Margao: Sixth seed Sudhanshu Maini of Delhi dominated his quarterfinal match against third seed Divyaj Rajkhowa Roy of Assam at the UTT National Ranking Championships held at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium. Despite resistance from the Assam boy, Sudhanshu quickly shook off a narrow loss in the third game and surged ahead, showcasing superior skills and game awareness.
In the other quarterfinals, the favourites performed as expected. Sarthak Arya from Delhi faced stiff opposition but secured a 3-0 victory over S. Sriram. Punit Biswas of West Bengal also triumphed, defeating Atherva Gupta from Delhi with a similar scoreline.
Finally, P.B. Abhinand from Tamil Nadu routed K. Segal Singh of Manipur, completing a clean sweep for the real contenders in the quarterfinals. Each match underscored the players’ skill and determination as they advanced in the tournament.
Sriram’s match against top seed Priyanuj Bhattacharyya in the pre-quarterfinals highlighted his ability to adapt under pressure, showcasing the psychological intensity of table tennis. The FCI lad strategically analysed Priyanuj’s moves and capitalised on key moments, demonstrating remarkable mental fortitude in the final two games, paving the way for his quarterfinal entry.
Similarly, Sudhanshu of AAI faced an early challenge against Sahil Rawat of PSPB Academy. After a strong start, he stumbled but quickly regained focus, winning the last two points at deuce—an essential trait in high-stakes matches. Other pre-quarterfinal encounters proved one-sided with winners taking a walk in the park.
Syndrela Das encountered minimal resistance from Diya Brahmachary in their quarterfinal match, except for a brief challenge in the second game. Overall, Syndrela maintained control, winning the first game easily. Her rhythm was upset when Diya slowed the pace but she steadied herself and played with authority to secure victory over the Delhi player.
Left-handed Kavya Bhatt initially struggled against Dista Roy of West Bengal, falling behind 0-2. However, she adapted well and delivered a brilliant performance in the next three games, turning the match around to defeat Dista.
Maharashtra’s Divyanshi Bhowmik was on form, easily dispatching her state mate Riana Bhoota. Nandini Saha from West Bengal effectively countered Avani Tripathi from UP, winning in straight games. Although Avani posed challenges in the first and third games, Nandini prevented her from advancing to the semifinals.
Diya faced hard-hitting Vanshika Mudgal in the Girls’ pre-quarterfinals. Despite losing the first game, Diya rallied to take a 2-1 lead. A missed match point in the fourth game became a turning point, allowing her to level the score and ultimately win. In the deciding game, it was clear that the psychological weight of the match had shifted, and Diya made most of this momentum to emerge victorious.
Riana showed her fighting spirit against Manal Antal of Haryana. Trailing 1-2, Riana’s determination led her to dominate the final games, reflecting the unpredictable nature of the sport. Avani also displayed resilience against Sayanika Maji of Delhi. After falling behind, Avani’s relentless pressure turned the tide in her favour, proving that perseverance often triumphs over early setbacks.
Results:
U-17 Boys Singles: Quarterfinals: Sarthak Arya (Del) bt S. Sriram (FCI) 11-6, 12-10, 13-11; Punit Biswas (WB) bt Atherva Gupta (Del) 11-7, 13-11,11-7; Sudhanshu Maini (AAI) bt Divyaj Rajkhowa Roy (Asm) 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5; P.B. Abhinand (TN) bt K. Segal Singh (Man) 11-8, 11-7, 12-10.
Pre-quarterfinals: S. Sriram bt Priyanuj Bhattacharyya (Asm) 3-2; Sartha bt K. Akshay Bhushan (TN) 3-0; Atherva bt Pratyush Mondal (WB) 3-1; Punit bt Priyanshu Karmakar (WB) 3-1; Divyaj bt Aditya Das (WB) 3-1; Sudhanshu bt Sahil Rawat (PSPBA) 3-1; K. Segal Singh bt Soham Mukherjee (WB) 3-2; P>B. Abhinand bt Middela Arush Reddy (Telg) 3-0.
U-17 Girls Singles: Quarterfinals: Syndrela Das (WB) bt Diya Brahmachary (Del) 11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-6; Kavya Bhatt (Mah) bt Dista Roy (WB) 9-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8; Divyanshi Bhowmick (Mah) bt Riana Bhoota (Mah) 11-4, 11-9, 11-2; Nandini Saha (WB) bt Avani Tripathi (UP) 11-9, 11-7, 13-11.
Pre-quarterfinals: Syndrela bt Pratha Pawar (Guj) 3-1; Diya bt Vanshika Mudgal (FCI) 3-2; Dista bt Himanshi Chowdhary (Kr) 3-0; Kavya bt Saanvi Dargan (Har) 3-1; Riana bt Manal Antal (Har) 3-2; Divyanshi bt Jennifer Varghese (Mah) 3-1; Nandini bt Suhani Mahajan (UP) 3-1; Avani bt Sayanika Maji (Del) 3-2.
