NewKerala.com

Rising Stars Shine: WTT Youth Contender 2026 Kicks Off with Dominant Wins

The WTT Youth Contender 2026 commenced in Vadodara with defending champion Divyanshi Bhowmik and compatriot Syndrela Das posting decisive straight-game victories in the U-17 girls' singles group stage. Japan's Miku Matsushima also impressed with two wins, positioning herself well for the knockout rounds. In the boys' events, top seed Ritvik Gupta and local favorite Ved Panchal advanced, with Panchal securing a hard-fought five-set victory. The tournament features competitions from U-11 to U-19, showcasing the next generation of table tennis talent.

Key Points: WTT Youth Contender 2026: Divyanshi, Syndrela Start Strong

  • Defending champ starts strong
  • Japanese player advances
  • Local talent Ved Panchal triumphs
  • Top seeds dominate early groups
2 min read

WTT Youth Contender 2026: Divyanshi Bhowmick, Syndrela Das begin U-17 campaign in style

Defending champ Divyanshi Bhowmik and Syndrela Das begin their U-17 campaigns with commanding wins at the WTT Youth Contender 2026 in Vadodara.

"Divyanshi, who had won both the U-15 and U-17 girls singles titles last year, opened her campaign by blanking compatriot Neeza Kamat 11-4, 11-1, 11-2. - Tournament Report"

Vadodara, January 2

Defending champion Divyanshi Bhowmik, Syndrela Das, Japan's Miku Matsushima and rising star Tanishka Kalbhairav kicked off their U-17 girls singles campaign in the WTT Youth Contender 2026 with comfortable wins in the group stage at the SAMA Indoor Stadium on Friday.

The second edition of WTT Youth Contender, which kicked off on Friday, features competitions from U-11 to U-19, with the U-13 and U-17 boys and girls in action on the opening day, according to a release.

Divyanshi, who had won both the U-15 and U-17 girls singles titles last year, opened her campaign by blanking compatriot Neeza Kamat 11-4, 11-1, 11-2 in the Group 1 opener, while Syndrela defeated Tania Karmakar 11-6, 11-6, 11-2 in Group 3.

Japan's Matsushima took significant strides towards the knockout stage with 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 wins over Swara Karmakar and then defeated Anvi Gupte 11-6, 11-3, 11-8 in Group 2.

In the boy's U-17 category, top seed Ritvik Gupta won both his Group 1 matches. Gupta defeated Dhruva Malikarjunan 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 and then got the better of Shreyas Mankeshwar 13-11, 11-6, 11-7.

Local boy Ved Panchal also advanced to the knockout stage with three wins from three matches in Group 21. He first defeated Aarav Singhvi 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, then overcame a stiff challenge from Aarav Rathi with a 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-6 before beating Nitin Veeraraghavan 12-10, 11-6, 11-7 to top the group.

Aditya Das and Sahil Rawat from Groups 2 and 3, respectively, also topped their groups with two victories.

In the U-13 boys category, Shaurya Goyal had to work hard for his 10-12, 11-9, 13-11, 7-11, 11-6 win over Suchet Dharennavar in Group 1.

Divija Paul, the top-ranked player in girls U-13, didn't break much sweat in Group 1 as she registered easy wins. First, she defeated Inaaya 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 and then got the better of Pehel Gupta 11-9, 11-7, 11-2.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great to see a WTT event in Vadodara! Hosting such tournaments is crucial for developing the sport at the grassroots. Ved Panchal's five-set win shows real grit. Hope the stadium had a good crowd.
A
Arjun K
The Japanese player Miku Matsushima seems like a serious contender. Our girls need to be prepared for that challenge. Healthy competition is good, but let's bring both titles home! 🏓
S
Sarah B
Impressive depth in the U-13 category too. Shaurya Goyal's comeback win in five sets must have been thrilling to watch. These kids have nerves of steel!
K
Karthik V
While the wins are commendable, I wish sports journalism gave more context. How many participants total? What's the path to the final? A simple bracket or graphic would help fans follow better.
M
Meera T
Divyanshi blanking her opponent 11-1, 11-2... wow! She's defending her title in style. Hope DD Sports or someone is broadcasting the later stages. Would love to watch.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50