The inaugural UTT NationalRanking Championships of the season kicked off at the Rainbow Khelo IndiaResidential Academy with a bang! The Youth Under-11 boys and girls set thestage alight, showcasing their flair and intensity right from the start.
Day 1 saw the YouthUnder-11 Girls blazing through their group stages with a fierce display ofskill. Out of 71 paddlers divided into 22 groups, only the sharpest survived tomove on to the knockout rounds. While some matches were nail-bitingly close,the standout performers emerged victorious with commanding performances. Theknockout draw will feature 32 players, with 10 girls earning a first-round bye.
In the Youth Under-11 Boyscategory, the action was equally thrilling. With 87 competitors battling itout, 28 boys made it to the main draw, and four group toppers securedfirst-round byes. The knockout matches for both boys and girls are set to begintomorrow, promising even more excitement.
As for the Under-13 Boysand Girls, the players began their campaign with the first two rounds, and thethird round to follow tomorrow.
In the Under-11 Girls'division, Tamil Nadu’s N. Sahana and R.N. Pranavi stood out with theirexceptional performances. Sahana, who made her debut, navigated a gruellingschedule with impressive victories. But a hard-fought win against Gujarat’sMisha Lakhani in a five-game thriller. This win enabled Sahana to breeze pastPunjab’s Anmolpreet Kaur in the final group outing with consummate ease.
Pranavi was equallydominant, sweeping her matches with 3-0 scores. She defeated Delhi’s MaindeMandar Sragvi, Andhra’s Maanvika Govindaraju, and West Bengal’s Jenelia DattaChowdhury, showcasing her skill and precision.
In the Boys' section,Delhi’s Arunim Agarwal fought through a tough second round, overcoming Bengal’sDebanshu Chakraborty and later clinching a 3-0 win against Goan rival ColasoIshaan.
Bengal’s Sohan Adhikarialso demonstrated his resilience with a dramatic comeback win againstUttarakhand’s Shardul, saving six-game points before securing victory. He thenbattled through another tough match against Delhi’s Rayansh Chaturvedi,emerging victorious in a five-game thriller.
With the knockout roundson the horizon, the championship is already shaping to be a riveting spectacleof talent and determination.
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