“Thank you, Chennai!”
These were the first few words that Sharath Kamal uttered in the post-match interview after a mixed doubles win against Dabang Delhi TTC in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2024.
His reaction was understandable. After all, the galleries of the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium wore a dull look for the initial three days of the tournament, with hardly any spectators.
But August 25 was different.
Chennai Lions, the runner-up of the previous season, was scheduled to play its second tie. Following a 4-11 humiliation against the Bengaluru Smashers in their season opener, it needed an extra push.
And it received the much-needed impetus through packed stands, which had people of all age groups cheering their hearts out for the home side.
And the Lions, led by Sharath reciprocated in style. The captain delivered the first blow with a 2-1 win against Austria’s Andreas Levenko.
His teammates followed suit with victories across formats and went on to win the tie 8-7.
“The support from the crowd is important, especially for the youngsters participating in the tournament. It was a bit saddening to see the stands empty, that too in a sport-loving city like Chennai,” the 42-year-old said.
“But I’m really happy that people turned out in large numbers to support us today. And it’s more of a support for the sport than the team.
After the win in the mixed doubles match, where he partnered up with Japan’s Sakura Mori to collect a 2-1 win, Sharath went around the playing area and distributed jerseys to the fans. | Photo Credit: Ragu R / The Hindu
The UTT has all the ingredients to attract a crowd. The spectators can watch their favourite stars from close quarters, and to make it more accessible, the ticket prices are on the lower side.
A general ticket costs 49 rupees, and the audience gets extra perks if they opt for the expensive stands. The people seated in courtside boxes might get an opportunity to interact with players and click pictures.
Sharath felt this -- substantial turnout in Table Tennis matches -- could be an optimistic start. He said, “Last edition saw a good crowd. Now that we’ve shown the fans what we can do, I think it will pick up.”
After the win in the mixed doubles match, where he partnered up with Japan’s Sakura Mori to collect a 2-1 win, Sharath went around the playing area and distributed jerseys to the fans.
The Lions will face U-Mumba next, on Friday -- a team filled with stars like Quadri Aruna, Manav Thakkar, and Sutirtha Mukherjee. And the Lions will hope to continue finding their voice through a similar, if not better, turnout at home.
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