Paris Olympics 2024. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a great honour to carry the flag. Paris was my last Olympic games, and I look forward to building a good ecosystem in India to target a medal in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics at least. I would like to help India get an Olympic medal that I could personally not get as a player.”
Lily Zhang (Bengaluru Smashers)
US table tennis player Lily Zhang
Lily Zhang, among US’s top paddlers, is loving her time playing against Indian players in the current season of UTT. “There is so much variety here in India… I get to play against anti-spin and long-pimples rubbers, which helps my game grow. These are styles that we seldom get to play in the international scene,” says the 28-year-old.
A young Lily honed her skills at an Indian club in the US. “I am actually used to the food and culture. To me, India feels like second home. That’s why I look forward to coming back here every season.”
Lily’s parents emigrated from China to the US in their early twenties. “My parents used to play TT for fun in China and as most Asian parents do, they made me go to many classes,” she laughs. A young Lily learnt the violin, attended math classes and tried her hand at table tennis. “I fell in love with the sport, and every day, I used to look forward to my classes.”
Today, having played the sport for 21 years, Lily — a six-time national champion in the US, apart from representing the country at the Olympics — is still in love with it. “I often remind myself to be in the moment and keep thinking about why the seven-year-old me picked up the paddle in the first place.”
Her parents, however, have other plans: they would like her to opt for a “normal job.”
“For most immigrant parents, having a stable job and income is a big deal. Sport, in general, does not fall into that category as it depends on results and injuries. They are well-meaning and we have a lot of conversations about life and career, but they support me in what I do.”
The Ultimate Table Tennis matches are on at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium till September 7. Tickets, from ₹49 onwards, are on BookMyShow and in the venue. The matches are also telecast on JioCinema.