Ritvik wins thrilling final to clinch U-15 crown

Indore (Team Newsbuddy): Ritvik Gupta of Jammu and Kashmir may have fallen short in the team championship pre-quarterfinals a couple of days ago, despite shouldering the responsibility for his squad. However, on the concluding day of the 86th UTT Cadet and Sub-Junior National Table Tennis Championships at Abhay Prashal Indoor Hall, he staged a remarkable comeback, clinching a thrilling 3-2 victory in the Youth Boys Under-15 singles, reaffirming his status as a rising star.

Facing Aditya Das of West Bengal in the final, Ritvik displayed exceptional skill and resilience against Aditya’s tactical use of a pimpled backhand. With the match tantalisingly poised at 2-2, Ritvik initially led 10-6 in the fourth game but squandered multiple match points. Aditya seized the opportunity, cashing in on his fourth game point to push the contest into a decider.

Unfazed by the setback, Ritvik regained control in the final game, leading 5-3 at the change of ends. Under pressure, Aditya faltered, making several unforced errors, particularly on his backhand. Sensing his opportunity, Ritvik switched flanks effectively, outmaneuvering his opponent and sealing the match dominantly, securing a well-deserved championship victory.

Prateek dominates

Maharashtra’s Prateek Tulsani put on a commanding show to seize the Youth Boys Under-13 title, sweeping aside Bishal Mandal of West Bengal in a blistering 3-0 victory that lasted less than 15 minutes. Prateek’s dominance was evident from the get-go, as he dictated the pace with sharp returns and unrelenting aggression. Bishal, despite showing glimpses of resilience in the second game, struggled to find answers to Prateek’s precision and speed. By the third game, the Maharashtra paddler had complete control, capitalising on Bishal’s errors to win the gold.

Prateek’s road to the championship was equally impressive. In the semifinals, he dispatched another Bengal challenger, Rishaan Chattopadhyay, with a similar 3-0 scoreline. Rishaan fought in the latter stages, pushing Prateek to the limit in the second and third games, but the Maharashtra star held firm to book his place in the final.

On the other side of the draw, Bishal Mandal earned his spot in the title clash by outplaying Bhavit Singh Bisht (TTFI 1, Rajasthan) 3-0. After edging out a tense first game 12-10, Bishal found his rhythm and comfortably sealed the match to reach the final.

Epic doubles battles

In the Under-15 doubles final, the PSPBA duo of Trishal Raj Kumar and Dhairya Rawat scripted a stunning comeback to clinch the gold, overcoming West Bengal’s Aditya Das and Shrestho Chakraborty in a dramatic 3-2 victory. The Bengal pair looked poised for glory, leading 2-1, but Trishal and Dhairya showed nerves of steel, winning a crucial deuce game before sealing the title in the decider. The gripping five-game thriller kept the crowd on the edge of their seats, with both pairs displaying exceptional teamwork and shot-making under pressure.

The Under-13 boys’ doubles final turned into an epic battle, as West Bengal’s Souswarya Banerjee and Bishal Mandal outlasted Karnataka’s identical twin duo, Siddhant and Satwik Manjunath, in a fiercely contested five-game showdown. The Manjunath brothers fought valiantly, stretching the Bengal pair to the limit and securing two extended games (losing both at 13-15). Though they staged a brief comeback by taking the second game, their resistance crumbled in the fourth, allowing Souswarya and Bishal to claim the championship with authority.

Aariv wins title

Earlier in the day, Aariv Dutta (NCOE) showcased his rising talent by storming to the Under-11 title with a dominant 3-0 victory over Bengal’s Rajdeep Biswas. The opening game was a tense affair, with Aariv edging it 13-11 in deuce, but from there on, he was simply unstoppable. Dictating the rallies with composure and tactical brilliance, Aariv tightened his grip on the match, outclassing Rajdeep in the next two games to secure the championship.

Results:

Youth Boys U-15 Singles: Final: Ritvik Gupta (J&K) bt Aditya Das (WB) 11-4, 5-11, 11-9, 14-16, 11-4.

Semifinals: Aditya bt Trishal Raj Kumar (PSPPBA) 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6; Ritvik bt Aatharva Nawarange (Kar) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9.

Doubles Final: Trishal Raj Kumr/Dhairya Rawat (PSPBA) bt Aditya Das/Shrestho Chakraborty (WB) 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 14-12, 11-3.

Youth Boys U-13 Singles: Final: Prateek Tulsani (Mah) bt Bishal Mandala (WB) 11-6, 117, 11-3.

Semifinals: Prateek bt Rishaan Chattopadhyay (WB) 11-9, 13-11, 13-11; Bishal bt Bhavit Singh Bisht (TTFI) 12-10, 11-7, 11-7.

Doubles Final: Souswarya Banerjee/Bishal Mandal (WB) Siddhanth Manjunath/Satwik Manjunath (Kar) 15-13, 9-11, 15-13, 11-5.

Semifinals: Souswarya/Bishal bt M. Siva Kaarthik/Krish Vinodh (TN) 11-6, 13-11, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8; M. Satwik/Siddhanth bt Trijal Vohra/Satvik Sharma (Pun) 11-8, 11-7, 11-5.

Youth Boys U-11 Singles: Final: Aariv Dutta (NCOE) bt Rajdeep Biswas (WB) 13-11, 11-7, 11-2.

Semifinals: Ariv bt Subham Adhikari (WB) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8; Rajdeep bt Sohan Adhikari (WB) 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9.