India A in semi-finals

India’s domination was on view on the inaugural day of the 2017 ITTF world junior circuit India junior and cadet Open but what made the contests particularly interesting were two notable upsets in group matches at the Gautam Buddha University Hall near in Greater Noida on Saturday.

The upsets came in Group 1 between India’s A and B teams, followed by the one between India C and India D in Group 2. In both cases, the supposedly lesser teams won in the junior girls section as India A went down 1-3 to the B and India D won 3-0 against India C. India D also blanked India C 3-0 in the cadet girls.

Manav Thakkar-led India A had complete control over their group opponents, including the South Koreans, to take top spot which, in turn, helped them move into the semi-finals, along with India B, comprising SFR Snehit, Parth Virmani and Anukram Jain.

Archana Kamath helped India A won 3-1 to qualify from their group as the second team behind India B.

Archana despite losing her opening rubber against Lee Seungmi 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 10-12. After Selena Selevakumar leveled with a 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9 win over Yoo Siwoo, it was left to Archana and Moumita Das to provide the 2-1 lead when they defeated Kwon Gahyun and Yoo 11-6, 11-4, 11-5. Archana then followed up with her reverse singles triumph as she beat Yoo 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.