Prime Table Tennis (PTT) has arrived. From December 13-15, 56 players from eight teams will fight it out at the Abhay Prashal, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. After a successful first season in Maharashtra, where fans and players were introduced to new and exciting formats, PTT has expanded into MP and will happen in the state […]
Prime Table Tennis (PTT) has arrived.
From December 13-15, 56 players from eight teams will fight it out at the Abhay Prashal, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
After a successful first season in Maharashtra, where fans and players were introduced to new and exciting formats, PTT has expanded into MP and will happen in the state for the first time.
PTT is back bigger and better
With the aim of becoming the premier domestic table tennis event in the country, PTT has taken its success from season one and is expanding on it.
Abhishek Jain, the CEO of PTT, spoke about the various changes apart from the expansion of the tournament into Madhya Pradesh, such as promotional events like the Prime Masters League.
In an earlier interview with The Bridge, Abhishek said “A significant change is the affiliation of our promotional leagues like “Prime Masters League,” which will add another layer of competition and bring in senior players with experience and strategy.”
He also spoke about a revised player draft system to make the competition more even and fairer to all teams, stating “We are refining the player draft process to make it even more competitive and transparent.”
Expansion into Madhya Pradesh
After a successful debut season in Maharashtra, PTT has expanded its reach into Madhya Pradesh for the first time.
With MP at the fore, it creates a lot of opportunities for players and also a chance for the fans to be more engaged with the sport and take up an interest in the sport as well.
Abhishek had already spoken about the importance of exploring the untapped potential in the state, not just in providing the players opportunities but for the fans as well.
He also talked about the increased sponsorship collaborations undertaken by the PTT to improve fan engagement and player experience.
“We are also expanding the prize pool and increasing sponsorship collaborations, which will enhance the overall experience for both players and fans. The branding and engagement initiatives for fans will also be on a larger scale this season,” he said.
PTT will feature many renowned names in the opening ceremony of the tournament, such as Smt. Preeti Aggarwal (PMG, Indore Region), amidst the various stakeholders of the league like Shivram Iyer (President, TTC Palava), Om Soni (President, MP Olympic Association), Jayesh Acharya (PTT advisor), and Rinku Acharya (Secretary of MP Table Tennis Association).
Players to watch out for
During the auctions for the tournament, many big names were fought tooth and nail for by the eight franchises, and in the end, all the teams were satisfied with what they have and will be looking to make the best use of the talent pool they have procured.
Here is the list of the players you would want to keep an eye on at PTT:
Marquee Women: Anusha Kutumbale from Clippers
Marquee Women: Himani Chaturvedi from Sensattions
Marquee Men: Shivam Solanki from Sensattions
Marquee Men: Pankaj Kumar Vishwakarma from Clippers
Marquee Men: Kartikey Kaushik from Ninja
Scoutee Girl: Zakiya Sultan from King Pong
Scoutee Girl: Bhagyashree Dave from Lion Warriors
Scoutee Girl: Hiya Patel from Ninja
Rookie Boy: Anuj Soni from Lion Warriors
Sage: Santosh Khirwadkar from Lion Warriors
The excitement is palpable and with the event around the corner, it is only going to go up.
In a new city, with eight teams and 56 players, an innovative format to play the game and held at the iconic Abhay Prashal, PTT promises to be a fascinating tournament.
