Tamil Nadu stamped their authority on the national stage, outclassing Maharashtra 3-1 to clinch the Under-19 boys’ team title at the UTT 87th Inter-State Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships at the New Multipurpose Hall in Dehradun on Wednesday.
The top seeds lived up to their billing, navigating the knockout rounds with composure and conviction. Though they encountered brief moments of resistance, most notably in a gripping semifinal against Assam, Tamil Nadu rarely looked in danger of losing control of the encounter. Their campaign was anchored by the consistency and nerve of P B Abhinand, who proved to be the team’s linchpin throughout the tournament.
Abhinand’s lone blemish came in the semifinal, where he went down fighting to Assam’s Priyanuj Bhattacharyya in a five-game thriller. But the setback did little to shake his rhythm, or his team’s. In the summit clash, he returned to form with commanding victories, first subduing Neil Mulye and then sealing the title with a clinical win over Maharashtra’s mainstay, Kushal Chopda, in the reverse singles.
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam survive thrilling quarterfinal contests
Maharashtra, meanwhile, rode heavily on Chopda’s shoulders through the competition, a strategy that brought them to the final but ultimately exposed their limitations. While Mulye showed flashes of resilience, the duo struggled to match Tamil Nadu’s depth and balance when it mattered most. The decisive edge lay in Tamil Nadu’s ability to deliver across the board, with S K Mehan’s straight-game win further tilting the contest in their favour.
The semifinals had already offered a glimpse of the drama that would unfold. Tamil Nadu was stretched to the limit by a spirited Assam side, scraping through 3-2 in a see-saw battle. Abhinand set the tone early, but back-to-back losses, including his own against Priyanuj, pushed the contest to the brink before M R Balamurugan held his nerve in the decider to take the team into the final.
Maharashtra overcame West Bengal in semis
In the other semifinal, Maharashtra rode on the combined strength of Kushal Chopda and Neil Mulye to overcome West Bengal 3-1. While Neil edged past Punit Biswas in a tight five-gamer, Kushal delivered two crucial wins, asserting his dominance to ensure Maharashtra’s passage into the title clash.
Despite the defeat, Maharashtra can take pride in a hard-fought campaign that earned them the silver medal, while Assam and West Bengal, the losing semifinalists, settled for bronze.
Tamil Nadu’s triumph was about collective strength
Tamil Nadu’s triumph was as much about individual brilliance as it was about collective strength—a hallmark of champions who not only withstand pressure but rise above it.
Meanwhile, with the tournament entering its decisive phase on Thursday, the Under-17 and Under-19 boys gear up for the tougher knockout rounds in the singles, even as they switch focus to the doubles and take to the tables.
Results: Under-19 boys (final): Tamil Nadu beat Maharashtra 3-1 (M R Balamurugan lost to Kushal Chopda 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11, P B Abhinand beat Neil Mulye 11-5, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, S K Mehan beat Ishan Khandekar 11-4, 12-10, 11-7, P B Abhinand beat Kushal 11-6, 11-6, 11-8). Semifinals: Tamil Nadu beat Assam 3-2 (P B Abhinand beat Divyaj Rajkhowa Roy 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, M R Balamurugan lost to Priyanuj Bhattacharyya 12-14, 6-11, 9-11, S K Mehan beat Swapnanil Dutta 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, P B Abhinand lost to Priyanuj 6-11, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7, 6-11, M R Balamurugan beat Divyaj 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 11-8); Maharashtra beat West Bengal 3-1 (Neil Mulye beat Punit Biswas 11-9, 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, Kushal Chopda beat Oishik Ghosh 11-6, 11-9, 11-8, Ishan Khandekar lost to Rupam Sardar 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 8-11, Kushal Chopda beat Punit 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8).
