The fourth season of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) concluded on Sunday with Goa Challengers defeating Chennai Lions 8-7 to lift the coveted title.

The six-team league, revived after a gap of four years, attracted many big names from home and abroad and generated a lot of excitement on the way.
India No. 1 Harmeet Desai donned the colours of Goa Challengers and with him on the same team was his better half, Calcutta girl Krittwika Sinha Roy. For the couple, it was a boon to be playing together.

Sanil Shetty of Bengaluru Smashers. The Telegraph

Not so for the other husband-wife duo in the league, Sanil Shetty and T Reeth Rishya, as they were on opposing sides.

While Sanil owed allegiance to Bengaluru Smashers, Reeth has been smashing her way for the Goa franchise.

“Throughout the year we don’t get much time for each other. So, playing on the same team has been pretty much a boon,” Krittika told The Telegraph from Pune ahead of the final.

“Also, it’s so much a happier space if we can cheer for each other.” The couple, who have been seeing each other for 10 years, tied the knot last December.

“Our practice schedules don’t leave us much time for each other through the year,” continued Krittwika. “Harmeet trains in Germany and also plays in the European leagues.

‘‘When in the country, he is based in Surat while I train in Calcutta (at Soumyadeep Roy’s academy). It is much the same problem for Sanil and Reeth. Married for five years, their hectic schedules don’t leave them much time together though the two play mixed doubles for India. “I have never played against him and I trust he did not reveal my weaknesses to my opponents,” laughed Reeth.

Added Sanil: “This season my performance has not been quite what I would have liked it to be. But Reeth shone bright and that made me proud.”

Both couples wholeheartedly agree that the UTT has done much towards improving the game in the country.

With curtains coming down on this edition of the league on Sunday, all four look ahead to a busy calendar ahead.

Of the four, only Harmeet heads to the Asian Games, his third, and he is all geared up for it. “But it will be no cakewalk because the Asian countries are the powerhouse of table tennis. But I hope we are able to better our last Games’ haul of two bronze medals,” he concluded.