She had trained hard for this day. She always wanted to be part of the Ultimate Table Tennis and her dream came true when she was picked by Chennai Lions for the sixth season of the league which commences at Ahmedabad from May 19. Playing her maiden Ultimate Table Tennis League will be a challenge but Nagpur’s international table tennis player Jennifer Varghese has trained hard and says that she would learn a lot from the world’s best during the competition. She feels that Chennai Lions, the 2019 champions, will be one of the strongest sides during the sixth season with players like China’s Fan Siqi and Kazakh’s Kirill Gerassimenko in their ranks. Jennifer, after performing exceedingly well for India in the past couple of years was expecting to be picked by one of the franchises and she is grateful to be part of Chennai Lions. “To be honest, I was hopeful but didn’t take anything for granted. Getting selected for a prestigious team like Chennai Lions is a dream come true.

 

I’ve been training really hard, and to see that effort being recognised feels amazing. I’m grateful for this opportunity and excited to be part of such a strong squad,” Jennifer told ‘The Hitavada’ in an exclusive interview. The 16-year-old Jennifer, who made a resounding entry to the senior level when she won the women’s singles bronze medal during the Senior National Ranking Table Tennis tournament in Goa recently, is confident that Chennai Lions is a balanced side with youth and experience. She said that her team has the capability to beat any side in the competition. “We have a really balanced and talented team.

 

With top players like Fan Siqi, Kirill Gerassimenko, and some of India’s best like Payas Jain and Sudhanshu Grover, we have depth and experience. I’d say we are definitely one of the strongest teams this season, and we’re all hungry to perform and win,” Jennifer, who was picked for her base value of two lakh, confidently said. With some big names on her side, Jennifer is confident that China’s Fan would be the difference for her team but with Payas and Sudhanshu also giant-killers, anybody could be the gamechanger. “Every member of the team brings something special to the table. But I think Fan Siqi’s consistency and aggressive style will be a big asset. Also, players like Payas and Sudhanshu can turn matches around on any given day.

 

Honestly, anyone in our squad can be a gamechanger,” declared Jennifer who recently won an Under-19 gold for the country in and an U-17 bronze at the WTT Havirov tournament in Czech Republic. Jennifer said the Season 6 of UTT would be tough as top international paddlers will be in action and her side will have to produce its A-game to reach the top. “UTT always brings in top international and Indian talent, so every match is going to be a challenge. Teams are getting more competitive each season. We’ll be up against some of the best, and that’s what makes it exciting. We’ll have to bring our A-game every time.” The Nagpur lass said it would be an incredible experience to play alongside top world class players and she would learn a lot from the stalwarts. “Playing alongside and against world class players in such a professional set-up is an incredible learning experience. It’ll help me grow not just technically and tactically, but also mentally. I’ll get to understand different styles of play, deal with pressure situations, and become a more complete player,” Jennifer signed off. The league will feature eight teams — Ahmedabad SG Pipers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers TTC, Jaipur Patriots, Kolkata ThunderBlades, U Mumba TT and PBG Pune Jaguars. Top four ranked sides will make it to the semi-finals.