Favourites dominate, race for second spots heats up

DEHRADUN: (Apr 20) The opening two rounds of boys team events at the Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships Monday largely followed the expected script, with the leading contenders asserting dominance at the New Multipurpose Hall here.

Group toppers Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, PSPBA, Delhi, NCOE, and Haryana all but secured their pre-quarterfinal berths with a round to spare, reinforcing their credentials as strong medal contenders.

Most of them progressed with authority, encountering little resistance in the early stages.