Goa, July 19 (IANS) UTT Juniors’ top overall draft pick, Ahona Ray, and one of India’s brightest young talents, Somdev Sengupta, starred as U Mumba TT defeated Dabang Delhi TTC 5-2 to lift their maiden UTT Juniors title on Sunday at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium. The triumph came a year after U Mumba had finished runners-up in the inaugural edition.
Ahona arrived in Goa fresh from adding another international title to her growing resume, having won the Under-15 Girls’ Singles crown at the WTT Youth Star Contender Doha 2026. She capped another memorable week by sealing the UTT Juniors title for U Mumba with a commanding 11-4 victory over Sreejani Chakraborty in the deciding Girls’ Singles match.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahona said, “It’s exciting to win the title. It was a complete team effort, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Somdev, our coaches, and the entire support staff. Our coach reminded us that U Mumba had finished runners-up last year and told us to go out, enjoy ourselves, and play our game. I’m grateful to everyone. Training alongside the senior players has also been a great experience. They’ve been incredibly supportive.”
Earlier, Somdev had laid the platform with an impressive 2-1 win over Himon Mondal, before combining with Ahona to clinch the Mixed Doubles in another three-game battle. Their victories gave U Mumba a significant advantage before Ahona completed the job in emphatic fashion.
“I’m really happy. It was always a dream to play in Dream UTT Juniors, and to win the title makes it even more special. Our coach helped us immensely, and we couldn’t have done it without him and the entire support staff. Our senior players also inspired us throughout the tournament. They were there cheering us on during both the semifinals and the final, and that meant a lot to us,” Somdev added.
UTT Juniors, held alongside Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7, is the league’s grassroots initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing the next generation of Indian table tennis talent. Featuring the country’s most promising junior paddlers–who represent the seven UTT franchises–the competition provides young athletes with invaluable experience in a professional, franchise-based environment while sharing the stage with some of the world’s best players.
Final score:
U Mumba TT 5-2 Dabang Delhi TTC
Somdev Sengupta bt. Himon Mondal 2-1 (11-5, 11-10, 8-11)
Somdev Sengupta/Ahona Ray bt. Himon Mondal/Sreejani Chakraborty 2-1 (11-9, 11-7, 9-11)
Ahona Ray bt. Sreejani Chakraborty 1-0 (11-4)
–IANS
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