Gandhidham: The Boys U-15 team event at the UTT 87th Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet National Table Tennis Championships began on a dominant note, with fancied sides across groups asserting early control and ensuring their berths in the pre-quarterfinals at the M. P. Mittra Indoor Stadium in the Haresh Sangtani Sports Complex.
With the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage, leading contenders wasted no time in sending out a strong message, cruising through their opening ties with authority. The first two rounds largely followed a predictable script, with several teams registering convincing 3-0 victories, though a few closely contested matches in the second round added intrigue.
Hosts Gujarat rode on a wave of confidence and home support to deliver two commanding performances in the opening two rounds, underlining their intent to be a serious contender for the title.
Against Chhattisgarh, Gujarat barely put a foot wrong, sealing a comprehensive 3-0 victory. Vivaan Dave set the tone with a controlled straight-games win over Aryan Kumar Singh, edging the first two games 11-9 before pulling away decisively in the third. Dwij Bhalodia then tightened Gujarat’s grip on the tie with an assured performance against Dikshant Kumar Jangde, winning in three comfortable games. The doubles pair of Vivaan and Dev completed the formalities with another straight-games victory, ensuring a flawless start for the hosts.
The second round, however, presented a sterner test as Gujarat faced a strong Maharashtra side. The contest began on a tense note, with Vivaan Dave pushed into a five-game battle by Vanshi Chouhan. After dropping the opening game, Vivaan responded with authority to take the next two, only for his opponent to force a decider. Showing composure under pressure, Vivaan raised his level in the fifth to clinch a crucial win and give Gujarat the early edge.
Dev Bhatt then delivered a composed and clinical performance against Mradul Joshi, winning in straight games to put Gujarat firmly in control of the tie. Carrying that momentum into the doubles, Vivaan and Dev combined effectively once again, outplaying the Maharashtra pair of Mradul Joshi and Atharva Singh in three games to seal a 3-0 result that was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested.
West Bengal led the charge in Group A, blanking both Assam and Haryana, while Tamil Nadu was equally commanding in Group B, easing past Odisha and Pondicherry without conceding a match. Maharashtra dominated Group C with identical wins over Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The closest contest came in Group E, where Rajasthan got stretched before edging Goa 3-2 in a gripping encounter after both teams had comfortably won their opening fixtures. Group F also produced competitive ties, with NCOE overcoming a spirited Delhi 3-1, while Jammu and Kashmir outlasted Meghalaya 3-2 in a hard-fought clash.
In Group G, PSPBA maintained control but faced resistance from Karnataka before sealing a 3-1 win. Telangana, meanwhile, stood out in Group H with two emphatic 3-0 victories, reinforcing their status as strong contenders.
While early results highlighted the dominance of top teams, the tighter second-round matches suggested that the race for knockout spots could become increasingly competitive as the tournament progresses.
Even as the U-13 and U-11 singles qualifications got underway, the third round of the team event will be played later this evening.
Results: (Team Stage 1):
U-15 Youth Boys: (Rounds 1&2)
Group A: West Bengal bt Assam 3-0, Haryana bt Bihar 3-0; West Bengal bt Haryana 3-0, Assam bt Bihar 3-0.
Group B: Tamil Nadu bt Odisha 3-0, Pondicherry 3-0; Tamil Nadu bt Pondicherry 3-0, Odisha bt Nagaland 3-0.
Group C: Maharashtra bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0, Uttar Pradesh bt Manipur 3-0; Maharashtra bt Uttar Pradesh 3-0, Andhra Pradesh bt Manipur 3-0.
Group D: Gujarat bt Chhattisgarh 3-0, Madhya Pradesh bt Andaman & Nicobar 3-0; Gujarat bt Madhya Pradesh 3-0, Chhattisgarh bt Andaman & Nicobar 3-0.
Group E: Rajasthan bt Himachal Pradesh 3-0, Goa bt Kerala 3-0; Rajasthan bt Goa 3-2, Himachal Pradesh bt Kerala 3-0.
Group F: NCOE bt Jammu and Kashmir 3-0, Delhi bt Meghalaya 3-0; NCOE bt Delhi 3-1, Jammu and Kashmir bt Meghalaya 3-2.
Group G: PSPBA bt Chandigarh 3-0; Karnataka bt Daman & Diu 3-0; PSPBA bt Karnataka 3-1, Chandigarh bt Daman & Diu 3-0.
Group H: Telangana bt Jharkhand 3-0, Punjab bt Uttarakhand 3-0; Telangana bt Punjab 3-0, Uttarakhand bt Jharkhand 3-1.
