Published: March 14, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Telangana topped Group D after beating Chhattisgarh 3–0 and Madhya Pradesh 3–1 as PSPB set the early pace in Group A with convincing 3–0 victories over Andhra Pradesh and Punjab, and RSPB asserted control in Group B by defeating Rajasthan 3–1 before brushing aside Gujarat 3–0 at the 87th UTT Senior National Table Tennis Championships which began at the Abhay Prashal Stadium in Indore on Saturday.
The opening two rounds of the men’s and women’s team events unfolding largely on predictable lines, as several leading contenders stamped their authority and moved closer to securing places in the knockout stage.
In the men’s section, many traditional powerhouses enjoyed comfortable outings. PSPB set the early pace in Group A with convincing 3–0 victories over Andhra Pradesh and Punjab, while RSPB asserted control in Group B by defeating Rajasthan 3–1 before brushing aside Gujarat 3–0. West Bengal also made an impressive start in Group C with back-to-back 3–1 wins over Uttarakhand and Odisha, while Telangana topped Group D after beating Chhattisgarh 3–0 and Madhya Pradesh 3–1.
Delhi edge Maharashtra 3-2
The closest contest of the day came in Group E, where Delhi edged Maharashtra 3–2 in a gripping tie after both teams had begun with routine victories. Both sides had opened their campaigns with comfortable victories. The contest swung back and forth before reaching a dramatic finish.
Delhi had taken the initial lead, but Maharashtra fought back strongly. The turning point came in the fourth rubber when Kushal Chopda defeated Sudhanshu Grover 11–6, 5–11, 11–6, 8–11, 13–11 in a tense five-game battle, levelling the tie at 2–2 and forcing a decider. Chopda’s effort was particularly notable as he won both his singles on the day, keeping Maharashtra firmly in the contest.
With the tie hanging in the balance, the decisive fifth rubber saw Shivjit Singh Lamba deliver under pressure for Delhi. He overcame Anish Sontakke 11–6, 13–11, 12–10 to clinch the match and seal a hard-fought 3–2 victory, ensuring Delhi maintained its winning momentum in the group despite Maharashtra’s spirited challenge.
Mizoram and Assam dominated Group F with clean sweeps, while Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu advanced smoothly in Group G with emphatic 3–0 results. Haryana and Karnataka also opened their campaigns strongly in Group H with convincing wins.
PSPB, RBI, Maharashtra women post wins
The women’s team event followed a similar pattern, with the stronger teams asserting early control. PSPB, RBI, and Maharashtra all registered successive 3–0 victories to underscore their strength, while Tamil Nadu commanded Group C with wins over Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh. West Bengal and Delhi also impressed with comfortable victories in their respective groups.
There were a few closely fought ties as well, notably Karnataka’s narrow 3–2 victory over Assam and Uttar Pradesh’s hard-earned 3–2 win against Odisha, adding a touch of drama to otherwise one-sided early rounds.
Meanwhile, the men’s and women’s teams from Ladakh are yet to begin their campaign after arriving a day late owing to a flight cancellation. They are scheduled to play both their group matches later in the evening, following the inauguration ceremony.
Results: (Team Stage 1):
Men: (Rounds 1&2)
Group A: PSPB beat Andhra Pradesh 3-0, Punjab beat Nagaland 3-0; PSPB beat Punjab 3-0, Andhra Pradesh beat Nagaland 3-0.
Group B: RSPB beat Rajasthan 3-1, Gujarat beat Sikkim 3-0; RSPB beat Gujarat 3-0, Rajasthan beat Sikkim 3-0.
Group C: W. Bengal beat Uttarakhand 3-1, Odisha beat Himachal 3-1; W. Bengal beat Odisha 3-1, Uttarakhand beat Himachal Pradesh 3-2.
Group D: Telangana beat Chhattisgarh 3-0, MP beat J&K 3-0; Telangana beat MP 3-1, Chhattisgarh beat J&K 3-1
Group E: Delhi beat Manipur 3-0, Maharashtra beat Goa 3-0; Delhi beat Maharashtra 3-2; Manipur beat Goa 3-1.
Group F: Mizoram beat Andaman & Nicobar 3-0, Assam beat Meghalaya 3-0; Mizoram beat Jharkhand 3-0, Assam beat Andaman & Nicobar 3-0.
Group G: UP beat Kerala 3-0, Tamil Nadu beat Pondicherry 3-0; Tamil Nadu beat Kerala 3-0, UP beat Bihar 3-0.
Group H: Haryana beat Daman & Diu 3-0; Karnataka beat Chandigarh 3-0.
Women: (Rounds 1 & 2)
Group A: PSPB beat Goa 3-0; PSPB beat Telangana 3-0.
Group B: RBI beat Himachal Pradesh 3-0; RBI beat Chandigarh 3-0.
Group C: Tamil Nadu beat Meghalaya 3-0, Andhra Pradesh beat Jharkhand 3-0; Tamil Nadu beat Andhra Pradesh 3-0; Meghalaya beat Jharkhand 3-2.
Group D: Maharashtra beat Rajasthan 3-0; Maharashtra beat Madhya Pradesh 3-0.
Group E: Haryana beat Bihar 3-0, W. Bengal beat Kerala 3-0; W. Bengal beat Haryana 3-0, Kerala beat Bihar 3-0.
Group F: Delhi beat Punjab 3-0, Gujarat beat Nagaland 3-0; Delhi beat Gujarat 3-0, Punjab beat Nagaland 3-0.
Group G: Karnataka beat Chhattisgarh 3-0, Assam beat Pondicherry 3-0; Karnataka beat Assam 3-2, Pondicherry beat Chhattisgarh 3-2.
Group H: UP beat Uttarakhand 3-0, Odisha beat J&K 3-0; UP beat Odisha 3-2, Uttarakhand beat J&K 3-0.
