Ranchi: The pace picked up at the Harivansh Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium as the fifth UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships entered the crucial phase on Monday. As the U17 paddlers complete their group stage battles and move on to the main round later this evening, the U19 boys and girls are ready to open their group games with renewed confidence. Meanwhile, the U15 categories provided the biggest talking points of the day – with the top seeds progressing smoothly, but the girls’ section delivering nail-biting thrillers over five games that tested both skill and nerve.
In the U15 boys category, most of the results went according to plan as the seeded players proved their authority early on. But one duel stood out: Trijal Vohra from Punjab, who had just won the U13 boys’ title yesterday, had to prevail with all his might against Soumik Deb from West Bengal. After falling behind 1-2, Vohra’s tactical attitude and fighting spirit came to the fore as he rallied to take the deciding set, winning 14-12, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8 – a testament to his growing composure under pressure.
However, the U15 Girls Round of 64 was a masterclass in perseverance and determination. Four of the games went the full distance as young paddlers showed maturity beyond their years. Sri Shaanvi of PSPBA staged a remarkable comeback from two games down against Parnavi of Bengal, adjusting her tempo and placement to prevail 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7. Pooja Ambati of Tamil Nadu also showed courage in her shaky encounter with Riparna Saha, also of Bengal, recovering from a slip-up in the fourth game to seal victory 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7.
The outstanding comeback came from Gujarat’s Daniya Godil, who fought back from two games down to defeat Khyati Sharma (TTFI-1) in a nerve-wracking 5-11, 12-14, 11-5, 13-11, 11-9 victory. Maharashtra’s Aadya Baheti also showed composure under fire, fending off Karnataka’s Mihika Udupa 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7 to book her place in the next round. With several games stretching to the wire, the girls’ section proved not only competitive but also extremely resilient – a sign of the promising strength that exists at the junior level.
With the focus now shifting to the U17 national team main draw, the focus will soon expand to the men’s and women’s competitions, whose group draw is scheduled to take place tomorrow. Barring Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, G. Sathiyan, Diya Chitale and Sreeja Akula, the top contenders are expected to lead the senior divisions along with a mix of seasoned campaigners and emerging state talents looking to break through.
With competition becoming increasingly fierce across all age groups, the coming days promise thrilling rallies, tactical duels and a showcase of India’s most dynamic table tennis talent as the Championships enters its most exciting phase.
Key Results (Round 64):
Youth Boys U-15: Tridal Vohra (Wordplay) bt Soumic Deb (WB) 14-12, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8.
Youth girls U-15: Sri Shaanvi (PSPBA) vs Parnavi (WB) 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7; Pooja Ambati (TN) vs Riparna Saha (WB) 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7; Daniya Godil (Guj) vs Khyati Sharma (TTFI-1) 5-11, 12-14, 11-5, 13-11, 11-9; Aadya Baheti (Mah) by Mihika Udupa (Kar) 11-6, 5-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7.
