Chennai reinforces global sports hub status with WTT star contender

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 19 (ANI): The partnership between Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) continues to redefine Indian table tennis and is set to enhance it further by bringing world-class international competition to Chennai for the first time with WTT Star Contender, as per a release from WTT.
Set to take place from March 25-30 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, this premier event will offer a USD 275,000 prize purse and 600 crucial ITTF ranking points, attracting elite international talent while providing Indian players with an unparalleled stage to compete at the highest level in a city that has become synonymous with Indian table tennis, not least for it producing international icons like Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, and more.
Chennai has also hosted the successful fifth edition of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India's top professional table tennis league, reinforcing its strong connection with the sport. Now, with WTT Star Contender coming to Chennai, the city is further cementing its status as a global sporting hub, having already played host to prestigious events such as the Chess Olympiad, night street circuit races, and marquee cricket and football matches.
This premier tournament is organised by Stupa Sports Analytics and UTT under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). By blending UTT's league excitement with WTT's elite global competition, Indian table tennis is set for a new era of growth on the back of India's historic Olympics team event appearance.
Speaking on the occasion, Deepak Malik, Founder of Stupa Sports Analytics, which has played a key role in bringing the WTT Star Contender to India and successfully hosted it for the two Goa editions, said, "Bringing the Star Contender to Chennai reaffirms WTT's confidence in us since we brought the first edition of the tournament in 2023 to Goa. Stupa, alongside its stakeholders, has been driving table tennis growth in India through cutting-edge technology and hosting world-class events. Having Chennai, a city and a region so crucial to Indian table tennis, as the host city aligns with this vision to elevate the sport and enhance the tournament's global stature," as quoted from a release by WTT.
Tamil Nadu's Deputy Chief Minister, Thiru Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed his excitement about the event, stating, "Hosting the WTT Star Contender in Chennai is a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and reaffirms our dedication to positioning the state as India's premier sports destination. This event not only showcases our world-class infrastructure but also inspires our youth to embrace sports as a way of life. We welcome players from around the globe and are committed to making this event a grand success."
While the arrival of the WTT Star Contender will elevate Chennai's strong sporting culture, it will also provide Indian talent and fans greater exposure to world-class global competition over a longer term, turning the city into an active table tennis hub.
The WTT Star Contender is part of the WTT five-tier competition structure and will showcase five categories, Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. The tournament will kick off with qualifiers in the first two days, leading up to an electrifying finale on March 29 and 30.
Thirteen WTT Star Contenders have taken place since the competition's debut in 2021, including four each in 2023 and 2024. The first WTT Star Contender of 2025 took place in Doha, Qatar, with Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto and China's Kuai Man winning the men's and women's singles, respectively. (ANI)