The pre-quarterfinals of the Youth Boys Under-15 team event largely followed expectations, with top teams overpowering their opponents to secure quarterfinal berths at the UTT 86th Cadet and Sub-Junior National Championships at Abhay Prashal Indoor Hall on Wednesday.
However, top-seeded West Bengal had a close call against a determined Jammu and Kashmir side, which pushed the contest to a thrilling five-match decider.
Despite a valiant effort from J&K’s Ritvik Gupta, who single-handedly won both his singles ties, West Bengal ultimately prevailed 3-2.
Ritvik showcased exceptional skill, particularly using his pimpled backhand to outplay Shrestho Chakraborty in a tight 13-11, 11-4, 12-10 victory.
Although Aditya levelled the tie for Bengal by outclassing Saiyam Nischal in straight games, the doubles proved to be a turning point.
Bengal’s superior coordination saw them take a 2-1 lead, but Ritvik bounced back, defeating Aditya 11-5, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5 to force a decider.
In the final match, Shrestho made amends for his earlier loss, cruising past Saiyam 11-1, 11-5, 11-2 to seal Bengal’s spot in the quarterfinals, where they will face Haryana.
Karnataka faced a tough challenge against Assam but ultimately triumphed 3-2, thanks to Siddhanth Dharival, whose decisive victory in the final match sealed Assam’s elimination.
The biggest upset came when Assam’s top player, Aabheek Kashyap, fell to Siddhanth 11-7, 5-11, 2-11, 11-1, 9-11.
Despite recovering to win the next two matches, including the doubles, Assam couldn’t maintain their momentum.
Atharva Nawrange’s 10-12, 7-11, 4-11 loss to Aabheek levelled the score, but Siddhanth’s hard-fought 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7 win over Arnesh Barua secured Karnataka’s place in the quarterfinals.
Haryana booked their place after a 3-1 win over Telangana, with Eshaan Nayak playing a pivotal role. He dominated Vevaan Bhatia (11-4, 11-5, 11-5) and Sai Mandela Dharma Teja (11-4, 11-3, 8-11, 14-12).
Earlier, Eshaan and Shaurya Kumar combined effectively in doubles to secure a comfortable 3-0 victory.
The clash between Tamil Nadu and Gujarat provided some electrifying moments. Akshay Bhushan gave Tamil Nadu the lead by defeating Ved Panchal in four games, while Akash Rajavelu survived a nerve-wracking five-setter against Malav Panchal, winning 5-11, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 13-11.
With momentum back on their side, Tamil Nadu’s doubles duo of Vishruth Ramakrishnan and Mohammed Murtuza clinched victory, overcoming Jenli Patel and Malav 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11.
The National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Kolkata, eased past Uttar Pradesh, though Mohammed Hassan faced a stiff challenge from Aryan Kumar before winning 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 4-11, 11-9. He later teamed up with Parth Prabhakar to seal victory in doubles.
Maharashtra entered the quarters, with Mayuresh Sawant battling past Goa’s Chandan Caro Sinai in a hard-fought 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 10-12 encounter.
Meanwhile, Shouren Soman’s precision play proved too much for Rishan Shaikh, and the duo combined to secure the doubles tie, ensuring Maharashtra’s progression.
Second-seeded PSPBA overcame Chandigarh 3-1, with Trishal Raj Kumar delivering clutch performances. He edged Abhinav Kumar (10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6) and later defeated Vadya Chawla (7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 13-11).
Though Vivaan Dave dropped his singles match to Vadya, Trishal partnered with Dhairya Rawat to win the doubles, securing PSPBA’s quarterfinal spot.
Lastly, TTFI 1 (Rajasthan) moved past Kerala with a 3-0 victory. Harshvardhan Singh set the tone by defeating Sarika Devaprayag (8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4), and Aarav Acharya extended the lead with a solid 11-4, 12-10, 11-6 win over N.K. Sriram.
The doubles duo of Aarav and Bhavit Singh staged a remarkable comeback to beat Shreyesh and Navneet 9-11, 13-15, 11-3, 11-8, 11-1, securing TTFI 1’s
UTT 86th Cadet and Sub-Junior National Championships Team Event Results:
Youth Boys U-15 (Pre-quarterfinals): West Bengal bt Jammu and Kashmir 3-2; Haryana bt Telangana 3-1; Karnataka bt Assam 3-2; Tamil Nadu bt Gujarat 3-0; NCOE bt Uttar Pradesh 3-0; Maharashtra bt Goa 3-0; TTFI 1 bt Kerala 3-0; PSPBA bt Chandigarh 3-1.