Hosts Maharashtra and strong contenders, Gujarat emerged among the standout teams as the opening two rounds of the 32nd Masters National Table Tennis Championships got underway at the Balewadi Indoor Stadium, here today.
In the men’s 80 plus category, Karnataka registered a 3-1 win over Maharashtra in Group A, while Gujarat dominated Group B with successive victories over Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, both by convincing margins. Delhi and Madhya Pradesh also recorded wins against Tamil Nadu, who struggled to make an impact.
The 75 plus section saw Maharashtra assert complete control in Group A, blanking Telangana and Karnataka 3-0 emphatically. Chandigarh and Rajasthan also advanced smoothly in their respective groups, while Gujarat and Maharashtra prevailed over Maharashtra ‘A’ in Group C.
In the 70 plus category, Maharashtra continued its strong showing with identical 3-0 wins over Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Delhi topped Group B with commanding victories, while Madhya Pradesh emerged from a competitive Group C, edging Karnataka in a close 3-2encounter after defeating Maharashtra ‘A’.
The 65 plus division witnessed Maharashtra maintaining its dominance, outplaying Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh without dropping a game. Delhi bounced back after an opening loss to Chandigarh to secure wins over Karnataka ‘A’ and Tamil Nadu ‘A’. Gujarat, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra ‘A’ also notched up important victories across their groups.
The largest field, the 60plus category, produced several one-sided as well as closely fought matches. Gujarat and Bengal were particularly impressive with consistent wins, while Maharashtra teams—both ‘A’ and ‘B’—progressed comfortably in their respective groups. Andhra Pradesh recorded one of the closest results of the round, edging Delhi3-2. Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan were among other teams to register wins.
With the competition intensifying, several top teams have already staked their claim for knockout berths. Other group matches are currently in progress, with the race for qualification heating up across all age categories.
THE RESULTS (TEAM): Men’s 80 plus: Round 1 & 2: Group A: Karnataka bt Maharashtra 3-1.
Group B: Gujarat bt Madhya Pradesh 3-1, Delhi bt Tamil Nadu 3-0; Madhya Pradesh bt Tamil Nadu 3-0, Gujarat bt Delhi 3-0; Gujarat walkover Tamil Nadu 3-0.
Men’s 75 plus Round 1& 2: Group A: Maharashtra bt Telangana 3-0; Maharashtra bt Karnataka 3-0,Maharashtra bt Karnataka 3-0. Group B: Chandigarh bt Tamil Nadu ‘A’ 3-0;Rajasthan bt Tamil Nadu 3-0. Group C: Gujarat bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-0; Rajasthan bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-0.
Men’s 70 plus Round 1& 2: Group A: Maharashtra bt Telangana 3-0; Maharashtra bt Tamil Nadu 3-0. GroupB: Delhi bt Maharashtra ‘B’ 3-0; Delhi bt Gujarat 1. Group C: Karnataka btTamil Nadu ‘A’ 3-0, Madhya Pradesh bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-1; Madhya Pradesh bt Karnataka 3-2.
Men’s 65 plus Round 1& 2: Group A: Maharashtra bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0, Maharashtra bt UP 3-0. Group B: Chandigarh bt Delhi 3-0, Delhi bt Karnataka ‘A’ 3-0; Delhi bt Tamil Nadu ‘A’ 3-0. Group C: Gujarat bt Tamil Nadu 3-0, Bengal bt Haryana 3-1. Group D: Tamil Nadu bt Delhi ‘A’ 3-0. Group E: Maharashtra ‘A’ bt Rajasthan 3-0.
Men’s 60 plus Round 1& 2: Group A: Gujarat bt Chandigarh 3-0; Gujarat bt Karnataka ‘A’ 3-0. Group B: Bengal bt Rajasthan 3-0, Bengal bt Madhya Pradesh ‘A’. Group C: Bengal bt Rajasthan ‘A’ 3-0, Maharashtra bt Tamil Nadu ‘A’ 3-0. Group D: Andhra Pradesh bt Delhi 3-2. Group E: Maharashtra bt Telangana 3-0; Maharashtra bt Goa 3-0. Group F: Karnataka abt Delhi ‘A’ 3-0, Maharashtra ‘B’ bt Goa 3-0. Group G: Chhattisgarh bt Telangana ‘A’ 3-0, Odisha bt Bengal ‘A’ 2-3. Group H: Gujarat ‘A’ bt Rajasthan ‘A’ 3-0, Uttar Pradesh bt Meghalaya 3-1; Rajasthan bt Meghalaya 3-0.
====