The opening day of the main draw at the UTT National Ranking TT Championships in the SAMA Indoor Stadium Complex delivered exactly what fans expected and a little more.
There was no shortage of high-paced rallies, tactical battles, and the occasional upset to remind the top contenders that no match can be taken for granted.
Men’s Singles: A Sharp Start for Seeds Nine to Sixteen
With the top eight seeds in the men’s singles enjoying first-round byes, the early spotlight fell on those ranked ninth to sixteenth. Far from easing into the tournament, this group came out swinging, using their opening matches to shake off any rust and send an early signal of intent.
The headline in the men’s draw came even before the first ball was struck: reigning national champion Manush Shah was elevated to the top seed following the withdrawal of Manav Thakkar due to medical reasons. Shah will begin his title defense later tonight, buoyed by home support and the confidence of recent strong performances.
One of the early standouts was Harmeet Desai, the former national champion and 16th seed, who wasted no time in dispatching qualifier Lubhit Saini (FCI) in straight games 11-7, 11-9, 11-9. Desai’s trademark composure was on display as he controlled the pace and angles to prevent Saini from settling into a rhythm.
Elsewhere, ninth seed Sarth Mishra (UP) showed controlled aggression in his four-game win over Soham Mukherjee (West Bengal). Mukherjee’s defensive resilience forced Mishra into some extended rallies, but the higher seed held firm for an 11-4, 13-11, 10-12, 12-10 victory.
Veteran Anthony Amalraj (15th seed) was given a stern examination by young Rupam Sardar (WB). In a match that ebbed and flowed, Amalraj had to call upon all his experience to prevail 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 3-11, 11-7. The deciding game, in particular, tested his concentration and shot selection under pressure.
Sourav Saha overcame a slow start to defeat Oishik Ghosh (WB) 7-11, 11-3, 11-7, and 11-8, while Ronit Bhanja had to stage a comeback from 1-2 down in games against Vansh Singhal (FCI), eventually clinching it 8-11, 11-3, 11-13, 11-7, and 12-10 after a tense final-game deuce.
In one of the day’s quickest matches, Tamil Nadu’s P.B. Abhinand breezed past state-mate Anand Raja Rajan 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 in under 20 minutes, making a statement of efficiency and form.
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Yashansh Malik (Delhi) overcame a mid-match wobble to defeat Sameer Sahni (FCI) 11-6, 12-14, 11-8, 12-10, while 13th seed Sudhanshu Grover had to battle through five games against Priyash Bhati (Rajasthan TTFI 1), eventually prevailing 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6. Grover admitted looking slightly rusty, but his ability to grind out the win in the decider spoke volumes about his mental resolve.
Women’s Singles: Upsets Disrupt the Script
The women’s singles second round, which marked the start of competition for all 16 seeds and 29 qualifiers, promised smooth progress for the favorites on paper. But the day had different plans, delivering two notable upsets that shook up the top half of the draw.
Fifth seed Reeth Rishya was shown the door by Bengal’s Mun Mun Kundu, who brought sharp reflexes and confident counter-hitting to the table. After dropping the first two games 5-11 and 3-11, Kundu looked down and out, but she turned the match on its head with an 11-8 win in the third before sealing it 7-11 in the fourth. The result was a reminder of the depth in the women’s field and the perils of a slow start.
Another seed to stumble was sixth seed Syndrela Das, who found herself in control at 2-1 against Prithoki Chakraborty only to see her advantage evaporate. Chakraborty’s persistence and sharp placement in the closing stages earned her identical 11-9 wins in the last two games, completing one of the day’s most hard-fought comebacks.
Steady Progress for the Rest
For the other women’s seeds, the day was largely free of drama. Top seed Diya Chitale looked comfortable as she advanced, joined by second seed Yashaswini Ghorpade, third seed Swastika Ghosh, and fourth seed Sutirtha Mukherjee.
Former national champion Madhurika Patkar, as well as Anusha Kutumbale, Ananyha Chande, Sayani Wali, and Jennifer Varghese, all moved into the third round with minimal fuss. Yashini Shivashankar, Selena Deepti, Nikhat Banu, and Suhani Saini also recorded straightforward wins, ensuring that most of the higher seeds remained on course for deep runs.
With the early rounds now complete, the stage is set for the top seeds in both the men’s and women’s draws to step into the spotlight. For players like Manush Shah, the challenge will be balancing the expectations of a home crowd with the pressures of defending a title. For others, like Harmeet Desai and Anthony Amalraj, their opening wins serve as confidence boosters but also reminders of the fine margins in knockout table tennis.
The women’s draw, meanwhile, is already more open than expected after the exits of Reeth Rishya and Syndrela Das. Players like Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade will look to capitalize on the opportunity, but the emergence of in-form outsiders like Mun Mun Kundu and Prithoki Chakraborty could keep things unpredictable.
The SAMA Indoor Stadium crowd can expect the intensity to climb in the coming rounds. As the seeded players meet each other and the underdogs push for breakthroughs, the tournament is set to deliver more of the drama, athleticism, and high-skill exchanges that have already made day one memorable.
