Dream Sports Foundation is set to debut the first-ever U-15 table tennis tournament.
Dream Sports Championship Table Tennis 2025, supported by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), will take place between March 17 and 22 at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
The tournament will feature 30 male and female athletes respectively from across India, selected based on their national rankings. This event will see participation from a healthy mix of young paddlers between the ages of 11-14, giving high potential athletes a unique competitive opportunity. Additionally, to provide early international competition exposure to a larger domestic talent pool, the competition will include 12 participants representing six international federations – Sweden, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan.
Bhavit Sheth, COO & co-founder, Dream Sports, said: “Building on our football tournament’s impact, we are proud to introduce U-15 table tennis tournament. By inviting international players, we aim to provide our Indian athletes with an opportunity to get global exposure early in their competitive careers. Thanks to TTFI’s support, we’re confident this initiative will help discover India’s next table tennis stars, and strengthen our commitment to long-term athlete development, aligning with our vision to Make Sports Better.”
Along with table tennis action, the tournament also aims to be a destination for sharing best practices between coaches and athletes. As part of DSF’s Dream Again initiative, several top members of the Indian table tennis fraternity including Indian TT legend and five-time Olympian Sharath Kamal, Commonwealth Games 2022 Gold medallist Sreeja Akula and legendary Italian paddler and current Indian national team TT coach Massimo Costantini, will be leading masterclasses for aspiring players, coaches, technical officials and parents. The tournament will see close involvement of elite table tennis coach Chris Pfeiffer, and former Indian team coach Deepak Malik guiding young players.
The workshops and masterclasses will delve deep into areas of sports science, sports psychology, game strategy, fitness, and technology-driven performance analysis. This initiative is part of DSF’s commitment to strengthening athletes’ careers and enhancing the overall sports ecosystem.
Kamlesh Mehta, general secretary, TTFI, said: “We’re happy to join forces with the Dream Sports Foundation for the inaugural U-15 Table Tennis Dream Sports Championship. This marks a key step in creating a platform for future table tennis players in the country. The championship will provide athletes with a valuable opportunity to compete not only with talent from the country but across the world. It will also play a key role in fostering athlete growth through knowledge sharing masterclasses and latest analytical interventions. This initiative will additionally help us to identify promising future prospects.”
The tournament will be held in four stages: the group stages, followed by the super league, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the finals. Players will be divided into six groups of girls and boys, each featuring one international athlete. This format offers valuable exposure and competitive opportunities for Indian athletes. This event will be streamed live on Fancode from the super league stage (21st March).
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