The UTT National Ranking Championships Table Tennis began in earnest at the SAMA Indoor Stadium Complex, with the first round of singles qualifiers delivering a mix of local dominance, experienced composure, and nail-biting rallies.
On a day when Gujarat’s women paddlers made the most of their home-ground familiarity, veterans from across the country also eased through their early encounters, setting the stage for an intense week of competition.
In the women’s singles qualifiers, Gujarat’s representatives were quick to stamp their authority. Mouboni Chatterjee, Sheli Patel, Shiney Gomes, Aafrien Murad, Namna Jayswal, and Pratha Pawar all advanced to the next stage, displaying a blend of confidence and composure that suggested they were more than ready to challenge higher-ranked opponents when the main draw begins.
Among the standout performances, Shiney Gomes held her nerve in a tight straight-games win over ESIC’s Nikitha Mandula, closing the match 11-8, 11-8, 13-11. Namna Jayswal recovered from a second-game lapse to beat Haryana’s Angel Chauhan 3-1, while Aafrien Murad impressed with her attacking consistency in a 3-0 victory against Maharashtra’s Swarada Sane.
Top local contender Mouboni Chatterjee breezed past Swati Kumari of Uttar Pradesh, while Tanisha Katarmal was pushed to five games before overcoming Nandini Nagori of Rajasthan. Sheli Patel, despite dropping the opening game, rallied back strongly to defeat Aashna Thadani from Delhi, and Pratha Pawar sealed her progression with a confident straight-games win over Pallabi Kundu of RBI.
Men’s Field Sees Wider State Spread
While Gujarat’s women dominated their section, the men’s singles qualifiers featured a far broader mix of winners from across the host state. Harshvardhan Patel, Nilay Thakkar, Pavan Detroja, Devesh Karia, Jalay Mehta, Arya Kataria, Abhilash Rawal, Pratham Madlani, Chitrax Bhatt, and Devarsh Vaghela all advanced, keeping their qualification hopes alive in a draw stacked with both seasoned campaigners and ambitious young challengers.
Veteran Chitrax Bhatt overcame Tamil Nadu’s S. Sringesh in three hard-fought games, showing his ability to close out tight situations. Devesh Karia was in cruise control against Mayur Ketke of Daman and Diu, while Abhilash Rawal dominated his tie against Devanshi Kohli of Uttarakhand. Not all wins came easy. Pratham Madlani had to dig deep to edge Chandigarh’s Vikas Guleria in four, while Harshvardhan Patel and Pavan Detroja looked sharp in dispatching Kartikeya Singh and Aniket Gautam from Uttar Pradesh respectively.
However, the unpredictability of the early rounds was underlined by Riyan Dutta’s narrow five-game loss to West Bengal’s Arjit Das a reminder that in qualifiers, the difference between progression and elimination often boils down to a single rally.
Format Adds to the Pressure
With staggering entries across categories, the championships have had to balance tight scheduling with maintaining competitive flow. The single-elimination format of the qualifiers has heightened intensity, particularly for lesser-known paddlers looking to cause upsets and make a statement before the main draw.
For the women, qualifiers were set to conclude by late evening, paving the way for the main draw to start tomorrow, when the top 16 seeds enter the fray. This stage often brings early upsets as emerging players, brimming with momentum from the qualifiers, challenge established names. The men’s qualifiers are scheduled to wrap up tomorrow morning, followed by the second-stage draw in the afternoon. The short turnaround will test stamina and recovery a crucial factor in a format where matches can be physically and mentally draining.
Veterans Progress Without Fuss
While much of the attention fell on local success stories and closely fought battles, the tournament’s seasoned campaigners from various states and institutional teams quietly navigated their opening hurdles. For them, the qualifiers are as much about shaking off travel fatigue and getting used to conditions as they are about winning matches.
These experienced players brought a measured approach, focusing on minimising errors and conserving energy for the more demanding matches ahead. Their presence ensures that when the main draw kicks off, it will be a meeting point for youthful ambition and battle-hardened resilience.
Anticipation Builds for the Main Draw
The first day’s action has already provided a flavor of what lies ahead emerging Gujarat talent fueled by home support, veterans executing with efficiency, and matches swinging on fine margins.
The women’s main draw, beginning tomorrow, is expected to produce fireworks with 16 top seeds entering directly and several qualifiers eager to continue their winning momentum. The men’s draw, to be finalised tomorrow afternoon, is shaping up to be equally competitive.
With national ranking points and the prestige of a UTT National Ranking title at stake, the next few days promise high-intensity rallies, tactical depth, and potentially a few giant-killing acts that will keep fans on the edge of their seats.
If you want, I can also prepare a preview of the top-seeded players and their potential early-round challenges in the main draw which would add context for readers following the championship closely. That way, the narrative moves smoothly from these early results into the bigger battles to come.
